Avocados Help You Mind Your Cholesterol and Four More Things You Should Know

Articles
January 19, 2017

Let's not say goodbye to the avocado toast trend yet! 

Avocados are an incredibly popular food and they are often referred to as a power food, which is not surprising given their many health promoting benefits. There are many varieties of avocados, and the shape, from pear to round, and color, from green to black, can vary between them. They can also weigh anywhere from 8 ounces to 3 pounds. Avocados are tasty in salads, as guacamole, as a creamy spread for a sandwich and even in smoothies. Here are five things you need to know.

Fiber, Avocados are fiber rich. Fiber has been known to contribute to weight loss, reduce blood sugar spikes and is strongly linked to a lower risk of many diseases. Seventy five percent of the fiber in avocados is considered insoluble which helps to keep you regular and 25 percent soluble, which helps to flush the body of excess cholesterol, keeps immunity balanced and more. A 3.5 ounce serving of avocado contains 7 grams of fiber, which is 27 percent of the recommended daily amount.

Weight. Avocados are a weight loss friendly food as they increase satiety and are nutrient dense. Including avocados in your diet could help you naturally eat fewer calories and therefore have an easier time sticking to a healthy diet. Avocados high fiber, and low carb content, are two attributes that should also help promote weight loss, at least in the context of a healthy, real food based diet.

Potassium powerhouse. Potassium helps maintain gradients in the body’s cells, aka balance blood pressure, and serves various important functions. Avocados are very high in potassium. A 3.5 ounce serving containing 14 percent of the RDA, compared to 10 percent in bananas, the latter are always associated as a high potassium food.  Reduced and balanced blood pressure, may lower the risk for heart attacks, strokes and kidney issues.

Eye health. Not only do avocados increase antioxidant absorption from other foods (due to their fat content) they are also high in antioxidants. This includes Lutein and Zeaxanthin, which are incredibly important for eye health. Studies show that these nutrients are linked to a drastically reduced risk of cataracts and macular degeneration, both common in the elderly. Therefore, eating avocados should have benefits for eye health over the long term.

Season. Avocados are available year round but it’s good to note that California’s avocado season is April through September. The always-popular Hass avocados are with their high-fat flesh, and nutty taste, is in season somewhere in the world year-round. Check with your local market to find out when local avocados are in season in your region.