Avocado, the native South American fruit has a buttery and creamy inside which is lovely to taste. It is loaded with vitamins and nutrients and has so many health benefits. Keep reading this word to word, as we examine some of the key health benefits of eating an avocado every day on your overall health and wellbeing.
Though most fruits contain a higher concentration of carbohydrates, avocados contain a higher amount of fats. Now before you run away screaming avocados have fat, know that when we speak of fats, we speak of the healthy fats which are good for our bodies; such as those found in fish.
When it comes to the health benefits of avocados, it is important to remember that consuming any amount of the fruit will help. However, if you consume this lovely fruit on a daily basis, the chances are, there will be some noticeable changes to the health of your heart, mind and especially skin.
The health benefits of avocados have been backed by real science. There have been some major studies that have been conducted to iterate the benefits of this fruit. Avocados are considered a miracle fruit with many dieticians recommending that you eat the fruit several times a week. That being the case, if you have access to the fruit on a year-round basis, we recommend that you incorporate it into your daily meal plan, for better results.
There are so many ways you can eat this fruit. It is enjoyed eaten raw, juiced up, added to a smoothie or even made some yummy guacamole out of.
1) Naturally Glowing Skin
If you are like me and consider the health of your skin as a vital part of overall wellbeing, then you will be glad to know of the noticeable difference eating avocados every day has on your skin. After a few weeks of eating avocados, you will notice that your skin is glowing, like that of a pregnant woman. Now men, don’t take offence to this, glowing skin is for certain an added perk; it just means that your skin is much healthier than it used to be.
Further to glowing skin, you will notice that your hair is also shinier than usual. This is because of the amazing fats which are found in this fruit. Avocados contain a wholesome amount of monounsaturated fats. This also means there is a good amount of fat-soluble vitamins in the fruit. It is the combination of these vitamins and fats which make the fruit so good for your skin and hair.
This is why we see beauticians applying the avocado paste on their faces; it produces a noticeable glow in the skin.
2) Sleep Better With Avocados
As we had mentioned previously in the article on ‘Importance of Sleep: How to Get Better Sleep,’ stress is a leading cause behind bad sleep and insomnia. For those who suffer from disturbed sleep, especially due to stress, avocados can surely be a miracle fruit.
Avocados contain a large amount of magnesium, roughly 39 milligrams in an entire fruit. Now magnesium is a great stress buster and is known as an anti-stress nutrient.
With the wholesome amount of magnesium in avocados, you will find yourself in a more relaxed state of mind, which will undoubtedly lead to better sleep.
3) Immune System Boost and Cancer Protection
Did you know that avocados are great for your immune system? What more, they also have cancer protection properties.
Avocados are loaded with vitamin B, which is what you need to boost your immune system. If you eat avocados every day, then chances are, you are less prone to catching that seasonal flu or that virus that’s been going around. It enables your body to fight off any incoming pathogen, keeping you healthy and active.
The cancer protection properties in the fruit are linked to the high doses of vitamin C and E which is found in avocados. They also contain natural plant chemicals that fight off cancer growth in your body and help prevent cancer altogether.
When it comes to muscle fatigue or cataracts, avocados contain high amounts of anti-oxidant phytochemicals such as lutein and zeaxanthin. These help the prevention of conditions such as cataracts and is great for muscle fatigue. This is why, many fitness enthusiasts and weight lifters praise avocados, for they allow them to heal their muscles faster.
4) Improved Digestion
An avocado contains about 10 grams of dietary fibre. This is a rather good amount of dietary fibre, which helps prevent constipation, enabling you to maintain a healthy gut.
The fruit also enables you to stay full and satisfied for a longer period of time, which is great if you are trying to lose a few pounds. Simply incorporate avocados into whatever it is that you are making, be it a sandwich, some sauce or even a yummy salad.
5) Lower Your Cholesterol Level
With a high-calorie count per fruit (226 calories), avocados contain a large amount of fat; about 20 grams of fat per fruit. However, most of the fat that is found in avocados is monounsaturated fat, which in moderated amounts are healthy for you.
These good fats or healthy fats enables your body to boost the amount of HDL cholesterol in your body. HDL cholesterol is known as good cholesterol, while LDL cholesterol is known as bad cholesterol.
The benefit of having a higher level of HDL cholesterol is that it resultantly decreases the amount of LDL in your body. Hence, eating avocados every day will help you increase the amount of good cholesterol in your body and lower the amount of bad cholesterol.
6) Weight Loss and Avocados
It isn’t an unknown phenomenon, fruits are generally good for weight loss. Studies have shown that people who eat avocados tend to become more satisfied with the meal, which prevents them from unhealthy snacking.
In general, 1/4 (quarter) of the people who ate an avocado were less likely to eat anything for the next five hours, as studies have shown. Though the fruit, in general, is considered high in calories, the fact that it keeps you satisfied for a longer period of time means that on a daily basis, you would be inclined to eating fewer calories overall.
They are also low in carbohydrates, which makes them an ideal fit for a ketogenic diet. The fact that they are low in carbohydrates, make them a good companion in your weight loss journey.
7) A Relief for Arthritis
Arthritis causes a whole lot of pain and people who suffer from it tend to look for anything they can do to help ease the pain.
Arthritis has become a common disorder amongst Americans, who suffer from the chronic problems of the disease. It is simply something they have to live with for the rest of their lives. Hence, they are always on the lookout for ways to better manage their pain.
Studies have shown, that a combination of avocados and soybean could help reduce the symptoms of osteoarthritis. This can lead to better-managed pain. Hence if you suffer from Arthritis, then eating avocados every day could have a therapeutic effect for you.
8) Better Nutrient Absorption
When it comes to nutrition, eating nutritious food is not the only thing you need to think about. You have to also consider the nutrition absorption rates. This is the rate of nutrient absorption, in other words, the efficiency with which your body absorbs nutrients. You have to be able to absorb the nutrients in the gut and transfer them into your body; which is why gut health is so important.
Anti-oxidants like carotenoids and vitamins A, E, D and K are fat-soluble. This means they have to be combined with fats to be absorbed in the gut. Simply adding avocados into your daily meal plan enables you to absorb all these nutrients at an efficient rate, so as to prevent nutrition loss in your body.
The healthy amounts of fats in avocados enable a better absorption rate of nutrients. Thus, avocados have a bonus nutritional value; not only are they nutritious on their own, but they also enable you to better absorb nutrients from other food. This is what makes avocados a miracle fruit.
This is why you should always remember to include a healthy fat source such as avocados with your vegetables, so as to ensure that all the vitamins, minerals and antioxidants are absorbed by your body and nothing goes to waste.
9) A Healthier Self
Studies have shown that people who eat avocados on a frequent basis and make a good habit out of it, tend to be on the healthier and happier side of life. It is more likely that you would be eating healthy meals.
People who eat avocados on a frequent basis tend to sidestep serious health conditions such as heart disease, cancer and diabetes. Coupled with this, they also have a better overall nutrient intake.
Studies have also noticed that people who ate avocados had significantly less belly fat and had a lower body weight.
10) Improved Heart Conditions
As one of the fattiest foods that are out there, avocados contain a major amount of oleic acid. Oleic acid is also what makes olive oil such a healthy choice.
Oleic acid, which is a monounsaturated fatty acid, is very good for your heart and reduces inflammation. Eating avocados every day greatly improves your heart health.
If you suffer from a heart condition or are recovering from a heart attack, then avocados would be a good addition to your diet to better manage your risks. If possible, use avocado oil for cooking.
11) Lower Blood Pressure
If you knew that bananas contained potassium, then you should also know that avocados contain more potassium than bananas.
Potassium is important for a healthy nervous system, however also acts as a great agent in lowering your blood pressure. With a high amount of potassium, avocados will help you sidestep all the major risk factors of high blood pressure, such as heart attacks, strokes and kidney failure.
Goes without saying, that if you are battling with high blood pressure and have been doing so for years, then eating avocados every day could actually help you naturally manage your condition.
12) High Nutritional Content
Avocados contain so many essential nutrients which your body needs. This is why it is considered a superfood. It is loaded with vitamin K, with a 100-gram serving providing 26% of the daily value.
It is also high in vitamin C, B5 and B6. As previously mentioned it contains a good amount of potassium. A 100-gram serving also provides 20% of the daily value of folate.
The fruit is also an excellent source of vitamin E, which is what makes it so great for your skin. There are also trace quantities of zinc, magnesium, manganese, copper and phosphorous and vitamins A, B1, B2 and B3.
13) Stabilise Your Metabolism
A fluctuating metabolism can cause havoc on your body, causing you to gain weight from unwelcomed meals and snacking. It is your fluctuating metabolism that is responsible for you feeling hungry at odd times of the day when you are more inclined to snack.
The healthy fats in avocados help regulate your metabolism. Eating an avocado every day would help you attain metabolic stability within your body.
This will prevent further conditions caused by a disturbed metabolism from arising, such as heart disease and high blood pressure caused by unhealthy eating patterns.
14) Save Your Eyes
As mentioned prior, avocados have a good amount of antioxidant phytochemicals such as lutein and zeaxanthin.
Both these anti-oxidants actually help prevent loss of vision by better guarding the retina. Hence, if you are looking to save your sense of sight, it would be a good practice to incorporate avocados into your daily meal plan.
15) Prevention of Diabetes
Doctors say that the best way to prevent diabetes is by training your body to regulate your blood sugar levels naturally, relying on healthy nutrition.
Blood sugar fluctuation is what causes diabetes and avocados do a marvellous job at preventing blood sugar spikes. If you eat an avocado after a meal, the blood sugar fluctuation which occurs in your body is lowered, preventing blood sugar spiking.
This means, that the fruit is better capable of managing your blood sugar levels naturally, which can be a great way to help prevent diabetes.
16) Finally, Beat Depression
As mentioned prior, avocados contain a good amount of potassium and folate. Deficiencies of potassium and folate have been proven in studies to have been linked to depression.
So when it comes to beating depression, adding avocados into your daily meal plan could really help you finally beat depression in the long run. It can for sure have some amazing benefits for the mind and keep you feeling well overall.
All in All
Avocados are a great addition to your daily meal plan. There are so many health conditions that it prevents, which is why it is considered a miracle fruit; a superfood.
When you consider the modern diet, if there is one thing missing with regards to nutrition value and nutrition absorption ability, then it has to be avocados.
As you have noticed after reading this word to word, there are loads of health benefits of eating avocados every day. They can help you lose weight, keep your skin healthy, help your heart and the list goes on and on.
Happy Munching!
