Avocados have always seen some great popularity, but it seems that over the past several years, people have been turning to them more than ever. A lot of that has to do with the fact that avocados are classified as a superfood that can help you in many different ways. It’s not just weight loss that can be enhanced thanks to avocados, as there are almost endless benefits. Let’s take a look at what makes avocados so desirable, showing you the proven health benefits.
Vitamin Packed
There are many essential vitamins that are important for your health, but unfortunately a lot of people aren’t getting enough of them. Adding more avocados to your diet can help take care of that as there are more than a dozen found in each one. While you won’t get your full daily recommended value from avocados alone, there is a significant amount of dietary fiber, potassium, vitamin E and vitamin C.
Heart Healthy
The true sign of a superfood is how it’s able to help your overall health, and there’s perhaps no organ more important to your health than the heart. Avocados aid heart health tremendously as they contain plenty of monounsaturated fat. That might sound scary, but that’s actually the type of fat that you want to increase in your diet. Replacing foods that are high in bad fats with foods like avocados can help you lower your lipoprotein cholesterol.
A lot of research has been done into the benefit of monounsaturated fats to improve heart health, and avocados are among the best sources. No other fruit can make the claim that they are filled with good fats, which really sets the avocado apart. The best part? There is no sodium to be found in a fresh avocado, meaning that you’re helping your heart out even more. Many cardiologists have suggested using pureed avocados in place of butter for a healthy substitute.
Avocados for Weight Loss
Some people get a little hesitant to add more avocados to their diet since they are higher in calories than a lot of other fruits. With one cup being 240 calories, that can seem like a lot. However, avocados will help your weight overall in addition to your cholesterol. One large study had participants cut cholesterol-rich foods from their diet, and those that ate an avocado each day found themselves losing more weight while lowering their cholesterol thanks to enhanced insulin control.
Since avocados are so rich in fiber, they will allow you to feel more full for a longer period of time. This will help get rid of some of those cravings and the mindless snacking that a lot of us are so guilty of throughout the day. That fiber also helps your digestive system, which in turn will increase your metabolism. Studies have also shown that people that eat more avocados tend to stick to a healthier diet overall as it changes their perception of food. The energy increase will also have you feeling more active since you won’t be slugged down by junk foods.
The Ultimate Protector
You don’t even have to eat an entire avocado each day to get the benefits from the superfood, as even extracts and oils are beneficial. Studies conducted on avocados have shown that they can help prevent certain types of cancer and even help those that suffer from arthritis pain. They have also been shown to increase eye health, staving off ocular diseases such as macular degeneration.
Avocados do this by enhancing your body’s ability to absorb nutrients from other foods, especially vitamins K and A that will help with bone and eye health. Some of the types of cancer that avocados have shown to fight in studies include breast, oral and prostate cancer. Strokes have also shown to be lower in people that incorporate more avocados to their diet.
Avoiding oral cancer isn’t the only benefit that your mouth can get from avocados (including the great taste). Avocados can help you avoid halitosis, which is a symptom of indigestion. With the increased fiber in avocados that will help your digestive system, you can get rid of the major cause of bad breath. While they might not make your breath smell minty, it’s certainly going to help you in the long run.
Smooth Skin
We mentioned all of the great vitamins that are found in avocados, and those vitamins can help you look younger. The vitamins found within avocados are essential to skin moisture, which can help you avoid cracked and dry skin that ages people. If you have damaged hair or chapped skin, look to avocados to give you a natural glow and make your hair look shinier and thicker.
Avocados contain lycopene and beta-carotene, which were found to slow down aging thanks to their skin benefits. This is why avocado extract has been used in shampoos and conditioners more and more in recent years. You can even make your own at home, or use an avocado mask to make your face look younger and healthier.
Organ Benefits
The heart is the engine of your body, but there are other major organs that you need to take care of. Among them are the liver and kidneys, both of which can be benefitted by avocados. Since they contain so much potassium, your kidneys will benefit from the nutrient and be able to operate at a higher level. You don’t want to overdo it on the potassium, but avocados contain the perfect amount to be a health benefit.
As for your liver, it will be able to function better thanks to the absorption of vitamins. Vitamin C can help flush out the bad fats from your liver, preventing it from breaking down. With the increased function of your liver, you are also able to increase your chances of preventing liver cancer and cirrhosis.
Summing it Up
The amount of benefits from avocados is tremendous, and it’s hard to understate just how helpful they are in an average diet and overall health. So are there any negatives to avocados? The only bad part about avocados is that the oil on the skin of the fruit can cause a reaction for someone that is allergic to latex. If you are allergic, you should unfortunately stay away from avocados.
The only other negative that other people can think of is the price, as they can be pretty expensive in some parts of the United States. This is more of a minor complaint that people have, and not actually a negative about the fruit itself. There is so much good that avocados can do for your body, so make sure to add them into your diet and you’ll see an overall increase in your health, and in turn, your life.