Avocados are an incredibly delicious fruit native to Central and South America. Nowadays, avocado trees are grown throughout the world. Avocados can be used in a multitude of recipes so they are very popular to cook with, the most popular food being guacamole. However they also provide many nutritional benefits as well.
#1: They are a superfood
Avocados are a prized food among health conscious eaters. Avocados contain her 20 different vitamins and minerals. In fact, avocados contain more potassium than bananas! Just one three-ounce (100g) serving contains 14 percent of the recommended daily intake, versus bananas who have roughly 10 percent of the RDI per fruit. Avocados also do not contain any cholesterol or sodium and are low in saturated fat.
#2: They are high in monounsaturated fats
Avocados are not a low-fat food by any means. In fact, 77 percent of the calories in avocados come from fat. However they don’t contain just any fat. Avocados contain a plethora of monounsaturated fats, specifically oleic acid. Oleic acid, also the main component in olive oil which is another superfood, is thought to have many health benefits.
Oleic acid has been shown to reduce inflammation which in turn can help prevent various health conditions such as heart disease, Alzheimer’s, diabetes and arthritis. In addition, oleic acid has been shown to have beneficial effects on genes linked to various types of cancer.
The monounsaturated fats in avocados also make avocado oil a great choice for cooking. This is because monounsaturated fats are highly heat resistant. This results in fewer nutrients being lost as the oil is heated, so the oil retains its nutritional integrity.
#3: They are high in fiber
One three-ounce (100g) serving of avocados has roughly seven grams of fiber, which is 27 percent of the RDI. Fiber has been shown to aid in weight loss, reduce blood sugar levels and help lower the risk of many diseases. Fiber is typically distinguished by soluble and insoluble. Of the fiber in avocados, 25 percent is soluble and 75 percent is insoluble.
Here is the nutritional information for one three-ounce (100g) serving:
- Vitamin K:26 percent of the RDI
- Folate:20 percent of the RDI
- Vitamin C:17 percent of the RDI
- Potassium:14 percent of the RDI
- Vitamin B5:14 percent of the RDI
- Vitamin B6:13 percent of the RDI
- Vitamin E:10 percent of the RDI
In addition, there are also small amounts of Magnesium, Manganese, Copper, Iron, Zinc,
Phosphorous, Vitamin A, B1 (Thiamine), B2 (Riboflavin) and B3 (Niacin). All of these vitamins
and minerals come along with 160 calories, two grams of protein and 15 grams of unsaturated
fats. There are nine total grams of carbohydrates, though seven of those are fiber. This means
there are only two grams of net carbs, making avocados a low-carb diet friendly food.
