There’s a good reason why avocados are so popular. These creamy green fruits are not just delicious but also offer a surplus of benefits. Including fresh avocados in your diet can have a positive impact on various aspects of your well-being, including your heart, weight, and even blood sugar regulation.
In this article, we explore the incredible power of avocados and how they can help support your health.
Aguacates
and Heart Health
When it comes to heart health, avocados are a true superstar. Avocados are essentially the only fruit with good fats. The Dietary Guidelines for Americans recommends replacing bad fats with good fats as good fats offer benefits to the body without raising LDL (bad) cholesterol levels.
Furthermore, one serving of avocado provides 6% of your daily potassium needs. A diet rich in potassium can help offset some of sodium’s harmful effects on blood pressure.
Boost your avocado intake and support heart health by substituting foods high in saturated fat:
- Instead of adding butter to your bread or corn arepa or cheese bread, add sliced avocados
- Instead of adding sour cream to your baked potatoes, add sliced avocados and salsa
- Instead of pairing cheese with fried green plantains, pair them with guacamole
Aguacates Can Be a Valuable Ally in Weight Management
In a study of over 55,000 adult men and women who follow the Seventh-Day-Adventist lifestyle, researchers found that regularly eating fresh avocados is linked to a lower risk of becoming overweight or obese. Healthy avocados are a good source of fiber. Dietary fiber adds bulk to the diet and can promote a feeling of fullness faster, which can increase satiety and help manage weight.
The Avocado Nutrition Center funded the study, and a food frequency questionnaire assessed avocado intake. Though the results do not demonstrate a cause-and-effect relationship, more research is needed — especially in younger populations, and study limitations prevent generalization to all people. The findings support the growing body of evidence connecting eating avocados and body weight.
Aguacates and
Type 2 Diabetes
Type 2 diabetes is a chronic condition that affects millions of people worldwide. More than 1 in 3 U.S. adults have prediabetes. Over the course of a lifetime, U.S. adults overall have a 40% chance of developing type 2 diabetes. For Hispanic and Latino adults, the odds are even higher at more than 50%.
Healthy eating patterns associated with improved type 2 diabetes outcomes include plenty of fruits and vegetables and unsaturated fats. Avocados are a fruit and contribute 6 grams of unsaturated fats.
Furthermore, avocados contain 4 grams of carbohydrates and don’t rapidly raise blood sugar. On the other hand, eating a diet that contains many ultra-processed and refined carbohydrate sources can affect your blood sugar levels.
Aguacates for Healthy
Living at Every Age
Avocados contain a variety of nutrients, such as vitamin K, folate, potassium, lutein, and magnesium, which are crucial for supporting proper growth, development, and maintenance of bodily functions.
For maternal and infant health, avocados are just the perfect food. Moms-to-be need folate to reduce birth defects such as spina bifida, and reduce the likelihood of having a low birth weight or preterm birth. Avocados are a good source of folate.
As kids get older, they eat fewer fruits and vegetables and young adults eat only half of their recommended amounts. Get more by including avocados as a dip, in smoothies, or as a topping on tacos, sandwiches, and soups.
For adults, healthy eating patterns that are associated with improved longevity include plenty of fruits, vegetables, and unsaturated fats. Avocados are a fruit and contribute 6 grams of unsaturated fats.
For older adults, avocados contain 136 micrograms of the carotenoid lutein per serving (one-third of a medium avocado). Lutein is a carotenoid that some research suggests may help maintain aging eye health.
So, no matter your age, make sure to include avocados in your diet for a healthier life.
— How to —
Incorporate Aguacates into Your Diet
Now that you know about the incredible benefits of avocados, you might be wondering how to incorporate them into your daily diet. Luckily, avocados are incredibly versatile. Here are a few simple and delicious ideas to help you get started.
Aguacates can fit in your daily menu
Add avocados to your daily meals whether you enjoy them in your pozole, ajiaco, arepas, ceviche, cake, salad, or toast. This creamy green fruit is versatile, and delicious, and provides fiber and unsaturated fats.
So go ahead, give your heart some love, and start reaping the incredible benefits of avocados today!
Love One Today y todos los días.
