Are avocados healthy? The short answer is yes. Avocados indeed are very good for your health. They are packed with important vitamins, such as vitamin B, K, and E. But also lutein and folic acid. Avocados also contain a lot of monounsaturated fats. These are very good for you as they lower bad LDL cholesterol levels in the body.

Furthermore, avocados are known to promote weight loss, prevent certain diseases like cancer and Alzheimer’s disease, and lower the incidence of depression.

Let’s take a look together at all the benefits that avocado has to offer.

Nutritional Value of Avocado

Of all known fruits and vegetables, avocados have the highest fat content of up to 30%. Most of these fats consist of unsaturated fatty acids, which are good for your health.

A 100-gram avocado contains about 160 kilocalories, which is about twice the energy value of a banana (with 88.7 kcal per 100 grams).

An average size avocado consists of 1.90 grams of protein, 0.40 grams of carbohydrates and contains about 7 grams of fiber per 100 grams and 70 grams of water.

Avocados are also rich in essential amino acids and complex carbohydrates. Furthermore, the vitamins E, D, C, K, and B-complex vitamins are found in significant quantities in avocadoes.

Avocados also contain trace elements and minerals such as potassium and folic acid.

Per 100 grams, an avocado contains the following vitamins and minerals:

Benefits of Avocado

High in fiber

Avocados have a lot of essential amino acids that help your body form proteins. In addition, the proteins will be easily absorbed by your body because, unlike, for example, a piece of meat, avocados also contain a lot of fiber. Avocado can therefore be used as a meat substitute.

In addition, the good fibers you find in avocado help to stimulate a good intestinal flora and reduce intestinal complaints and cramps. Fibers also make you feel full faster and longer. That’s why avocado can be perfectly incorporated into a weight loss diet.

Rich in carotenoids

Carotenoids are mainly found in yellow to red vegetables and fruits, but this substance can also be found in avocado. Every time you eat something that contains a lot of carotenoids, you get a lot of vitamin A.

This vitamin has a positive effect on your eyes. Carotenoids will also boost your immune system and reproductive system. The carotenoids will dissolve fats and ensure that nutrients are better absorbed by your body.

Rich in potassium

Potassium is a mineral that ensures the fluid balance and blood pressure of the body. Yet, on average, many people don’t take enough potassium. If you want to make sure that you’re getting enough potassium, then avocados are your best friend.

In fact, avocadoes contain more potassium than bananas, which are often recommended for people with potassium deficiency. Avocado contains an average of 14% of the daily recommended intake of potassium, compared to about 10% in bananas.

Slow down Alzheimer’s disease

Several studies have shown that avocados are beneficial for Alzheimer’s patients. The International Journal of Alzheimer’s Disease and Associated Disorders has revealed that avocado slows or even reverses the progression of Alzheimer’s disease. This conclusion is drawn from years of clinical trials.

According to these studies, high dose vitamin E can neutralize both free radicals and protein build-up which play a role in memory loss. In addition, folic acid also has favorable participation in the fight against Alzheimer’s. Folic acid helps prevent the formation of tangled nerve fibers.

Good for the brain

From the paragraphs above, of course, you can already deduce that avocado is healthy for the brain. But in addition to the benefits mentioned above, avocados also contain nutrients that are essential to a well-functioning brain. These are the unsaturated fats, including omega 3 fatty acids. 

These fatty acids improve memory and could also contribute to the fight against Alzheimer’s.

Reduce the risk of birth abnormalities

Are avocados good for pregnant women? This answer is a resounding yes! Several studies have shown that avocado is healthy for pregnant women.

Indeed, sufficient folic acid during pregnancy reduces the risk of abnormalities at birth and later in life. Even after pregnancy, children must receive enough folic acid.

Folic acid is also important during periods of rapid cell division.

Protect against cancer

Thanks to the active ingredient lutein (a carotenoid), avocados can protect against cancer. In addition, lutein reduces the risk of macular degeneration and blindness in people over 65 years of age. A shortage of lutein is the main cause of blindness in the over-65s.

Anti-inflammatory

We’ve mentioned omega-3 fatty acids already, but they have another advantage. They are natural anti-inflammatories. Avocados are rich in omega-3 fatty acids and can therefore serve as natural anti-inflammatories, which can alleviate a whole host of diseases.

Promote weight loss

There is evidence that avocados can help with weight loss. Avocados are high in fiber and low in carbohydrates, are very nutritious, and provide long-lasting satiety.

One study found that people felt 23% more satiated after eating avocado and 28% fewer cravings to eat in the 5 hours afterward than people who didn’t eat this fruit.

A natural cholesterol-lowering agent

Avocados are rich in beta-sitosterol. Beta-sitosterol causes a decrease in bad LDL cholesterol and increases good HDL cholesterol. That’s why avocado belongs on the list of cholesterol-lowering foods. 

Reduce the risk of high blood pressure & diabetes

There’s another reason the avocado is healthy. Thanks to the mineral potassium, the avocado also reduces the risk of high blood pressure and has an inhibitory effect on insulin production, which also reduces the risk of diabetes. The avocado can therefore also be used as a natural blood pressure lowering agent.

Promote hair growth

Hair loss is a big problem for many people. Avocados have several active substances that can support hair growth. These are beta-sitosterol and vitamin E. Beta-sitosterol is also sold as a hair growth agent.

Prevent cardiovascular disease

Avocado is also healthy for people with cardiovascular disease. Avocados contain many different fatty acids including omega-3 and omega-9. These fatty acids, which have been labeled unhealthy in the past, are very healthy and offer protection against cardiovascular disease. Avocado is also a natural blood thinner.

Good for the eyes

The avocado is also healthy because it contains lutein, a phytochemical that has a particularly beneficial effect on the eyes and can probably prevent several serious eye diseases. However, the lutein content of avocados is not overwhelmingly high. Cooked kale contains 66 times the amount of lutein, spinach 40 times more, pumpkin and broccoli 4 times more, and corn and green beans twice the amount of lutein.

Reduce stress

Are you having a rough day at work? Instead of grabbing your fifth cup of coffee, you’d better go for half an avocado.

The magnesium content of avocados helps you release tension and also helps you sleep better. And when you’re relaxed and well-rested, you’re more likely to have a positive outlook on life!

Good for your hair and nails

As if those aren’t enough benefits, avocados are also great for your hair and nails thanks to their biotin content. In addition, vitamins B and E also protect your hair from dryness and hair loss.

Benefits of Avocado — Video Summary

Can you eat the avocado kernel?

You can eat the avocado kernel. However, that doesn’t mean you have to do it daily. Traditionally, in the countries of origin of the avocado, it is used as a remedy and not as daily food. However, research has not yet shown the particular health benefits of eating the kernel.

Can you eat the avocado peel?

The peel of some avocado varieties is edible. If you want to try the avocado peel, choose thin and soft varieties. The avocado must also come from organic farming so that no pesticide residues stick to the skin. As is customary with all fruit peels, the avocado peel contains more phytochemicals than the flesh, as well as more flavonoids, polyphenols, carotenoids, and chlorophyll. That is why some people make tea with the dried avocado peel.

The problem with avocado

The main disadvantages of avocado are less in health effects and more in the consequences for the environment and risks during preparation.

Indeed, there are signs that the production of avocados is very harmful to the environment.

So, whether or not to enjoy it is a difficult trade-off, in which environmental aspects, animal welfare, and health aspects are three important factors.

Because avocados are so incredibly healthy and are a great source of healthy fats, vitamins, and potassium, we still think avocados fit into a healthy and conscious lifestyle.

However, consider the impact on the environment by limiting yourself to one to two pieces per week. And opt for pesticide-free and organic products if you can afford them.

Conclusion

Avocados fit perfectly into a low-carb diet. They are packed with nutrients and can help you lose weight by making you feel fuller for longer. They are also good for your cholesterol and heart.

However, a major disadvantage is the impact of avocados on the environment. Keep this in mind and do not use more than one and up to two avocados per week.

Avocados are healthy, very tasty, and easy to incorporate into your diet because they fit perfectly into all kinds of dishes. And you can also eat them just like any other fruit, as a snack with a little salt and pepper.