Avocado is a pear-shaped fruit with green skin. When ripe, it turns from dark green to black. Each avocado differs in size.
Avocado Nutritional Facts
Raw avocado
- 1/5 of an avocado - 50 calories, 4.5 g total fat
- 1/2 avocado (medium) - 130 calories, 12 g total fat
- 1 avocado (medium, large) - 250 calories, 23 g total fat
Are the fats in avocados good for you?
Avocado is high in fat. But it's not the saturated fat you'll find in some full-fat dairy products, red meat and most junk foods. Limiting saturated fat in your diet is recommended to reduce your risk of cardiovascular disease.
Avocados are low in saturated fat. Most of the fat in it is monounsaturated fatty acids. They are believed to lower bad cholesterol levels and raise good cholesterol.
Health benefits of eating avocados
Avocado may be important in cancer prevention. Studies show that it can prevent the growth and cause cell death of precancerous and cancerous cells.
Avocado is a good source of dietary fiber. They are very filling and help with an irregular stomach. One serving of avocado contains 2 g of fiber.
Vitamins and minerals in avocados
Avocado can help reduce inflammation in the body. It contains no cholesterol, no sodium and is low in sugar. It is also a rich source of many vitamins and minerals, including:
- vitamin A;
- vitamin K;
- vitamin C;
- vitamin E;
- iron;
- potassium;
- zinc;
- manganese;
- B vitamins (except B-12);
- choline;
- betaine;
- calcium;
- magnesium;
- phosphorus;
- copper;
- folic acid.
Ideas for including avocados in your diet
Avocado goes with almost anything, so you can have it for breakfast, lunch or dinner.
- mashed avocado (instead of butter) on toast;
- scrambled eggs with pieces of avocado;
- chicken salad or tuna salad with pieces of avocado;
- mashed avocado (instead of sour cream) on a baked potato;
- pasta with mashed avocado (instead of marinara);
- burger with avocado.
Although avocados are very healthy, you should not consume them all the time. Despite its impressive nutritional profile, if you eat too much, you're at risk of putting on extra weight.
When avocados are part of a healthy diet, on the other hand, they can help you lose weight.
If you love avocados, we recommend trying our recipes for:
- avocado spreads;
