They say an apple a day keeps the doctor away, but there’s another fruit that can do wonders for your health when included on your daily menu.
Avocado — yes, it’s a fruit — is known for its starring role in guacamole, but the creamy food has a ton of health benefits. With nearly 20 vitamins and minerals and plenty of “good” fat, it’s no wonder that there’s an abundance of research linking avocados with heart health, weight management and skin health.
But is it really healthy to eat avocados every day? Learn the benefits of avocado and creative recipes to eat more of them.
Avocado nutrition facts
A serving of avocado (⅓ medium or 50 grams) contains:
- 80 calories
- 1 gram protein
- 7 grams fat
- 4 grams carbohydrates
- 3 grams fiber (11% daily value (DV))
- 250 milligrams potassium (6% DV)
- 15 grams magnesium (4% DV)
- 0.1 mg vitamin B6 (6% DV)
- 1 mg vitamin E (6% DV)
- 4 mg vitamin C (4% DV)
- 11 mcg vitamin K (10% DV)
- 5 mcg folate (10% DV)
Are avocados a healthy fat?
One serving of an avocado (⅓ medium) has 6 grams of unsaturated fat. Fat was once thought to be the enemy, but unsaturated fat has been linked to lowering the risk of heart disease. It’s saturated fat that is associated with an increased risk of cardiovascular disease and other chronic health conditions. In fact, the Dietary Guidelines for Americans recommends replacing saturated fat in the diet with unsaturated fat, like the kind found in avocados.
Avocado may reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease and diabetes
Avocados are good for your heart, according to a recent systematic review of the research. Of the studies examined, ten substituted avocado for other fat sources and two added avocado to the participants’ standard diets. The overall results showed that consuming avocados twice a day as part of a low saturated fat and cholesterol diet can help lower total and LDL cholesterol levels in the blood. Another observational study of over 68,000 women found that higher avocado intake was associated with lower…
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