In my opinion, avocados should be ranked as one of the top five

healthiest foods on the planet. You may be surprised to learn about

how many avocado benefits there are.

Why should you eat avocados? Avocados are truly an amazing

food for many reasons, but until recently, you wouldnt know it.
Years of being scared away from fat-containing foods have led
many people to overlook avocados. Today thanks in part to
the low-fat diet risks that have been revealed we know that
avocado benefits include critical, healthy fats in addition to much
more: various antioxidants, multiple trace minerals and vitamins too.

You may be wondering, is an avocado a fruit or a vegetable? In

fact, avocados are actually a fruit. They are great in both savory
and sweet dishes.

Despite their growing popularity over the past decade, Americans

still seem unsure how to eat avocado fruit, eating avocado simply
by putting them in salads, sandwiches and guacamole dip.
Granted, avocados are a fantastic addition to these dishes. But I
have also come to appreciate that, in most countries, theyre
regularly used in desserts! Around the world, theyre used in similar
ways as coconuts and commonly paired with raw cocoa
furthering their health benefits even more. Their mild flavor, texture
and creamy consistency make avocados a fantastic ingredient in
some of my favorite treats like chocolate mousse. Now thats just
another one of many avocado benefits!

New to avocados and unsure of how much to have or how exactly

to use them? As youre going to learn, for a couple hundred
calories, avocados make a filling addition to any meal or snack,
while providing nutritious heart-healthy fats, about half your days
fiber, folate, vitamin A, potassium and more. Packed full of
essential nutrients, avocado benefits include improved heart health,
hormone balance, better digestive health and so much more that
well dig into below.

Avocado Nutrition Facts

So, heres the deal about avocados: They truly are one of the top
superfoods to add to your diet. In fact, I know of few other foods
that are so jam-packed with essential nutrients especially when
you consider how great avocados taste! In terms of calories,
one medium-size avocado has around 215 total calories. But, dont
let that scare you. Because of the healthy fat, fiber and
phytochemical content, this super nutrient-dense food should only
help you lose weight.

Although the official avocado serving size is about one-fifth of a

whole fruit (30 grams), according to certain studies the average
consumption is about one-half an avocado at one time (68 grams).
(1) According to the USDA, this serving size provides the following
nutritional value: (2)

113 calories
4.6 g dietary fiber
10 grams fat
6 grams carbohydrates
only 0.2 gram total sugar
14 milligrams vitamin K (19 percent DV)
60 milligrams folate (15 percent DV)
6 milligrams vitamin C (12 percent DV)
343 milligrams potassium (10 percent DV)
2 milligrams pantothenic acid (10 percent DV)
0.4 milligram vitamin B6 (9 percent DV)
1.3 milligrams vitamin E (7 percent DV)
19.5 milligrams magnesium (6 percent DV)

To dive in further, avocados benefits include the following key

nutrients:

Monounsaturated fats Shown to reverse insulin

resistance and regulate blood sugar levels, avocados and
avocado oil are some of the richest sources
of monounsaturated fats (MUFAs) in the world! Unlike
saturated, or bad, fats, MUFAs are actually good for you and
help the heart and brain. MUFAs are the main dietary form of
fat in the Mediterranean diet, which for decades has been
linked to protection against heart disease, cancer, cognitive
decline and many other disorders.
 Carotenoids Avocados contain oleic acid, a
monounsaturated fat that can improve memory and brain
activity. (3) Oleic acid in turn helps the body with carotenoid
absorption. Carotenoids are chemical compounds that give
certain fruits and vegetables their bright yellow, orange or red
color. Beta-carotene is one of the most common carotenoids.
Carotenoid benefits include lowering inflammation, promoting
healthy growth and development, and boosting immunity,
among others.
Fat-soluble vitamins A, E and K Our bodies not only
require these vitamins to function properly, but they also work
together in an integrated way with essential minerals (such as
magnesium and zinc) to impact metabolic factors (such as
carbon dioxide and thyroid hormone).
Water-soluble vitamins B and C Im not sure if you knew
this, but B-complex vitamins and vitamin C are not stored in
your body. This means that you need to replenish them every
day. Avocados are one of the better vitamin C foods and
sources of B vitamins, which reminds me of my mantra: An
avocado a day keeps the medical doctor away!
Important trace minerals (like magnesium, potassium,
iron and copper) One interesting fact many people are
unaware of is that you would need to eat two bananas to meet
the potassium content in just one whole avocado, which
makes avocados an excellent source to prevent low
potassium.
Loads of fiber Avocados contain more soluble fiber than
most foods and help stabilize blood sugar levels, facilitate
proper bowel regularity and maintain proper weight control.
Protein Avocados are on the list of top protein foods.
Having the highest protein and lowest sugar content of any
fruit, avocados offer a unique balance to building lean
muscle mass and burning fat.
Antioxidant phytochemicals (such as beta-sitosterol,
glutathione and lutein) To help protect against various
diseases like macular degeneration and cataracts, its
a good idea to eat a diet rich in phytochemicals like avocados.
Antioxidant phytochemicals prevent oxidative damage (also
called free radicals) that have the power to change DNA and
result in cell mutations.
 Folate Because of its high supply of the crucial nutrient
folate, avocado benefits include preventing certain birth
defects like spinal bifida and neural tube defects. Research
has even suggested that folate-rich foodscan help prevent
strokes!
Phytonutrients (polyphenols and flavonoids) Anti-
inflammatory compounds like phytonutrients are key to
reducing the risk of inflammatory and degenerative disorders
that can affect every part of the body including joints, the
heart, brain, internal organ systems, skin and connective
tissue.