Health Benefits of Avocado

What are the health benefits of avocado? How much calories are in avocado? What is the nutritional value of avocado? You'll find these avocado information here.

Avocado Nutrition

Also called alligator pear, a 100g of raw avocado contains 160 calories and is rich in nutrients. There are about 2g protein, 8.5g carbohydrates, 6.5g fiber and over 9.5g of monounsaturated fatty acids. The fatty acids in avocados may help in lowering low density lipoprotein or LDL cholesterol.

The vitamins and minerals present are calcium, magnesium, phosphorus, potassium, sodium, vitamin A, vitamin B, vitamin C and vitamin K. Folate and choline which belong to the vitamin B group, are high in avocado. Both assist in the proper functioning of the brain and the central nervous system. On top of that folate strengthens the immune system while choline helps in minimizing excess fat in the liver.

There is 485mg of potassium. Our body requires this mineral, among others, for the proper functioning of the kidney and muscle contraction. People who are physically active will benefit from it. Phosphorus is another one of the nutrients available in high amount, about 52mg, and it is necessary to produce DNA and RNA, for strong bones and teeth and discharging toxins.

One of the other health benefits of avocado is it contains high amounts of antioxidant carotenoids such as alpha carotene, beta carotene, cryptoxanthin and lutein and zeaxanthin. All these compounds help in fighting the production of free radicals or destroy them and protect your body.

Other than stigmasterol and campesterol, there is 76mg of beta sitosterol. These are all beneficial plant chemical. Beta sitosterol is very helpful for prostate health. And one of the many other benefits is it helps improves the HDL and LDL ratio or the bad and good cholesterol levels.

In addition, avocado contains alpha, beta, gamma and delta tocopherol which are a form of vitamin E. These chemical compounds are powerful antioxidant. They support the immune system and beneficial for heart health.

One of the benefits of avocado is, because of the presence of tocopherol, it promotes skin health and may slow down aging. This is one of the reasons that it is being used as an ingredient in many cosmetics products. The tocopherols are easily absorbed by the skin and have superior sunscreen properties.

Avocado Oil

Avocado oil aside from its cosmetic purposes, makes for a healthy addition to your culinary dishes as well. It is a type of monounsaturated fat which helps promote heart health among other health benefits. Avocado oil is great to use for your cooking since it is very light and therefore blends well with other foods.

Compared to olive oil, it has a milder flavor, thus enhancing the flavor and aroma of other foods even more. In addition, avocado oil can withstand extreme cooking temperatures better than other cooking oils. Avocado oil is an excellent alternative for frying food. It retains delicious flavor of your dishes without the unhealthy fat.

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