My son Richard sent me a picture of his lunch in work yesterday. I was delighted to see him taking care of his health as I realise with his busy schedule its not always easy to make healthy food choices. So I sent him back words of encouragement explaining the benefits of avocados and thought I would write a quick blog to share the nutrition and benefits with you also!  

The Nutrition in Avocados

So getting down to the nitty gritty Avocados consists of 73% water, 15% fat, 8.5% carbohydrates (mostly fibers), and 2% protein. Half an avocado (which is 68 grams) contains 109 calories. Fiber is the most present carbohydrate content in avocados. Half an avocado provides a substantial amount of fiber, 4.5 grams. Dietary fiber brings about many health benefits. It is capable of regulating appetite, feeding the friendly bacteria in your gut, and reducing the risk of many diseases. Avocado is a very unusual fruit because it is packed with monosaturated fatty acids, which are not that abundant in other fruits. One of the most abundant fatty acids is oleic acid and it can also be found as the main component of olive oil. Oleic acid has been associated with reducing inflammation and having beneficial effects on cancer. Avocado oil has been reported to be a great source of healthy fats, which is backed by studies that suggest it has a protective effect against inflammation, diabetes, and heart disease. Due to a wide variety of nutrients it contains, including 20 different vitamins and minerals, avocados are some of the most potent fruits. The list below are some of the most abundant nutrients in a single 100 gram serving Vitamin K: 26% of the RDA. Folate: 20% of the RDA. Vitamin C: 17% of the RDA. Potassium: 14% of the RDA. (More potassium than a Banana!) Vitamin B5: 14% of the RDA. Vitamin B6: 13% of the RDA. Vitamin E: 10% of the RDA. It also contains small amounts of Iron, Copper, Manganese, Magnesium, Zinc, Phosphorous, Vitamin A, B1 (Thiamine), B2 (Riboflavin) and B3 (Niacin). Even though it contains 9 grams of carbs, only two of them are “net” carbs, while seven of those are fiber, thus making avocado a low-carb, friendly plant food.

Weightloss & Avocados

There is a misconception about avocados and their adverse effects when it comes to weight loss programs and diets. Some people think that avocados should be avoided in calorie-restricted diets because of the fact they are high in fats. On the contrary, eating and incorporating avocados into your diet is not going to prevent you from losing weight. In fact, adding avocados to your meals will help you feel more satiated, which will eventually reduce your desire to eat more and eat more often. It’s been proven that similar meals without avocados do not cause as much satiety. Taking all of this into account, it is clear that avocados may be an excellent supplement to an effective weight loss diet. Plus, what makes avocado a weight-loss friendly food is the fact it is high in fiber, low in carbs, and does not raise blood sugar levels.  

Other Benefits

Avocados are full of healthful compounds such as essential fats. They are rich in omega-3 fatty acids and vitamin E, which is great for your skin and hair. These "good" fat help lower bad cholesterol, but you do need to eat them in moderation. They can give soups, smoothies, dressings, guacamole dips and desserts a fabulous creamy texture. Their visual appeal is a wonderful boost to any salad. Simply throw some lemon juice, fresh garlic together for an explosion of yummy, fragrant nourishment. Some restaurants even make avocado fries but watch out as they are coated in batter and fried, which makes them high in calories and fat.

Other benefits include;

• Lowers Cholesterol and Triglyceride Levels
• Protects Liver from Disease
• Prevents Bad Breath From Indigestion
• Prevents Vitamin K Deficiency
• Encourages Longevity
• Good for Your Bones
• High in Fiber
• Great for Your Skin
• Has a Lot of Lipids - The building blocks of healthy cells
• Improves Your Mood - Folate in avocados helps to prevent excessive amounts of homocysteine from forming in your body so that it can produce serotonin and dopamine. In turn, you’re at less risk from depression.

So if you lack energy or need a quick pick-me-up to overcome fatigue or the dreaded afternoon slump, fresh raw foods like avocadoswill recharge your batteries and give you the stamina you need; they are the perfect antidote to fatigue. They increase your intake of vital nutrients such as enzymes, phyto-nutrients, vitamins, minerals and amino acids. I promise you will immediately feel the benefits of eating better because these foods fuel your cells and have amazing nutritional benefits. If like my son Richard you are trying to transition to incorporating better foods into your diet, remember it's not all-or-nothing – just do your best. To make the transition smooth, have a juice for breakfast and a scrumptious salad for lunch or dinner. Spruce up a salad using different food preparation techniques to add interesting textures. A vegetable spiralizer comes in handy for making raw spaghetti, vegetable noodles, chips or fine shoestring garnishes. If you want to nurture your body with the correct fuel, age well and help your body become a picture of health, get into the habit of eating more veggies. I guarantee you will soon reap the rewards of this fruitful diet. Trust me, you won't miss the junk. It will soon become a walk in the park and you will be whipping up healthy meals in a flash.