Avocados have quickly become one of America’s most beloved fruits. Wait, did you
just say fruit? Absolutely. While most fruits we consume today are made up of
primarily carbohydrates, our best friend, the avocado, is primarily made up of
healthy fats.
The little jingle we hear on TV, “Avocados from Mexico”, is quite accurate.
Researchers indicate that avocados originated in South Central Mexico nearly
10,000 years ago. The United States was a little late to the avocado game and did not
begin enjoying it until about 1833, where it was grown in warmer climates like
California, Hawaii, and Florida. Interestingly, Americans in other parts of the
country actually avoided avocados until the 1950s. Why, you might ask? It is
believed that avocados are an aphrodisiac, so the more conservative American
community thought it taboo to consume them. The poor avocado had a bit of a bad
reputation in the 1980’s in America when the low fat diets were all the rage. Luckily,
they are making a major comeback. Here’s why you should totally incorporate these
beauties into your diet.
Vitamins, please! Avocados are loaded with health promoting vitamins and
minerals. Just one avocado has over 20 of your needed vitamins and minerals. Here
are a few found in avocados: Vitamin K, Folate (great for future mamas!), Vitamin C,
Potassium, Vitamin B6, and more!
Move over, Banana: Did you know that avocados contain more potassium than
bananas? Potassium is the nutrient we often forget about. However, this serves various
functions in the body, including maintaining electrical gradients and potentially
reducing blood pressure.
The Good Fat: Avocados have a great deal of heart healthy monounsaturated fats.
They are actually considered one of the most fatty plant foods on earth! However,
the majority of the fat comes in the form of oleic acid, which has been associated
with reduced inflammation and promotes beneficial impacts on cancer-linked genes.
Reduce Cholesterol and Triglycerides: Contrary to popular belief, eating this high fat
plant food will actually lower your cholesterol and triglyceride levels. Lowering
these will greatly reduce your risk of developing heart disease. Many studies have
shown that consuming avocados can lower cholesterol and triglyceride levels, lower
LDL or “bad” cholesterol, and increase HDL or “good” cholesterol.
Absorb Your Other Plant Foods: Not only is it important to eat plant foods that are
rich in nutrients, your body needs to be able to absorb them! There are many
nutrients that are fat-soluble, meaning they need fat in order to be used. This is
where the avocado comes in! With it’s high in fat content, it can assist your body in
absorbing nutrients such as Vitamins A, K, D, E, and antioxidants like carotenoids.
Are you ready to jump on the avocado bandwagon?! Remember, these fruits are
loaded with nutrients that will not only help your body lower cholesterol and
increase your potassium, but they will help you absorb other essential nutrients!
At FreshVibes you can add avocado to any smoothie, snack on our Avocado Toast
(made with our homemade guac, spread on non-GMO bread from Great Harvest Bread Company
and topped with a sprinkle of locally grown, organic arugula microgreens from Locavore Market),
or enjoy it in one of our signature salads…made with locally grown, organic living lettuce from
Coastal Plains Produce out of Grifton, NC.
Here’s another great way to incorporate this into your diet:
References:
https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/12-proven-benefits-of-avocado#section12
Keep the good vibes flowin’…and remember not all fats are created equal!
-VibeTribe
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