Bet You Didn’t Know: 10 surprising health benefits of Avocado

Here in Jamaica, where ‘pear is king’ the trees are normally in fruiting season from August to December every year.

Especially in the West, avocados are being increasingly incorporated into beverages, salads, sandwiches or to be enjoyed just by itself – by how much do you really know, and how healthy is it?

In this week’s edition of Bet You Didn’t Know, Loop Lifestyle presents 10 amazing health benefits the avocado can provide to you:

1.   Unlike every other fruit known to man, the avocado is an excellent source of monounsaturated oleic acid. Research has shown this beneficial form of fat reduces dangerous LDL cholesterol in the blood at the same time as increasing the more beneficial HDL cholesterol.

As well as lowering LDL cholesterol, similar studies have also discovered that eating avocado can also decrease high blood triglyceride levels, another common predictor of cardiovascular problems. So wholesome are the natural fats in avocados that after eating the fruit over time, one can actually lower the amount of fat in the blood. Leading nutritionists recommend and stress the importance of getting enough of the right fats.

2.   As the power-packed fruit it is prized to be, avocado has very high levels of vitamin E. This vitamin (also called tocopherol) helps to prevent cholesterol oxidation, and paired with potassium (which is also present in ‘pear’) can regulate high blood pressure that may lead to both heart disease and kidney problems.

3.   Avocados are a good source of antioxidant carotenoids like alpha- and beta-carotene; beta-cryptoxanthin; lutein and zeaxanthin. These antioxidants protect the body’s cells against cancerous changes due to free radical damage and are considered your front line of defence against numerous diseases.

4.   A cosmetic God-send, avocados are rich in omega-9 fats, which are known to assist in reducing skin redness and irritation and are involved in repairing damaged skin cells. A good dietary intake of these fat can moderate sebum production as well – helping the control of acne, blackheads and excessively oily skin.

5.   Avocado is a particularly important food for women who are pregnant, and those trying to be, due to its high concentrations of folate (also known as folic acid). This B vitamin is needed to prevent birth defects like spina bifida and doctors advise women to get high amounts of folate both before and during pregnancy.

In some instances, avocados contain up to 45 mcg (micrograms) of folate per ½ cup, which is more than any other fruit, making them a great food source for moms-to-be.

6.   Worried about those increasing wrinkles? Avocado can help with that! This super food protects the skin from wrinkles and other visible signs of aging with its antioxidant carotenoids; vitamin E which helps guard against photo-aging from sun exposure; and vitamin C which is involved in the creation of elastin and collagen for maintaining your skin’s elasticity and firmness.

7.  After bananas, avocados have the highest levels of potassium, which are another important nutritional factor for diabetics due to the minerals role in maintaining a healthy heart and regulating blood sugar.

In the US and UK, the avocado is being recommended as a healthy, natural alternative for those living with diabetes and for people wishing to lower their risk of developing the disease.

8.   Unlike other high fatty foods, avocados are an elite few recommended for weight loss. Recent research findings have shown that avocado’s monounsaturated fatty acids are much more likely to be used as slow burning energy than stored as body fat.

In sections of Asia and the Caribbean, avocados are prized for the provision of steady energy and the feeling of satiety or satisfied fullness – which is only telling why they are so good at reducing hunger and appetite.

9.   Despite its creamy texture, avocados are high dietary fibre. With as much as eight grams of both soluble and insoluble fibre per cup, the avocado is beneficial for improving digestion, encouraging regular bowel movements and well known to help prevent constipation. In fact, avocados are often recommended as a mild laxative for people having trouble going to the toilet.

10.   Vitamin K is another valuable nutrient found in high concentrations in avocados that benefit women during pregnancy and their future babies. Vitamin K deficiency-related bleeding, or VKDB, is a condition where newborn babies cannot stop bleeding as their blood doesn’t contain enough vitamin K. Getting more high vitamin K foods in your diet during pregnancy can help pass more of it onto your unborn child.

EXTRA FACT: If you have a latex allergy, talk to your doctor before adding avocado to your diet. People with a serious allergy to latex may also experience severe symptoms after eating avocado.

They may not yet be in season, but we hope you reap the benefits of avocado sometime soon!