Thursday, March 26, 2009

Avocados


Even though avocados are high in fat, the fat is largely monounsaturated fat. Specifically oleic acid, an omega-9 fat that is found in high amounts in olive oil and macadamia nut oil and many nuts. Monounsaturated fat actually lowers cholesterol. Jonny Bowden, author of 'The 150 Healthiest Foods on Earth,' tells of a study done at the Instituto Mexicano del Seguro Social in Mexico. He explains that forty-five volunteers who ate avodados every day for a week experienced an average 17 percent drop in total blood cholesterol. Their levels of LDL (bad cholesterol) and triglycerides, both associated with heart disease, went down, while their HDL (good cholesterol), which is protective, went up.

Avocados are also high in beta-sitosterol, a natural substance shown to significantly lower blood cholesterol and is also highly protective of the prostate.

Monounsaturated fat like the kind found in avocados has also been linked to a reduced risk of cancer and diabetes.

Avocados also contain luetin, a valuable member of the carotenoid family that is a natural antioxidant and helps your eyes stay healthy while maintaining the health of your skin.

Though there are a few grams of saturated fat in an avocado, it's from a natural whole food. This is quite different from the saturated fat you might find in an order of fries. Not coming from a factory-farmed animal, it doesn't contain a lot of toxins.

Avocados are also a great source of fiber (between 11 and 17 g per avocado) and potassium. They also contain folate, vitamin A, beta-carotene, and beta-cryptoxanthin, another healthy carotenoid. There is more- vitamin E, B-complex vitamins, copper, fluorine, and lecithin. A single avocado contains about 300 calories.

Delicious!

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