Make Way for Avocado, Your New Super Fruit Sidekick

Many of us know that eating our fruits and vegetables is key for a healthier lifestyle.

But, did you know adding more fruits and vegetables to your diet may also help reduce your risk for chronic disease?

Diets rich in fiber-containing, healthy foods, like fruits and vegetables, may reduce the risk of heart disease, type 2 diabetes, and obesity.1 Currently, only 13.1% and 8.9% of adults meet the guidelines for fruit and vegetable intake, respectively.2

Think you need to up your intake? Enter the avocado, your new super fruit sidekick, which can help guide you on your mission to increase your own fruit and vegetable consumption. One-third of a fresh avocado is one serving and provides 3 g of fiber (making it a good source) and 6 g of naturally good fat.

FUN FACT: Avocados are virtually the only fruit that provide good fats and the least amount of sugar per serving compared to any other fresh fruit. These distinct characteristics make the avocado a powerhouse addition to your daily meals.

The versatile taste and subtle texture of an avocado pairs easily with countless other fruits and veggies to help you increase your intake throughout the day, no matter the season.

avocado

Add avocados into the mix with these five easy tips:

Avocado Smoothie Bowl

01

Enjoy a fresh avocado smoothie or smoothie bowl.

It’s a super simple way to get a mix of favorite fruits and veggies. Try this delicious Avocado Berry Breakfast Smoothie or Strawberry Banana Avocado Smoothie Bowl; avocado is the secret ingredient that adds a decadent, creamy texture.

Avocado Smoothie Bowl

02

Half an avocado creates an edible, ready-made bowl.

You can fill it with fresh salsa or salad. Or, sprinkle with salad dressing and enjoy on its own.

Stuffed avocado with black bean and corn salsa
Championship Guacamole

03

While making dinner, set out a bowl of guacamole.

Do this alongside veggies like broccoli, cherry tomatoes, peppers, carrots and zucchini for dipping. This tangy tomatillo guacamole tastes great with any dipper!

Championship Guacamole

04

Use avocado as a spread and pile your sandwich high with veggies.

Use tomatoes, spinach, mushrooms, peppers, and cucumbers! Using fresh, healthy avocado on toast or as a spread in place of many other popular foods may help reduce intake of calories, fat, saturated fat, sodium and cholesterol while enhancing the nutrient composition of your meal. This nutritional comparison chart shows how avocados are a great substitution.

Avocado Cilantro Bagel Spread
Chocolate Spiced Avocado Mini Muffin Bites

05

Incorporate avocado into your favorite baked goods.

This is an easy way to enhance the nutrient profile without sacrificing taste or texture. Over 75% of the fat in avocados is unsaturated, the “good” fat”, making them a simple swap when baking with ingredients higher in saturated fat. Plus, avocados have high water content, so they can make tasty treats softer and chewier. Not convinced? Give these Mexican “Hot Chocolate” Spiced Avocado Mini Muffin Bites a try and you’ll be an avocado baking convert in no time!

Chocolate Spiced Avocado Mini Muffin Bites

Love One Today® compensates the experts

1. https://www.myplate.gov/eat-healthy/fruits
2. Moore LV, Thompson FE. Adults Meeting Fruit and Vegetable Intake Recommendations United States, 2013. Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report. 2015;64(26):709-713

Race to the Finish with Avocados

Striking the balance between a nutritious diet and plenty of exercise is key to leading a healthy lifestyle.

We should all aim to exercise for at least 150 minutes per week and eat nutrient-dense and wholesome foods. Whether you are maintaining or adopting an active lifestyle, it’s important to remember that what you put into your body can have a direct impact on your performance. Food is your fuel, and can help you accomplish your physical activity goals.

Chocolate Avocado Energy Bars

Build Your Nutrition Foundation

Consuming nutrient-dense foods, like fresh avocados, every day can help you build a strong nutrition foundation to keep you healthy, prevent injuries, and maximize the benefits of your exercise. These no-bake Chocolate Avocado Energy Bars deliver on-the-go energy to help keep you fueled throughout the day.

Chocolate Avocado Energy Bars

It’s important to consume nutrient-dense foods throughout the day to keep you energized, but did you know that what you eat and when you eat matters, too?

Pre-exercise

When was the last time you ate? If it’s been more than four hours since your last meal, you may want to consider eating a snack before you hit the pavement. A pre-exercise snack should consist of primarily carbohydrates, which are the preferred energy source for our muscles and brain, like a piece of whole fruit. Foods or meals high in protein and fat digest slowly and may cause discomfort if eaten too close to exercise.

Salad with avocado
Potassium Power Smoothie

Post-exercise

Depending on the intensity and length of your exercise, your post-workout goal is to rehydrate, refuel, and repair. Your body loses electrolytes and water as you sweat that need to be replenished after exercise. Potassium is an electrolyte that helps build muscle and break down and use carbohydrates. Avocados contain 250 mg of potassium, 6% of the Daily Value, per 50g serving. Don’t forget to drink plenty of water to rehydrate!

A good post-exercise snack is nutrient-dense and contains carbohydrates and high-quality protein to refuel and repair your muscles. Did you know muscles store energy to use during exercise? Carbohydrate foods like fruit, vegetables, dairy, and whole grains can help “top-off” your muscles’ gas tank, while high-quality protein contains the necessary building nutrients to encourage muscle repair and growth. Together, they are the post-exercise dynamic duo.

Potassium Power Smoothie

PRO TIP:

Not only are healthy avocados a great nutrient-boosting food but, when combined with eggs, they also make a great post-workout snack. Avocados are a good source of fiber (11% of the Daily Value per serving) and contain 5 g of monounsaturated fat, while eggs provide high-quality protein.

Give these Fiesta Chile and Avocado Mini Frittatas a try to replenish your body.

Get the Recipe

Avocados: A Nutritious Addition to Any Healthy Eating Pattern

Did you know adopting a more healthful eating pattern is a recommendation highlighted in the Dietary Guidelines for Americans (DGA)?

The DGA is a compilation of science-based nutrition guidance for Americans ages 2 and older to promote healthy lifestyles and dietary habits. You may not be familiar with the DGA, but it’s likely you’ve seen them come to life through MyPlate.

MyPlate encourages you to create your own healthy style of eating, and offers ways to meet your individual nutrition needs and improve your health. Many factors like food preferences, culture, and traditions may shape our journey to healthful eating. Read on for three healthy meal pattern examples and how avocados easily fit within them.

Mediterranean-Style

The Mediterranean-style eating pattern is based on foods traditionally consumed by people living in countries bordering the Mediterranean Sea. There are many positive health outcomes associated with consuming a Mediterranean-Style diet. Eating primarily plant-based foods and replacing saturated fats with monounsaturated fats, like those found in avocados, are key principles of this meal pattern.

Say Yes to Good Fats. Try this Oven-Roasted Salmon With Avocado Citrus Salsa Today!

Mediterranean Style Meal Plan

U.S.-Style

The U.S.-style eating pattern is based on a typical American diet and focuses on choosing nutrient-dense foods while keeping calories in check. This meal pattern style emphasizes reducing saturated fats, added sugars, sodium and refined grains. Over 75% of the fat in healthy avocados is unsaturated, making them a unique fruit that can be substituted for foods higher in saturated fat. They are also a good source of fiber (per one-third serving), which can help provide a feeling of fullness with fewer calories.

Add These Grilled Chicken Breasts with Fresh Avocado Chimichurri Sauce to Your Grilling Bucket List!

U.S. Style Meal Plan

Vegetarian

Vegetarian eating patterns typically incorporate a variety of fresh fruits and vegetables, whole grains, fat-free or low-fat dairy, eggs and plant-based proteins, such as soy products, beans, nuts and seeds. Fresh avocados are a natural fit within this eating pattern, and are a nutrient-dense choice that provide nearly 20 vitamins and minerals.

Looking For a Next-Level Breakfast Idea? Make These Fiesta Chile and Avocado Frittatas.

Vegetarian Style Meal Plan

Why Avocados?

It’s easy to see that avocados can be incorporated into a variety of healthy eating plans, but we’re also finding through ongoing research efforts that including avocado in the diet may contribute several benefits for your health, too. Recent research using a nationally representative sample of adults (n=29,684) participating in the 2001–2012 National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) suggests adult avocado consumption may be associated with better diet quality and positive health outcomes.*

Key takeaways and findings from this study include:

On average, avocado consumers eat about 76 grams (a little more than one half of a medium-sized avocado) per day.
Avocado consumers have improved diet quality compared to non-consumers.
Compared to non-consumers, avocado consumers have higher intakes of vitamin E, magnesium, potassium, fiber, vitamin C, and lower sodium intakes.
Avocado consumers were 33% less likely to be overweight or obese than non-consumers.
Waist circumference for avocado consumers was smaller (1.2 inches) than non-consumers.
avocado halves
* Disclaimer: these findings cannot provide causal evidence between avocado consumption and improvements in diet quality. Therefore, more studies are needed to confirm these findings.

Are Avocados Part of Your Snack Routine?

It’s no secret Americans love their snacks.

Snacking is a significant part of both child and adult diets in the United States, and 94% of Americans snack at least once a day according to a recent survey.1

However, the foods we crave during snack time (sugar sweetened beverages, sweets, and salty snacks) are not ideal when keeping our nutrition top of mind.

If avocados aren’t at the top of your snack food list – they should be. This tasty and unique fruit packs a nutritious punch and is a delicious way to help increase fruit and vegetable intake.

guacamole platter

Avocados are virtually the only fresh fruit with monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats, the “good” fats, and they are sodium- and cholesterol-free.

stuffed avocado with black bean and corn salsa

One serving, one-third of a medium avocado, contributes nearly 20 vitamins, minerals, and plant compounds that can improve the nutrient quality of the diet.

Additionally, avocados are a good source of fiber; just one serving contains 11% of the Daily Value (DV). Fiber-containing snack foods like healthy avocados are ideal for weight loss and weight management because they help provide a feeling of fullness with fewer calories, leaving you satisfied in-between meals.

The best part is these self-packaged snacks are ready-to-go. Just slice them open, grab a spoon and scoop into the delicious, creamy goodness.