Avocado toast has become a pretty big food trend recently, and for a good reason: avocados are delicious. They are creamy and filling, and everyone loves a good bowl of guacamole with some corn chips. You love avocados, but do you know how incredibly healthy they are? There are many health benefits of avocados. Let’s take a look at them.
1.) High in good fat
There are “good” and “bad” types of carbohydrates, and you probably know that you want to consume more oats, sweet potatoes, brown rice and quinoa than white rice or white pasta. There are also good and bad types of fat.
You might have seen the meme that features two avocados and one of them is saying, “I said you were the good kind of fat.” That might be a joke, but it is true.
Trans fats (usually in vegetable shortening and margarine) are the bad types of fat, but avocados are an excellent source of healthy fats. They are a monounsaturated fat and research has suggested that consuming this kind of fat can lower risk of heart problems.
2.) High in fiber
Do you eat enough fiber? You might not, and fiber is an essential component to include in your diet.
Fiber is crucial for stable blood sugar, ensuring that you can use the bathroom on a regular basis (also known as “keeping you regular”), and making sure that you feel full after you eat your meals.
Research has shown that if you eat avocados on a regular basis, you will eat more fiber than people who don’t eat them. Other sources of fiber include fruit, vegetables, and whole grains. Of course, you should include those in your diet as well, but most people would agree that avocado toast and guacamole are an especially enjoyable way to consume fiber.
3.) Low in sugar
Are you wondering about Susan Boyle’s weight loss success? One thing she did is tame her sugar cravings and cut sugar out of her diet.
Avocados are an excellent way to do both of those things since they don’t contain any sugar at all. Instead of wondering what else you can eat to feel full after lunch or dinner and reaching for a chocolate bar or cookie, you will feel satisfied after including an avocado in your meal.
4.) High in potassium
If you don’t get enough potassium in your diet, experts believe that you can experience all kinds of symptoms such as nausea, exhaustion, cramps, and constipation.
Does adding a banana to your breakfast smoothie or pairing it with peanut butter for your afternoon snack give you potassium? Yes, bananas have potassium, but so do avocados. In fact, if you eat enough potassium in your diet, experts believe that your blood pressure will be much more steady and stable.
How much potassium is in an avocado? Half an avocado has 345 mg.
5.) Maintain your blood sugar levels
Blood sugar is a crucial part of health. Experiencing low blood sugar on a frequent basis means feeling tired, having fluctuating energy levels, and even feeling shaky or sweaty.
Another health benefit of avocados is that they help you maintain your blood sugar levels. They don’t allow your body to go into “insulin resistance.” That’s because of their fat content.
6.) High in oleic acid
You might not have heard of oleic acid since it’s not something that people talk about on a regular basis, but it’s found in monounsaturated fats such as avocado.
What’s so amazing about oleic acid? It can prevent your risk of suffering from diseases such as Diabetes.
7.) Good for heart health
A 2015 study is believed to be the first to research about how healthy avocados are – well, besides the fact that they are a good form of fat called monounsaturated.
This study featured three groups, and each group followed a particular diet. One was lower in fat, one was “moderate” fat with olive oil, and the third was also moderate fat, but the group ate avocado.
There is good and bad cholesterol, and the less healthy one is called LDL (or “low-density lipoprotein). Researchers discovered that the group who consumed avocados were able to lower their bad cholesterol.
8.) High in nutrition
Just how good are avocados for you?
Half of an avocado will give you no sugar, 4.6 grams of fiber, 1.3 mg of vitamin E, 60 mg of folate, and 19.5 mg of magnesium, just to name a few.
The best thing that you can do for your health is to focus on nutrient-dense foods, and avocados are one of those. There is a reason that they are called superfoods, after all.
9.) Carotenoids
What is a carotenoid? It’s a “chemical compound” that is the reason why produce is so attractive and brightly colored. They are said to be great for the health of your eyes, they keep your immune system in top shape, so you don’t get sick, and they stop your skin from sun damage.
Yes, it turns out that avocados have carotenoids, which is yet another reason to consume this green fruit (and yes, it is a fruit).
10.) Mood Balance
Feeling much happier after eating some avocados isn’t actually all in your head. Sure, it’s natural to feel better when you’re eating something that you enjoy. But it turns out that avocados are a feel good food, and there is some research behind it.
Avocados can put you in a good mood or help if you are feeling a bit down. That’s because healthy fats not only help with your physical health but your mental health as well. This is also because fats can make sure your hormones are on the right track.
Now that you know the 10 health benefits of avocados, you can share them to your friends and continue to enjoy one of your favorite foods while doing something good for your body and mind, too.
