The Goodness of Avocado



Delicious Avocado

          

             This green to red violet-skinned, pear-shaped fruit is common in tropical countries like Philippines . Avocado offers numerous health benefits which even greater adds to its appeal. Avocado can also be easily grown in one’s backyard without tremendous amount of attention and care. It's creamy taste makes it a great ingredient in ice creams, fruit salad and even shakes.
        
         Avocado provides many nutrients including fiber and folate.Also this fruit is rich in anti-oxidants which help the body fight free radical.
        
        


Avocado great nutrition facts:

• One medium avocado contains 4.02 grams of protein, 322 calories and 13.5 grams of fiber.

• Minerals

Potassium - 975 mg

Phosphorus - 105 mg

Magnesium - 58 mg

Calcium - 24 mg

Sodium - 14 mg

Iron - 1.11 mg

Selenium - 0.8 mcg

Maganese  - 0.285 mg

Copper - 0.382 mg
Zinc - 1.29 mg
Also contains small amounts of other minerals.

• Vitamins

Vitamin A  - 293 IU 

Vitamin C  - 20.1 mg

Vitamin  B1 ( thiamine) - 0.135 mg

Vitamin B2 (rivoflavin)- 0.261 mg

Vitamin - 3.493 mg

Vitamin - 163 mcg

Panthothenic Acid - 2.792 mg

Vitamin B6 - .517 mg

Vitamin  E - 4.16 mg

Vitamin K - 42.2 mcg
Contains some other vitamins in small amounts.

There are 7 Super Health benefits of Avocado

( This is based on resent researches)

1 – Anti-Cancer Benefits

One of the health benefits of avocado is that it has anti-cancer benefits. Avocado is said to be rich in anti-inflammatory and antioxidant nutrients.The lack of anti-inflammatory and antioxidant nutrients are among the risk factors that are equated to cancer today. The nutrients present in avocado have been observed to improve inflammatory and antioxidant stress levels in healthy cells and have been observed to facilitate even greater oxidative which may cause cancer cells to die.

2 – Anti-Inflammatory Benefits

Another important benefit of avocado is its anti-inflammatory benefits. As mentioned earlier, avocado is rich in anti-inflammatory nutrients such as polyphenols and flavonoids. In addition to helping prevent cancer, these anti-inflammatory nutrients also play an essential role in helping prevent inflammatory diseases such as osteoarthritis and rheumatoid arthritis.

3 – Cholesterol Benefits

Many people are plagued with cholesterol problems nowadays and avocado helps regulate cholesterol level. Avocado is rich in what is called oleic acid, as well as beta-sitosterol, which are known for helping decrease cholesterol contents significantly. Experiments conducted using avocado showed that avocado can help reduce cholesterol levels by up to 17 percent.

4 – Good for the Heart

With its rich and creamy taste, avocado is misconstrued by lots of people to be fatty and bad for the heart. However it is the opposite. Avocado is rich in many nutrients which are considered to help combat heart disease such as the following: oleic acid, omega-3 fatty acids, vitamin B-6, folic acids, and folate. Based on studies, researchers have noted that people who have a folate-rich diet are better protected from cardiovascular diseases as compared to their peers.

5 – Helps Regulate Blood Pressure

Avocado is very rich in potassium. Consuming the right amount of potassium per day can greatly help protect one’s self from circulatory diseases like heart diseases, stroke, and high blood pressure.

6 – Good for the Eyes

Avocado is rich in carotenoid lutein. Carotenoid lutein is known for combating oxidative stressing, cataracts and eye muscle degeneration. These two eye conditions are often results of aging. Thus, it would be beneficial to introduce avocado to one’s diet as one becomes older in order to avail of its numerous health benefits.

7 – Helps Prevent Birth Defects

The high amount of folate in avocado also serves as a protection for pregnant women. Folate is said to be essential in preventing birth defects such as spina bifida and neural tube defect.

Thinking twice? No more, now you know that the simple fruit can have vital overall contribution to your health plus it's really delicious. Take the most out of the many avocado health benefits and start making the avocado a mainstay ingredient for your meals.

Yummy salad for you....