DavidWolfe.comI love taking that first bite of a creamy avocado. Sometimes it is too late, though! I saw this meme on Facebook that made me laugh, so I shared it:
How true is that? Avocados are perfectly ripe and delicious for a short period of time, and then they start rotting quickly. However, when they are perfectly ripe, they’re especially delicious and extremely nutritious. They are one of the most beneficial superfoods on the planet and are loaded with vitamins, minerals, antioxidants, healthy fats and fiber. They are delicious eaten solely by themselves, but I love them most in guacamole! In fact, a few years ago I had about an avocado each day in guacamole for five months straight. I felt and looked incredibly healthy during that time. My skin actually looked 1-2 years younger in that five month period!
Avocado’s are a nutrient dense low-calorie food, pure nutrition. They are a rich source of vitamin E, C, K, carotenoids, folate, fiber, iron, potassium, magnesium, beta-carotene, niacin, riboflavin, pantothenic acid, thiamin, and chlorophyll. They are also rich in insoluble fiber as well as monounsaturated fat (oleic acid) which benefits heart health.
Altogether an avocado contains nutrients beneficial for blood health, skin health, digestive health, cardiovascular health, brain health, cellular function, nerve function and more. It is an incredibly important superfood that may be one of the best bargains for your dollar (nutritionally speaking) pound for pound. They are worth having on hand!
One study took just over 17,500 people and compared the avocado eaters to those who did not eat avocado’s, and the results were quite shocking.
The Study Found These 6 Key Differences Between Avocado Eaters Vs. Non-Eaters
1. Eaters Had Higher Nutrient Intake:
Avocado eaters beat non-avocado eaters in nutritional intake across the board. They had 36% more dietary fiber, 23% more vitamin E, 13% more magnesium, 16% more potassium and 48% more vitamin K than non-consumers. How incredible is that?
2. Eaters Had More Good Fats:
Avocado eaters consumed 18% more monounsaturated and 12% more polyunsaturated fats, which supports the bodies ability to balance cholesterol levels, and maintain a healthy cardiovascular system and energy metabolism.
3. Avocado Eaters Were 7.5 Pounds Lighter & Thinner:
On average the avocado eater was 7.5 pounds thinner than the non-avocado eater. Avocado consumers also had lower BMI (Body Mass Index) values than non-eaters. They had significantly smaller waist circumference measurements than non-avocado eaters, an average of 4 cm smaller.
4. Healthier Cholesterol:
Avocado eaters had much higher HDL or good cholesterol levels than those who did not eat avocados.
5. 50% Reduction in Metabolic Syndrome Risk:
Metabolic syndrome risk increases as you age, but you can reduce that risk by eating avocados more often. Metabolic syndrome is not a disease but a series of risk factors such as high blood pressure, high blood sugar levels, abdominal fat and unhealthy cholesterol levels that all together create a syndrome.
6. Healthier Overall Across The Board:
People who ate avocados were healthier than those who did not across the board. Healthy weight, cardiovascular health, blood, and cholesterol health. It would be interesting to see a study comparing cognitive health and even measure IQ differences between avocado and non-avocado eaters. I would venture to say that those who ate avocados would likely be sharper in wit and intelligence as a by-product, because of the brain healthy fats and nutrients in this super food.
As you can see people who eat avocados are simply healthier than those, who do not. This nutrient dense superfood should be included in your diet more! Eat it whole, add it on top of a salad, make guacamole, add it to your next smoothie. There are many ways that you can integrate it and receive all of these life-giving benefits.
Please share this with your friends and family so they can take advantage of the information as well.
Sources:
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/23282226
http://www.doctorshealthpress.com/food-and-nutrition-articles/avocados-found-to-have-these-benefits
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Author David Benjamin is a health, fitness & green living advocate. He believes that if we take care of ourselves and take care of our planet we can enjoy a much more sustainable, healthy and harmonious life. Eat your greens, Live Green and appreciate the green around you! Pura Vida :) You can connect with me on Facebook, Youtube, and Instagram.