Avocados have been recently touted as a superfood and for a right number of reasons. A small avocado possesses about half your daily value offiber ensuring – ahem – good regularity and a healthy digestive system. A small avocado also contains about twice the potassium than a banana, and contains high levels of copper and vitamins E and C. Avocados have also proven to help with insulin regulation and sugar absorption in the body, as well as the intake of carotenoids.
Of course, avocados do also possess a rather high fat content. Avocados are calorically dense, containing about 24-40 grams of fat depending on size and variety, and possessing an average of 250 calories, give or take.
Now, given, the fat they contain are monounsaturated fats: a healthy type of fatty acid that the body needs to operate.
However, fat is still fat and, therefore, needs to be regulated. This doesn’t mean that eating a ton of avocados will make you fat, but simply that avocados have a naturally high calorie count and that needs to be considered.
So what does this mean when we talk about monounsaturated fat?
Of course, this fat content has benefits. It makes you feel full and can, in this way, actually support weight loss. Avocado also functions as a fat stand in, say instead of butter, cheese, or mayonnaise when spread onto bread for toast or a sandwich. Many people also substitute avocado for cream and milk in some dessert recipes such as in thischocolate and avocado pudding.
Monounsaturated fats are a type of naturally occurring fatty acids that the body requires to function.
These fatty acids help maintain the health of nerve cells and and helps them communicate with each other. In addition, these fatty acids also assist with the absorption of metals and fat-soluble vitamins into the body for any number of homeostatic functions. In addition, these fats help reduce the number of “bad” fats that your body may absorb.
The fats contained in an avocado possess anti-inflammatory properties good for cardiovascular health. Lastly, the fatty acids function in membrane health and keeps the heart and blood vessels in flexible, stable condition.
So what does this avocado info mean for you? Well, basically, it means that you are free to eat avocados to your heart’s content (as well as your stomach’s). Naturally, eating four or five avocados a day would greatly increase your caloric intake. Some nutritionists say that 1/5 of an avocado is all you need, but who in their right mind in only going to eat 1/5 of an avocado for their health? No one. That’s who.
Try to limit yourself to maybe half an avocado a day. (Maybe a whole one if there’s a particularly delicious bowl of guacamole calling your name.) Added to a salad or sandwich, or served over eggs half of an avocado is a great way to keep healthy and ensure satiety.