Are Avocados Good For You? – 8 Little Known Facts

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We all know that the avocado is a creamy, delicious and versatile snack, but are avocados good for you?

Let’s take look at this wonderful fruit and discover the 8 little known facts that make them one of the world’s most extraordinary superfoods. Also, why you should be adding them into your plant based diet every day.

Avocados have been eaten for as long as 15,000 years and are actually classified as a berry with a large pip. They are grown mostly in Mediterranean climates, but due to the recent explosion of information on their health benefits are now popular worldwide.

Yes, avocados are popular and for good reason. Not only are they super creamy and VERY satiating, they also make a great accompaniment to pretty much any meal, and even desserts.

Do avocados burn belly fat?

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Avocados, high calorie as they may be, can actually play a role in fat burning and weight loss process.

Not only are they satiating due to their healthy fat content, but they are also extremely low GI. Low glycemic foods keep you fuller for longer as they release their energy over a sustained period of time, keeping you on  a slow energy burn.

But, there are also so many other reasons why you should add avocados to your diet regularly.

1. BLOOD SUGAR CONTROL

Blood sugar control is one of the main and very important benefits of the humble avocado. Just half with your breakfast or morning smoothie will lower the GI of your entire meal. The healthy fats will help keep your blood sugar stable for the rest of the day, and you satiated for hours.

Is it ok to eat an avocado every day?

eating avocado

The answer to this would be yes, as long as you are keeping other fats to a minimum and also not eating it all at once. You can eat half with breakfast and half with dinner and this will be fine if you don’t have issues with high fat foods.

Add avocado to a delicious vegan protein powder blend. Wizz up really thickly in your high speed blender with some nut milk, cacao powder and healthy sweetener like xylitol. It comes out just like a chocolate pudding, but with zero carbs.

Perfect for keeping your body in fat burning mode after your night’s fast!

Keeping your metabolism stoked and your body burning fat is a big deal in terms of fat loss. Low GI foods such as the avocado cause much less of an insulin spike than their high GI counterparts that actually promote fat storage.

Eating lots of low GI foods in general will help keep both your blood sugar stable and weight under control. And, not just when you’re actively trying to lose weight, but all the time.

2. CAN HELP CONTROL DIABETES

For pretty much the same reasons as above, you will find the low GI and satiating effects of an avocado will help to keep your blood sugar stable for hours.

For best results, you should eat a few chunks of avocado with meals when you can. But, be sure to include this in with your daily fats and calorie allowance and not an added extra on top.

No matter what you’re eating, you still need to burn off all the calories you put into your body if you don’t want to gain weight. You just have to be smart about the type of calories you put in if you want to feel satiated and boost fat burning at the same time.

Because avocados are so versatile, they can also easily be added into smoothies, or as a side dish to almost every meal in some way or another. Not to mention what they are most famous for in the first place – guacamole! 

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3. NUTRITIONAL SUPERSTAR

Avocados offer almost 20 vitamins and minerals, including lutein, potassium, folate, B vitamins, vitamins C, E and K, beta-carotene and omega 3 fatty acids. And, the array of natural plant phytochemicals and anti aging antioxidants they contain can help protect the body against disease.

The wonderful avocado is also low in sugar and high in fibre (about 6-7 grams per average sized fruit). Fibre is important for the proper function of the digestive system and healthy bowels.

Fibre also helps lower bad cholesterol, maintains healthy blood sugar levels, and aids in weight control and weight loss.

4. HEALTHY FATS

Avocados contain heart healthy monounsaturated fats. The same that are found in olive oil. These fantastic fats should be eaten daily for the amazing benefits they offer.

Other healthy, whole foods fats include: Nuts, seeds, quinoa, amaranth, whole olives and coconut.

The avocado should be added to your diet alongside other super healthy fats for an all round array of nutrition.

5. VISION

Avocados contain the phytochemicals zeaxanthin and lutein. Both of which offer antioxidant protection in the tissue of the eyes to help protect them against damage, especially from ultra-violet light.

6. HELPS PREVENT OSTEOPOROSIS

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There is roughly 25% of your daily vitamin K needs in an avocado, along with good amounts of calcium and vitamin D.

Vitamin K is important for healthy bones because it increases calcium absorption and decreases calcium excretion. It’s helpful when nutrients that go hand in hand are all in the same food, as they are in the avocado.

Nutrients that go hand in hand happens a lot in nature. It’s the reason why some foods are perfect as they are, and come already perfectly packaged for us.

7. LOW CARBOHYDRATE

Avocado is also an awesome addition to a low carb diet, giving it yet another fat burning edge. 

This healthy avocado comes in at 9 grams of carbohydrate per 100 grams. It will really fill you up so be sure to incorporate it into your diet every day to reap these benefits to the maximum.

Remember portion control applies to all high fat foods (including the avocado). One portion is equivalent to half a small avocado or a quarter of a large one.

8. CAN MAKE YOU HAPPIER

Folate, and high folate foods such as avocados, can decrease the risk of and help ease the symptoms associated with depression and anxiety. Folate helps prevent the homocystein build up which can impair the body’s ability to deliver essential nutrients to the brain.

Excess homocystein can interfere with serotonin, dopamine and norepinephrine, all of which help regulate mood, sleep and appetite.

Be sure to get your folate rich foods in if you want to feel more calm and happy.

Omega 3 fatty acid’s feed the brain

human brain

Avocados contain high levels of omega 3 fatty acids and help to control blood sugar. This gives them a double whammy of protective nutrients against depression and anxiety.

Omega 3’s feed the brain which in turn can help alleviate low mood. Also, keeping blood sugar stable goes a long way in helping to control anxiety, especially panic attacks.

You can also get omega 3 from DHA and omega 3 supplements which you may find will help even more alongside avocado. Omega 3 DHA supplements contain the vital DHA omega that is specifically for brain function.

Disclaimer: Remember to always consult your doctor before self diagnosing serious mental illness. 

Avocado Nutritional Facts Per 100 Grams (or one medium avocado)

  • calories – 100
  • Fat – 15 grams
  • Carbohydrates – 9 grams
  • Fiber – 7 grams
  • Protein – 3 grams
  • Sugar – 0.7 grams
  • Potassium – 485 mg
  • Sodium – 7 mg

TOP TIP:

Always scrape every last bit of the avocado flesh away from the skin as this is the part highest in all those powerful nutrients.

Some people even eat the pip by chopping it and adding it into smoothies. This too is also nutrient dense and high in fibre, though does have a slight bitter taste which you may want to try out and test for yourself.

CONCLUSION

As you can see, adding avocado to your diet every day can have amazing health benefits. Just remember to count them towards your total calorie and fat intake.

Eating your avocado alongside other antioxidant rich superfoods and a low GI, plant based diet may help boost your well-being and health to higher levels.

A combination of all these things over time will help transform your health and well-being.

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21 thoughts on “Are Avocados Good For You? – 8 Little Known Facts”

  1. Love love love this post. Coming from an Avocado junkie I feel I have to limit myself, because I could eat many. I know they’re good for me, but they are still high in fat. I didn’t know all of the health benefits from them, which makes it all the better! Thanks for the awesome pots.

    Alysia

    1. Hi Alysia, I am an avocado junkie too, so we have that in common. Yes, they are high in fat so I make sure I count them towards my total fat/calorie intake, so they don’t make me put on weight. I have half a day with my breakfast, and because they are so satiating and filling they stop me from snacking all morning. So in effect, they negate themselves in that way anyway. Fantastic! Carry on eating these little beauties until your hearts content, that’s what I say.

  2. David Candelaria

    You see, Ive heard about increasing healthy fatty intake within your diet in order to see more muscle-gaining results, but was sort of skeptical. This article really helps me to realize that there are plenty of other benefits aside from gaining muscle. Very helpful!

    1. Hi David, thanks for reading, and I’m glad you can see the super benefits of avocados now. They really are a super food, in fact, one of the very best I’ve ever come across in my research, and I’ve done a lot of research in the nutrition field. So yes, get these bad boys down you every day and you will soon start to reap the rewards.

  3. Thanks stefanie this was an incredible and useful reading, I’m a fan too of avocados but had no idea of the many benefits you get by eating them! Sure I’ll consume them more often!

    1. Hi Danilo, I’m really glad to hear you are an avocado fan like myself. Seriously, what’s not to like? Haha. I’m on at least half a day now, especially since my research for this article. It’s amazing just what food can do for us, it just takes a little knowledge. Thanks for reading.

  4. Thank you for this great post, I like it! I love avocado and I think I am going to love it even more from now on. It really is a “nutritional superstar” with all those vitamins and minerals. It is great to know that it helps to protect eyes from the ultra-violet light, thanks for sharing.

    1. Hi Blanka, glad to hear you love avocados, so do I! Yes they are fantastic and I’m eating at least half a day now and they really do fill me up for longer and help stop sugar cravings. And trust me when I say, there’s not much that has the ability to do that!

  5. Stefanie I found all of your facts very interesting and informative. I am just wondering, do you have any suggestions for me trying to get used to eating avocados? I am afraid to try them because I am a very picky eater. I have tried making it into a puree inside a smoothie but I can’t bring myself to drink it. Can you describe the taste?

    1. Hi Ashley, and thanks for enjoying the article. Avocados just taste creamy really, they don’t have as strong flavour which is why they go with so many different things. My absolute favorite thing I do with avocados is to make a chocolate mousse (and this really does taste like a chocolate mousse). I whizz them up in a blender with a little melted coconut oil, some healthy sugar (maybe xylitol, maple syrup,or raw honey). Xylitol is the best as it really is sugar free, a banana (if you are using really ripe bananas then you may not need any other sugar), and some cacao powder.

      I cannot give you amounts because I kind of play it by ear until it tastes nice. If it’s too thick and wont blend you can add some milk.

      I also chop them up and put on top of a chili, it really makes a difference to the over all taste, and avocados go well with spicy foods as they help temper them down. I urge you to try them as they are so good for you!

  6. Great article and a lot of useful information about avocado. Avocado it so so healthy to eat and we can eat it in various ways like in salad, smoothies and raw. Great Information, keep it up..

    1. Hi Scott, yes they are great and I hope you get on well incorporating them into your daily food regime. Luckily they are so versatile you can use them with most meals. I have mine in my morning protein shake and I’m full up until lunch.

  7. I first tried avocado just over a year ago when I visited Australia. I didn’t know what to expect but was pleasantly surprised, so I can definitely recommend them!

    1. Hi Aidan, I remember when I tried my first avocado as a kid and that happened to be in Australia also! How bizarre. I didn’t like them back then; thought they were disgusting in fact, but they totally rock my world now, I’m eating them every breakfast and they just fill me up so much and keep my blood sugar stable for hours and hours. They really are great, which is why I spent the time to write a whole post about them ha ha.

  8. I think I can get my fats from avacados. However I want to eat it after my workouts but my trainer said that it will not be good for results if I do that and he recommended I should eat it other times. What is your take on that?

    1. Hi Furkan, maybe your trainer is right and you should concentrate on getting your muscles refueled with carbs and protein after a workout. I would probably eat my avocado in my morning smoothie if this is the case, and if you want to make it a pre-workout smoothie then add some high carb fruits such as bananas and dates to give you fuel. Perfect! In fact, dates are a perfect training food, please refer to this post for more information

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