In recent years, avocados have become the new favorite fruit of Americans. They are rich in healthy fats and other nutrients that are vital to the normal functions of various bodily processes.
Many people enjoy better health by eating avocados. You will get more nutrients and be safer from metabolic syndrome. You will also have a healthier weight and BMI (body mass index), thinner belly, and higher concentrations of good cholesterol.
The improved health may come from how avocados improve the absorption of antioxidants and nutrients that dissolve in fat. The healthy fats in avocados and their oil can increase the absorption of beta-carotene, lycopene, and other fat-soluble carotenoids.
The fruit also contains avocatin B, a compound with potential anticancer properties. Avocatin destroys leukemia cells, and there might be other phytochemicals in avocados that display similar cancer-fighting activity.
Eating avocados helps prevent heart disease. Adding one avocado to the daily intake of a moderate-fat, low-cholesterol diet helps bring down low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol levels.
Since they fight cholesterol, they are great for weight loss. Eating an avocado with the meal increases the satiation of a person, who will be less inclined to eat more food for up to five hours. (Related: Hold the (contaminated) avocado: Important tips that can help prevent foodborne illnesses.)
Eating avocados benefit the brain, eyes, and gums
Avocados can be considered brain food. One of their many healthy fatty acids is oleic acid. Along with other omega-9 fatty acids, oleic acid can improve cognition and memory.
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People at risk of depression can lift their mood by eating avocados. The fruit’s monounsaturated fats can improve depression, both by themselves and by normalizing the intake of fat that also affects mood.
Furthermore, avocados also contain plenty of folate. A 2015 study by the MRC Neuropsychiatric Research Laboratory showed that folate supports dopamine and serotonin that regulate mood.
Those brain-boosting nutrients may also protect against Alzheimer’s disease, Parkinson’s disease, and other neurodegenerative diseases. The bioactive compounds in avocados are essential when it comes to preventing and even curing these brain diseases.
The high levels of lutein and zeaxanthin in avocados are great for the eyes of aging people. These carotenoids protect and support the health of cells in the eyes. Lutein and zeaxanthin can also restore macular pigment that depletes with age.
Unlike many other foods, eating lots of avocados won’t increase the risk of periodontal disease. On the contrary, the fruit can prevent the onset of gum diseases.
The pain-relieving, protective, and nutritional benefits of avocados
Specific substances in avocados can alleviate the symptoms of osteoarthritis. The natural ingredients can ease the pain of patients afflicted with arthritic hips or knees.
The cholesterol-reducing properties of avocados also protect against metabolic syndrome. By preventing the interconnected health issues that collectively comprise the syndrome, avocados can reduce the chances of associated complications like cardiovascular disease and Type 2 diabetes.
Some of the compounds in avocados display antibacterial activity. They can prevent food poisoning caused by E. coli and other pathogenic microbes that often contaminate food.
Other chemicals in the fruit shield the liver from injuries. They can prevent alcohol and other toxins from damaging hepatic cells. They can even protect against the ravages of the hepatitis C virus.
Avocados are good for anyone, but they are especially great for pregnant women. In addition to its rich amounts of fat-soluble antioxidants, folate, and monounsaturated fats, the fruit also has lots of fiber and potassium. Most maternal diets are deficient in these vital nutrients, so eating avocados can improve the health of mothers and babies, ensure safe births, and increase the nutrients in their breast milk.
Sources include:
FoodRevolution.org
NCBI.NLM.NIH.gov
