Avocado

Avocado is quite unique in the fact that it is primarily made up of healthy fats, while most fruits consist of carbohydrates. Avocado has been touted as a ‘super-food’ for being highly nutritious and for its health properties. Avocado’s contain high amounts of:

• Vitamin K
• Folate
• Vitamin C
• Potassium
• Vitamin B5
• Vitamin B6
• Vitamin E

And smaller amounts of:

• Magnesium
• Manganese
• Copper
• Iron
• Zinc
• Phosphorous
• Vitamin A
• Vitamin B1
• Vitamin B2
• Vitamin B3

Quite an extensive list of vitamins and minerals! In an average 100g serving, avocados contain around 160 calories, 2g of protein, 15g of healthy fats (monounsaturated and polyunsaturated) and 9g of carbs. However, out of those 9g of carbs, 7 of them are actually from fibre, making it a low carb food.

Some of the benefits of regularly incorporating avocado into your diet include:

• Regulating blood pressure due to its high potassium content.
• The oleic acid in monounsaturated fat has been linked to reduced inflammation and increased heart health.
• Avocado’s high fibre content contributes to regulation of blood sugar levels. Fibre also contributes to friendly gut bacteria and aids in absorption of nutrients in the body.
• Avocado have been proven to increase good cholesterol (HDL) levels by up to 11%
• Avocados are high in antioxidants, including lutein and zeaxanthin. These nutrients are very important for eye health and lower your risk of macular degeneration and cataracts.

Avocado’s can be added to most meals pretty easily!