A beautiful pear shaped fruit with an emerald leathery skin- avocados come in many varieties and offer numerous health benefits for your entire family. Some avocados are more round than others, and some have thicker, darker skins, but what’s inside is always the same: a rich source of energy, packed with everything you’d want out of a fatty snack.
The flesh is rich and creamy, perfect with some sea salt, black pepper and a drizzle of olive oil, or better yet, smashed into a spicy guacamole dip. Here’s a list of benefits that you can expect from your next batch:
- THEY ARE FULL OF POTASSIUM
One of avocado’s best kept secrets is that it’s loaded with more potassium than any type of banana! Potassium is excellent for blood health, reducing high blood pressure, lowering the risk of developing strokes, heart disease and other heart-related problems. It’s also excellent in maintaining or repairing kidney health, offering the added benefit of reducing water retention and flushing out any excess toxins.
- THEY ARE FULL OF ESSENTIAL FATTY ACIDS
The majority of an avocado is made up of a beautiful, healthy fat known as a monounsaturated fat. It is the creamiest, fattiest fruit on earth, but the very best kind of fat for optimum health. This fat reduces inflammation, lowers bad cholesterol, increases good cholesterol and keeps your heart and organs extremely happy.
- THEY OFFER LOTS OF FIBER
Avocados contain both soluble and insoluble fiber, which means that it promotes satiation, clears your colon of bacteria, improves fat loss, increases nutrient absorption and keeps your blood sugar balanced. Just one whole avocado offers up to 25% of your recommended daily dose of fiber.
- THEY INCREASE NUTRIENT ABSORPTION
Some vitamins require a healthy dose of essential fatty acids in order to be absorbed by your body. By eating more avocados, you will increase the nutrient absorption of vitamins A, D, E and K, which are essential for eye, brain, bone, skin and overall wellbeing. Including avocado in your salad or with your meals will significantly increase the health benefits that you’ll get from your other foods, which makes it a great food on its own, and perfectly compatible with almost any meal.
- THEY PROTECT YOUR EYES FROM DEGENERATION
Avocados are a rich source of antioxidants, as well as being full of caratenoids. This combination protects your eyes from degeneration, greatly reducing the risk of developing cataracts and other age-related eye diseases. Avocados also protect your eyes from harmful free radicals, giving you better sight for your future.
- THEY ARE GREAT FOR HAIR AND SKIN
The rich and fatty flesh of avocados are the perfect hair and face mask, offering restoration, cell repair and hydration. It is exceptionally effective in treating eczema and psoriasis, whether eaten or spread all over your body as a soothing balm. By eating more avocados and incorporating weekly or monthly masks, your hair will be protected from dryness and damage, and your skin’s elasticity and tone will be improved naturally.
- THEY HELP YOUR LIVER TO HEAL
Avocados contain organic compounds that not only maintain the health of your liver, but have also been proven to reduce any damage that has been done to the liver, whether from alcohol damage or through diseases such a Hepatitis C. By consuming more avocados you will tone and protect your liver from further damage, allowing it the time to heal cooperatively.
- THEY REDUCE NAUSEA AND MORNING SICKNESS
Whether you are pregnant or have a hangover, avocados are what you need! Avocados contain high levels of vitamin B6, essential in reducing pregnancy related queasiness and general nausea. The added benefit is that you’ll be getting a giant health kick while you’re at it!
- THEY IMPROVE YOUR BREATH
Bad breath is often caused by poor digestion, and the fiber alone can help your digestive system out tremendously. However, avocados contain natural anti-bacterial and anti-oxidant compounds which destroy the bacteria in your mouth, leaving you with fresher breath and stronger teeth. Some have even suggested that these compounds can prevent oral cancer!
- THEY REDUCE THE RISK OF CANCER
Avocados contain carotenoids and essential fatty acids which have been proven to reduce the risk of developing breast and prostate cancer, two life threatening diseases. The natural anti-oxidants and anti-inflammatory compounds contained in the flesh of ripe avocados also assist in cell regeneration, reversing the damage that cancer cells cause, and reducing the risk of spreading throughout your body.
- THEY ARE PACKED WITH ENERGY
One avocado contains over 200 slow release calories, and offers a rich source of phyto-chemicals that serve as fuel for your body. Containing low amount of carbohydrates and proteins makes this an excellent source of raw energy, particularly for athletes.
