Awesome Avocados

Have you ever heard someone call an avocado an “alligator pear?” If you’re a fan of this nutritious fruit, it’s not hard to draw the connection between its glowing, tough skin and the beautiful hide of an alligator. The avocado is not only an amazing energy source for the body but also its vitamin and mineral-rich qualities have led it to be recognized as a super fruit.

Half of an avocado can provide up to 15% of one’s daily requirement of vitamin B6, which can strengthen the body’s ability to suppress inflammation and protect against oxidative damage. Avocados also contain abundant monounsaturated fat, which is a healthy fat that can lower bad cholesterol. By reducing bad cholesterol, the risk of developing atherosclerosis is also lessened, helping protect one from a heart attack or stroke. This is why the avocado is considered to be a heart-healthy fruit.

The beauty of avocados also lies in their fibrous content. The high content of fiber found in them can help us feel satiated for a longer period of time. Moreover, a study compared overweight participants who consumed avocados daily for 12 weeks to a control group, and the results suggest that those who ate avocados regularly had an increased diversity of beneficial bacteria in the gut. Because an avocado contains up to 14 grams of fiber and meets nearly half of the daily recommended value of this carbohydrate, incorporating avocados into your diet is a wonderful way to take care of your digestive system.

Avocados are gems as they contain two phytochemicals, called lutein and zeaxanthin, that are found in the tissue of our eyes. What they do is protect our eyes from harmful high-energy ultraviolet rays in sunlight and clear the free radicals in our eyes. Furthermore, avocados can also help us psychologically. Folate plays an important role in clearing out an amino acid called homocysteine.

Avocados are an excellent choice for making a variety of dishes and desserts. We could just fall in love with avocados so easily for their superior nutritional gifts for us to enjoy! Let's explore a recipe that includes the nutritious avocado!