Avocado, often seen as just a trendy fruit, has a long history, dating back over 7,000 years to ancient Mexico. It was a staple food for early civilizations, even holding mythological importance for the Aztecs and Mayans. Despite a dip in popularity in the 1980s due to misconceptions about its fat content, avocado has made a big comeback. Now, it’s celebrated for its many health benefits, from boosting immunity to helping with heart health. This article will explore why avocado is considered a superfood, its proven benefits, and how to enjoy it safely. (Based on the insights of cardiologist Dr. Andre Wambier)
Why Avocado is a Superfood
Avocado is not just a fruit; it’s a nutritional powerhouse. Ancient peoples in Mesoamerica relied on it for sustenance, and it was even thought to have mythical powers, like giving strength and helping with fertility. The Aztecs called it “ahuacatl,” which means “testicle,” linking it to fertility. The Mayans believed that people who passed away could return as fruit trees, and the avocado tree was one of them. This shows how important avocado was to these cultures.
For a while, in the 1980s, avocado got a bad rap in the United States. Cardiologists at the time were blaming all fats for clogged arteries, and since avocado is high in fat, it was often avoided. But as more research came out, people realized that the fat in avocado is actually good for you. It’s mostly monounsaturated fat, which can help keep your arteries clear instead of clogging them up. So, avocado found its way back onto plates and into healthy eating plans.
Today, avocado is super popular. In 2017, Vogue magazine even reported that over 3 million avocado photos were posted on Instagram every day! It’s not just for eating, either. Many homemade beauty treatments use avocado for hair and skin because it’s full of moisturizing oils and acids. So, yes, the hype around avocado is definitely justified.
Avocado is packed with good stuff. It has more fiber than many other fruits, which is great because most people don’t get enough fiber in their diet. Just 100 grams of avocado has more potassium than a banana, so if you get muscle cramps, adding avocado to your diet might help. It’s also full of antioxidants that protect your body from daily wear and tear. Plus, it helps you feel full because of its fiber and healthy fats. And it’s loaded with vitamins like K, E, and C, along with minerals like magnesium and manganese. Even the pit of the avocado might have some benefits, but we’re still learning about that. Just remember, too much of anything isn’t good, even healthy foods like avocado.
Top 10 Benefits of Eating Avocado
Here are some of the amazing things avocado can do for your body:
1. Boosts Your Immune System
- If you often get sick with colds or the flu, avocado might help. Half an avocado has almost 20 mg of glutathione, a strong antioxidant that makes your immune system stronger. It also helps other antioxidants, like vitamins C and E, work better. The healthy fats in avocado also help your body take in fat-soluble vitamins like A, D, and K. Plus, avocado helps your gut health by increasing good bacteria, which is important for a strong immune system.
2. Fights Inflammation
- Avocado is rich in antioxidants and anti-inflammatory compounds called polyphenols. These can help reduce inflammation in your body. If you often have joint or muscle pain, eating more avocado might help calm that internal inflammation. Avocado has a lot of monounsaturated fats, especially oleic acid, which makes up about 70% of its fat. This is the same healthy fat found in extra virgin olive oil. This fat has anti-inflammatory properties, which is why diets like the Mediterranean diet, rich in olive oil, avocado, and fish, are known for fighting inflammation.
3. Good for Your Eyes
- Avocado has lutein and zeaxanthin, two antioxidants that help protect your eyes from harmful blue light. They also guard against damage and age-related eye problems like macular degeneration, which is a main cause of blindness in people over 50. The monounsaturated fat in avocado also helps your body absorb other fat-soluble nutrients, like beta-carotene from carrots or mangoes, which are good for your eyes.
4. Improves Your Skin
- The antioxidants in avocado, like vitamins E, C, and glutathione, help your skin cells regenerate and produce collagen and elastin. These are important for preventing early skin aging, like wrinkles. Its anti-inflammatory properties can also reduce redness from sun exposure and help skin heal. All the nutrients in avocado nourish your skin from the inside out, making it more hydrated and elastic. You can even use avocado as a face mask for extra hydration.
5. Helps Your Brain
- The healthy fats in avocado are good for your brain. They give your brain energy and help improve the membranes of brain cells. Because it’s full of antioxidants, avocado might lower the risk of brain diseases like Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s. Vitamins K, E, and folic acid also play a big role in brain health. Eating avocado regularly might help your memory and thinking skills. A 2020 study even suggested that avocado has properties that protect brain cells.
6. Lowers Cholesterol
- The monounsaturated fats in avocado, including oleic acid, can help lower “bad” LDL cholesterol and raise “good” HDL cholesterol, while also reducing triglycerides. But there’s more: avocado also has beta-sitosterol, which is similar to cholesterol. It competes with cholesterol for absorption in your gut, meaning less cholesterol from your diet gets into your body. This combination of healthy fats and beta-sitosterol makes avocado great for your heart.
7. Helps Lower Blood Pressure
- Here’s more good news for your heart: 100 grams of avocado has more potassium than a banana. Potassium is super important for controlling blood pressure because it helps balance sodium levels in your body. If your diet has too much sodium and not enough potassium, it can lead to sodium buildup and fluid retention. But if you eat more potassium, your body gets rid of more sodium, which can help lower your blood pressure. If you have high potassium levels due to kidney problems or dialysis, you should be careful with certain foods, but for most people with high blood pressure, avocado is a good choice.
8. Protects Your Liver
- If you have fatty liver, listen up. A 2016 study showed that eating avocado reduced liver fat in overweight and obese adults. One group ate avocado with their main meal, and the other didn’t. The group that ate avocado had less fatty liver, less liver inflammation, and better liver markers. This makes sense because avocado is rich in oleic acid, which fights inflammation, and has other antioxidants, fiber, and compounds that reduce cholesterol and triglycerides, all of which help protect your liver.
9. Improves Your Sleep
- Avocado isn’t a heavy food, but it makes you feel full because it’s rich in fats and fiber. If you eat it at night, it might stop you from snacking on unhealthy foods later, which can lead to weight gain and digestive discomfort that messes with sleep. Plus, avocado has magnesium, which is calming, and tryptophan, which helps your body make serotonin and melatonin, both important for good sleep.
10. Boosts Metabolism and Helps with Weight Management
- Avocado has a low glycemic index, which is great for people with diabetes because it keeps blood sugar levels steady and prevents insulin spikes. Because it’s rich in fats and fiber, it makes you feel full and can help improve insulin sensitivity. If you don’t overdo it, avocado can help you manage your weight. And if you sleep better, your body can produce more growth hormone (GH), which helps with weight loss. Just remember, avocado is high in calories, so don’t eat too much. A quarter of a medium avocado or a small avocado per day can help you control your weight.
Who Can Eat Avocado and How Much?
Can pregnant women eat avocado? Yes! Avocado is a good source of folic acid, which is important for a baby’s healthy development and can reduce the risk of miscarriage and neural tube defects.
How much avocado should you eat? There’s no one-size-fits-all answer because everyone’s calorie needs and other food choices are different. But generally, try not to eat more than 100 grams of avocado per day, which is about a quarter of a medium avocado or one small avocado. If you eat too much, the high fiber content can cause some unwanted side effects.
Risks of Eating Too Much Avocado
Eating too much avocado can lead to some problems:
- Weight gain: If you eat too much, you might gain weight instead of losing it, because avocado is calorie-dense.
- Gas and stomach pain: Avocado has high levels of FODMAPs, which are carbohydrates that are slowly absorbed and not always well-digested. This can cause gas and cramps. If you follow a low-FODMAP diet or have too much bacteria in your gut, you might need to limit your portion to an eighth of an avocado.
- Allergies: People who are sensitive to latex should be careful with avocado, as it can cause allergic reactions.
- Kidney issues: Since avocado is high in fiber, you need to drink more water when you eat it. If you have serious kidney problems or high potassium levels, you should only eat a very small amount of avocado, if any.
How to Enjoy Avocado Without Sugar
Many people are used to eating avocado with sugar, but with recent warnings about the risks of sugar and artificial sweeteners, it’s better to find other ways to enjoy it. If you’re diabetic, it’s best to avoid sugar with avocado almost entirely. But don’t worry, there are many delicious ways to eat avocado without adding sugar:
- Savory avocado: Try it with salt, pepper, and a squeeze of lime, or a sprinkle of paprika. When I was a kid, my Spanish friends ate savory avocado, and it seemed strange to me because I only knew it as sweet. But over time, I learned to love it.
- Guacamole: This Mexican dish is basically an avocado sauce. It’s super tasty and easy to make.
- As a substitute: Because avocado has a creamy, buttery texture, you can use it in recipes instead of butter or mayonnaise. It’s great with tuna, in salads, as a salad dressing, or even in pasta sauces.
With a little creativity, you can find many ways to enjoy avocado and get all its amazing benefits. It might take some getting used to, but it’s definitely worth it for your health. Remember to share this information with your friends and family so more people can learn about the power of avocado!
Source: Cardiologist, Dr. Andre Wambier