10 Reasons why you should start eating Avocado – Avocado is a fruit which belongs to a Persea America. It is the main source of the famous recipe Guacamole. It has high monosaturated fat content and its oil has very high smoke point and mostly used in salads and dips only.

10 Reasons why you should start eating Avocado

Here are the top 10 reasons why you should start eating Avocado right now.

Reduces heart problems

Avocado is an excellent source of monounsaturated oleic acid which is a good fat need for the body. This fat reduces the dangerous, bad cholesterol (LDL) and increases the good cholesterol (HDL). Also avocado contains vitamin E and significant amount of dietary fiber and folate, which helps in fighting any cardiovascular diseases.

Fights cancer causing cells

Avocado are good source of antioxidant carotenoids like alpha-carotene, beta carotene etc which helps in fighting against the cancer causing cells and the vitamin C and E in avocado’s acts as anti-cancer antioxidants by themselves. Also studies in isolated cells have shown that nutrients in avocados may have benefits in preventing prostate cancer, and lowering side effects of chemotherapy in some cells.

Good for Diabetes

Avocado is rich in fiber and people who ate avocado are less likely to have the diabetes. Studies show that, Avocado consumers were found to be much healthier than people who didn’t eat avocados.

Good for pregnant women

Avocado is rich in nutrient called Folate (Folic acid), which is very good for the pregnant women and for the growth of the children.

Reduces arthritis

Avocados contains phytosterols, anitioxidants like Vitamin C and E and carotenoids, that help to reduce the inflammation which leads to arthritis.

Reduces blood pressure

Many people don’t get enough of the mineral potassium in their diet. This deficiency can lead to high blood pressure, which is in turn a significant risk factor for heart attack, stroke and kidney disease.

Avocados are particularly rich in potassium, even higher than the often touted bananas, and a good food to eat for normal blood pressure and a lower risk of kidney failure and heart disease.

Aside from healthy blood pressure, the oleic acid and dietary fiber in avocados help normalize blood sugar levels, providing further benefits for heart health and lowering the risk of diabetes.

Good for eyes

Avocados are high in antioxidants, including Lutein and Zeaxanthin. These nutrients are very important for eye health and lower the risk of macular degeneration and cataracts which are very common in the elderly people.

Helps to reduce Weight

Study conducted on people who ate avocadoes and those who don’t and result proved that people who ate avocadoes are more satisfied with the food and felt full for the next 5 hours. If this holds true in the long-term, then including avocados in your diet could help you naturally eat fewer calories and have an easier time sticking to a healthy diet. Avocados are also high in fiber, and very low in carbs, two attributes that should also help promote weight loss, at least in the context of a healthy, real food based diet.

Good for constipation

Avocado are rich fiber food which has both soluble and insoluble fiber, which helps to improve the digestion and encourages regular bowel movements and prevents the constipation problems.

Good for skin

Vitamin C, Vitamin E and monosaturated fats in avocado, helps in maintaining the good moisture levels in your skin as well as keeps the skin wrinkle free by maintaining the skins elasticity and firmness.

How to buy and store

• Check for dark green colored to blackish green coloured fruit.
• Slightly press on the stem side and opposite to stem side. If you can press it, it can be a fruit.
• Also if it is a fruit, it will yield to firm gentle pressure. It will feel lightly soft but it will not feel “mushy” to the touch. Ripe fruit is perfect for that day.
• Do not buy very firm and hard avocadoes, as it may not ripe at all.
• If the avocado feels mushy or very soft to the touch it may be very ripe to overripe.
• You can buy unripe avocado and later and ripen by placing them in brown bag with apple or banana to fasten the ripening.
• If you buy fruit, Store in the refrigerator if you plan to eat it in a day or two to prevent the fruit from becoming overripe or spoiled.

Buying fruits always depends on practice. So if you are a new buyer, buy one or two and check. Practice makes perfect ☺️.

Sources:

http://www.iovs.org/content/38/9/1802.short http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0014483596902109 https://authoritynutrition.com/12-proven-benefits-of-avocado/ http://www.nutritionj.com/content/12/1/155

https://www.avocadocentral.com/how-to/how-to-pick-how-to-buy-avocados