Lifestyle
A Short List of Avocado Health Benefits
For a long time, avocados were considered bad for the health. This was at the time all fat was demonized and considered the reason so many people were overweight. Things have changed in recent years, and now avocados are touted as being one of the most beneficial vegetables/fruits to add to your diet.
Just what makes avocados so good? Well, the healthy fats are certainly good, but they are also packed with multiple vitamins and minerals that help to support all elements of the body.
There are so many benefits that it would take us all day to list them both. We want to pick out the biggest benefits of adding just half an avocado a day to your diet. You can eat avocados raw, opt for the oil, or mash and spread on toast. Here’s a look at the health benefits you’ll gain.
There’s More Potassium in An Avocado than a Banana
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You’ll know that bananas are packed with potassium. This is a nutrient you need daily, and you’re likely deficient in it. The potassium helps to ensure the cells in the body have the right number of electrical gradients throughout the day. These gradients ensure the body functions in the right way throughout the day. Good levels of potassium will help to stabilize blood pressure, reducing the risk of kidney failure, heart attacks, and stroke.
Bananas are often touted as being the best option for potassium, but that isn’t quite the case. An avocado will give you 14% of the recommended daily amount of potassium, compared to bananas that offer just 10%. So, if you just want one reason to add it to your diet, then this is the one to work with.
Of course, you can’t just rely on avocados. There’s nothing wrong with having both bananas and avocados in your diet. Just know which fruit has more of it!
Your Heart Health Is Protected
While potassium helps to protect the heart of the health, it’s not the only part of avocados that help. One of the biggest reasons for heart disease is inflammation. This is a natural response within the body due to the immune system, but can often occur when it doesn’t need to. Inflammation is linked to a range of problems, including chronic illnesses and mental health problems.
Coronary heart disease is an inflammatory disease that you want to avoid as much as possible. This means getting plenty of monounsaturated fats and anti-inflammatory properties within the body. The great news is that avocados have both!
Avocados are full of oleic acid; which studies show help to reduce the bad LDL cholesterol in the body. This LDL cholesterol creates a friction layer over the arteries, causing problems for the circulation of the blood. The oleic acid helps to add more good HDL cholesterol, which lines the arteries with a smooth lining, protecting them and making it easier for the blood to circulate.
Of course, the potassium levels also certainly help. They reduce your blood pressure, making it less likely to suffer from other heart problems.
Studies have also shown that avocados lower your triglyceride levels. Research is still needed, but high triglyceride levels are seen in most cardiovascular disease patients.
You don’t need to eat avocados to get this benefit. One of the biggest benefits is through avocado oil, which you can replace vegetable oils with. opt for organic avocado oil to avoid chemicals and pesticides.
Manage Your Blood Pressure in Multiple Ways
While the potassium levels help with the management of your blood pressure levels, they’re not the only way avocados help. Avocados are extremely high in vitamin E, which helps to prevent the oxidation of cholesterol within the body. This aids in keeping the blood pressure low.
A major benefit of this isn’t just for the heart. Lower blood pressure can also help to avoid the issue of kidney problems. Too many patients suffer from kidney disease and often need to be placed on the transplant list. The issue is that the list is so long, many patients die before they get their replacement.
Vitamin E offers a range of other health benefits. This is an antioxidant, which helps to boost the immune system and protect the cells. It helps to reduce the number of free radicals in the body, lowering the risk of cancer and helping to reverse the signs of aging.
The management of the blood pressure also comes from the phytosterols within avocados. This helps to reduce the amount of cholesterol that is absorbed (both good and bad to keep all levels health) and manage the blood sugar levels. When the blood sugar levels remain normal, the blood pressure does, and heart problems aren’t as likely.
Lowering the Risk of Diabetes
Managing the blood sugar levels will also help to reduce your risk of other health problems in the future. Diabetes is a major concern, especially in the Western World. While more research is needed into Type I diabetes, Type II diabetes is something that most people can avoid with the right diet.
As we get older, our bodies start to become resistant to insulin. The blood sugars rise, and the body can’t get rid of them efficiently. And it’s not just age. Opting for an unhealthy diet that is full of sugar can also cause a problem.
The oleic acid and phytosterols help to keep the blood sugar levels to a minimum. They can prevent the carbs from sugaring in the body and offer energy in other ways. Fewer sugars will mean less insulin needed.
Help to Lower the Risk of Cancer Development
It seems today that everything causes cancer, doesn’t it? Well, it’s time to add a fruit to your diet that won’t cause it. I’ve already shared the vitamin E benefit, but that’s not the only reason avocados are good.
Avocados are full of many other antioxidants. You can find alpha- and beta-carotene, lutein, zeaxanthin, and many more. All these works together to fight against free radicals and get rid of carcinogens within the body. Not only are you getting rid of one element that causes damage to cells, but you’re getting rid of the reasons for cancerous cells growing.
You will offer support for all types of cancers. Alpha-carotene has shown significant anti-cancer benefits in studies, while vitamin E has shown the ability to fight against breast cancer specifically.
Support the Health of Your Skin
Vitamin E does much more than fight cancer. It also has some anti-aging properties. If you use avocados directly on your skin, you can improve the look and feel of your skin immediately. However, eating the fruit will also help to offer many of the benefits.
The vitamin E and monounsaturated fats in avocados help to improve the appearance of your skin. They support the natural oil production, helping to prevent your skin from drying out. You can help to reduce some skin conditions, such as eczema and psoriasis. Even those with oily skin can gain benefits from avocados. The nutrients help to balance out the hormones, leading to better oil production levels. Balancing the oils will help to reduce blackheads and acne.
There are also some major anti-inflammatory properties that will help the feel and appearance of the skin. Avocados are full of overlooked omega-9 fatty acids. These are essential for reducing redness, irritation, and damage to the skin cells.
Then there are the anti-aging benefits. The fats will get deep into the layers of skin, improving the elasticity and reducing the sight of stretch marks, wrinkles, and fine lines. Meanwhile, the antioxidants will reduce the sight of dark spots and blemishes. Vitamin E offers to protect against the sun, while vitamin C helps to support the production of collagen to improve firmness and stretchiness.
There are very few reasons not to use avocado for the skin. Most people have no negative reactions to it, unlike many nut oils.
Help to Reduce Osteoarthritis Issues
Arthritis is a growing concern. People around the world suffer from various types of arthritis in their joints, especially rheumatoid arthritis or osteoarthritis. The condition isn’t just annoying. It’s excruciating for many people, leaving them unable to live their lives the way they want to.
While avocados won’t help to get rid of the pain completely, they do help with treatment. Arthritis is linked to inflammation of the body. Health issues lead to the cartilage in the joints wearing away, so the bones rub against each other. Think of it like rubbing two bare stones together with no lubricant.
The Western diets tend to make the inflammation in the body worse. We drink dairy and eat corn, sugar, and wheat. These cause issues within the body and make arthritis worse. The healthy fats in avocados (along with the other nutrients) help to prevent this. In fact, there is no other fruit out there, except for possible pineapple, which offers the reduction in inflammation and pain felt.
Again, the avocados aren’t going to stop the pain completely, but you will find you can move better. You can also prevent osteoarthritis occurring if you’re worried about developing it later in life.
Helps to Keep Your Digestive System Working
Avocados are naturally full of fiber. They include both soluble and insoluble types, which are both essential for the overall workings of your digestive system. The soluble will help to soften your stools, while the insoluble helps to push the waste through your system.
If you’re struggling to pass your stools, you will want to add this fruit to your diet. The fiber will help to make sure your bowels remain regular, preventing constipation in the future. Think of it as a mild natural laxative that is completely safe even for pregnant women to take!
On opt for this, the healthy fats will help to soften the stools. This also helps to keep you regular. However, watch out for eating too many as avocados can make you go the other way!
A healthy digestive system isn’t just good for keeping your bowels moving. Not only do you get rid of the discomfort, but you’ll do your immune system some good. Most of the immune system is in the digestive tract. If the digestive system is blocked up or struggling to work through the food, the immune system isn’t going to work effectively.
You’ll also reduce your risk of developing colon cancer. The block of waste can cause the colon cells to become damaged.
You’ll See Better Losses at the Scales
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If you’re losing weight, you may be tempted to avoid avocados. After all, fat makes you fat, right? Well, that’s the old way of thinking. Getting the right types of fats can help you lose weight! Avocados are full of the fats that you want.
Healthy fats are high in calories. That’s not surprising. However, you’re not going to eat that many avocados. Just half a day will give you so many health benefits without ruining your diet. Many diets now encourage you to get half an avocado a day to help improve your efforts.
The healthy fats will give your body the energy it needs throughout the day. You can reduce your carbs without feeling sluggish. The factsare turned into ketones, which feed the metabolism. Rather than getting sugar rushes that you would with some carbs, you get sustained energy levels throughout the day. The ketones will help to speed up the metabolism, meaning you can burn more calories throughout the day.
On top of this, you get the fiber benefits. The extra fiber will help to keep you feeling fuller for longer. After half an avocado with the rest of your meal, you will feel satisfied. You’ll forget that you used to feel like you needed more to eat and find it easier to control your portions. It’s easier to cut down on snacking, and you will be able to consume fewer calories throughout the day without worrying about going hungry. Your diet is suddenly much easier to stick to.
When you don’t feel hungry, you don’t feel like you’re missing out. You’ll suffer fewer sugar cravings and binges on a night.
You’ll Support a Healthy Pregnancy
When you find out you’re pregnant, you’ll get a list of food that you can’t eat. Doctors want you to put your baby first, but it can feel like a mission. You suddenly wonder what you can enjoy while you’re carrying your unborn baby.
Meanwhile, you’re told that you need to get more folic acid and vitamin D. Just how do you do that when some of the foods that offer them both are on your “not to eat” list?
Well, it’s time to look at avocados, especially for the folic acid. Avocados are packed with the B vitamin known as folate (which is also referred to as folic acid). This B vitamin will help to develop the neuroreceptors within the body. It helps with the brain and the nervous system development. Avocados have far more than any other fruit out there, and you could avoid having to take supplements if you want to get your folic acid naturally.
That’s not the only way you’ll gain a healthy pregnancy. You also gain plenty of vitamin K from a portion of avocado. This is a vitamin that we tend to overlook, but is linked to lack of clotting in the body. A baby doesn’t have vitamin K naturally in their bodies and must hope that you offer them enough during the pregnancy.
Add More Avocados to Your Diet Today
Out of all the fruits out there, you want to turn to avocados. They may look unappealing at first, but there are just so many ways that you can cook them. If you’re struggling, make your guacamole with them for Mexican night!
Avocados are packed with nutrients. Whether you need to add more vitamin K to your diet or you’re worried about the amount of fiber you gain, you’ll want to turn to avocados.
Contrary to popular belief, avocados will help you lose weight. They can help to improve your energy levels, and they will protect your heart. What’s your reason not to add them to your diet?
