The key to long-term wellness is prevention through everyday lifestyle habits. Health professionals recognize the role nutrition plays in disease risk reduction, with many embracing the “food is medicine” movement.
One of the easiest ways to use food to your health advantage is to eat more fruits and vegetables, starting with avocados. Here’s why.
- They help you eat more fruit and vegetables.
Fruit and vegetables contain health-promoting fiber, vitamins, minerals, and phytonutrients. Most Americans don’t meet the recommendations for fruit and vegetable consumption.
Avocados are considered a healthy fruit. Recommendations to eat more fruits and vegetables are consistent across the lifespan, from childhood to older adulthood.
- They’re nutrient-dense.
Nutrient-dense foods provide health-promoting vitamins, minerals, and other nutrients. Researchers have found diets high in vitamins, minerals, fiber, and antioxidants and low in saturated fats and added sugar help reduce the risk of developing chronic diseases like heart disease and type 2 diabetes.
One-third of a medium avocado (50 grams) has 80 calories and contributes nearly 20 vitamins and minerals, making it a healthy, nutrient-dense choice.
Here’s how the nutrients in avocados can support health:
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Heart Health: You can support heart health by eating more unsaturated fats and fewer saturated fats. Unsaturated fats promote normal blood cholesterol and triglyceride levels, which is important for minimizing the risk of heart disease.
Avocados are a good source of unsaturated fat. One-third of an avocado provides 6 grams of good fats. Virtually the only fresh fruit with good fats, avocados can play a dual role in helping people meet both fruit and good fat recommendations.
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Type 2 Diabetes: Keeping blood sugar within normal range can help reduce the risk of developing type 2 diabetes. Blood sugar control is also a critical part of managing life with diabetes.
Balancing carbohydrates, which cause blood sugar to rise, with fiber and good fats can promote more balanced blood sugar. Individuals with diabetes are at increased risk of heart and weight problems. Limiting intake of added sugar, saturated fat, and sodium can help minimize these risks.
Avocados are a blood-sugar-friendly food because they contain both fiber and unsaturated fats. Avocados also meet the criteria for what to avoid: they’re low in saturated fat and naturally free of sugar and sodium.
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Weight Management: Maintaining a healthy weight is important for reducing disease risk. Fiber enhances satiety, so including it at each meal and snack can help you feel fuller for longer and minimize overeating. Eating more fiber may also help reduce the risk of heart disease, obesity, and type 2 diabetes.
Avocados are a great fresh-fruit option to help boost fiber intake. Most adults need 25-35 grams of fiber per day. One-third of an avocado contains 3 grams of fiber, which is about 10% of the daily goal.
- They boost nutrient absorption.
Eating certain foods together allows nutrients to interact. The unsaturated fat in avocados can act as a nutrient booster by helping increase the absorption of fat-soluble vitamins A, D, K, and E. Avocados naturally contain 6 grams of this good fat per serving, making them a unique fruit.
Here are some tasty avocado pairing ideas to boost fat-soluble vitamin absorption:
- Top a leafy green salad, like spinach or kale, with sliced avocado
- Avocado toast topped with a pan-fried or scrambled egg
- Dollop guacamole on a baked sweet potato
- Add walnuts or pumpkin seeds to avocado and black bean salad
Practicing a food is medicine approach to your diet like eating avocados helps support well-being and healthy living.
