Avocado: Benefits And Harms To The Body

Avocado is an evergreen tree that only grows in hot climates. Its fruits are pear-shaped with a large stone inside. The benefits of avocados...

Avocado is an evergreen tree that only grows in hot climates. Its fruits are pear-shaped with a large stone inside. The benefits of avocados for men, women, and children are due to the high content of nutrients in their pulp.

Avocado history

The fruit can reach two kilograms. All parts of the plant, except for the pulp of the fruit, are poisonous, including the leaves, bone, and rind. It is biologically considered a fruit, but it is often mistakenly referred to as a vegetable for its unusual nutritional value and taste, more characteristic of vegetables. For its energy intensity in 1998, avocados were entered into the Guinness Book of Records.

The avocado is sometimes called the "alligator pear" for its shape and lumpy green skin, similar to that of a crocodile.

The plant was cultivated already in the third millennium BC by the Aztecs, who called it "forest oil" and used it in traditional medicine. For example, for the treatment of scabies or as a first food for children.

The benefits of avocado

They eat only the pulp of the fruit, which contains a large number of vitamins (groups B, E, A, C, K, folic acid), minerals (calcium, phosphorus, potassium, iron, sodium, copper, iodine, magnesium, and many others). Despite the high-calorie content (about 200 kcal per 100 g), avocados contribute to weight loss due to easily digestible monounsaturated fats. In addition, the fruit does not contain cholesterol.

Nutritionists recommend this product for people with diseases of the cardiovascular system, gastrointestinal tract, as well as for the general improvement of the body's condition.

Mannoheptulose, which is found most of all in avocado, has a positive effect on the state of the nervous system, reducing the feeling of fatigue and drowsiness. Scientists plan to use this substance in the future as a "fasting pill" without reducing the real diet since mannoheptulose reduces the secretion of enzymes necessary for glucose uptake. Thus, cells receive less energy for the same amount of food. The positive effect of small starvation of cells was revealed in the process of experiments on mice and monkeys back in the thirties of the last century - the experimental lived much longer than their counterparts.

Avocado composition

Caloric content per 100 g	200 kcal
Protein	2 g
Fats	14,7 g
Carbohydrates	1.8 g

Avocado harm

Do not forget about the toxicity of the peel and bone. Limit the use of pulp - because it contains a lot of fat. Due to the specific composition of the avocado, it can cause an allergic reaction, therefore, this fruit should be introduced into the diet gradually.

Alexander Voinov, a nutrition and health consultant at the WeGym fitness club chain, says:
- You should be careful about eating avocados for nursing mothers and giving mashed potatoes as complementary foods to your baby, as this can provoke diarrhea in the child. People with acute liver disease should eliminate avocados from their diet, like most fatty foods. Occasionally, there is an individual intolerance to the product and allergies - in this case, it is better not to eat avocados.

The use of avocado in medicine

- Avocado is often included in many diets because it is extremely harmful to completely eliminate fats from food. The fruit contains a lot of fats, as well as L-carnitine, which speeds up metabolism and helps to "burn" excess weight, - comments Alexander Voinov.

For people suffering from gastrointestinal diseases and having a tendency to constipation, this fruit is especially useful. Half an avocado contains 7 grams of fiber, which is almost 30% of the daily value. Thanks to dietary fiber, the condition of the intestines improves, because they serve as a breeding ground for beneficial bacteria.

The lack of cholesterol in avocados, as well as the high content of monounsaturated fatty acids, helps to lower total cholesterol levels as well as blood sugar. Periodic consumption of small amounts of avocados is beneficial for people with cardiovascular diseases, as well as diabetes.

Avocados are also used in cosmetology due to the high concentration of fats and vitamins A and E. Face masks are prepared from the oil or puree from the pulp, which has moisturizing, anti-inflammatory, healing properties, and smooth wrinkles. Masks are also applied to the hair to moisturize dry and brittle hair. Avocado oil is often found in creams and balms.

The use of avocados in cooking

Avocado pulp is most often eaten fresh. Also, oil is made from the fruit, which is used in cosmetology, and as a useful replacement for sunflower and other oils.

Remove the soft pulp with a spoon, cut the fruit lengthwise, and take out the bone. Avocados are used in salads, appetizers, soups, or simply spread on bread like pasta.

Avocado and fish salad

This fruit goes well with almost anything from fish to yogurt. Such a salad is useful for diet food as a second breakfast or part of a dinner.

• Avocado - 1 pc.

• Cucumber - 1 pc.

• Canned tuna (or other ready-made seafood - redfish, shrimps, etc.)

• Lemon or lime juice and olive oil - for dressing, to taste

• Salt, ground pepper, green onions - to taste

Cut the avocado in half, remove the pulp and cut into small cubes. Cut the cucumber as well. Stir in seafood. Place on a plate or empty avocado half. In a bowl, combine lemon juice, oil, salt, and pepper. Pour the dressing over the salad, sprinkle with chopped herbs.

Avocado sauce

An excellent substitute for traditional mayonnaise. Its calorie content is also noticeable - about 190 kcal per serving, but the benefits are much higher. It goes well with whole-grain crisps, perfect for dipping vegetable slices or dressing salads. You can add nuts or seeds

• Ripe avocado - 1 pc.

• Greens (dill, parsley, a little cilantro) - a small bunch

• Garlic - 1-2 small cloves

• Olive oil - 1 tsp

• Lemon juice - 3 tsp

• Water - 2 tbsp. spoons

• Salt and pepper to taste

Peel the avocado, pulp, herbs, and dill in a blender and puree. Combine the chopped ingredients in a blender and puree. Gradually add juice, oil, and water, making sure that the sauce is not too runny, stir. If desired, add some of your favorite seeds - for example, pumpkin seeds.

How to choose and store avocados

It is worth taking fruit with intact dark green skin. Unripe green and hard avocados are usually supplied to European countries, while the mature fruit has a very dark, almost brown skin and soft flesh. But if the avocado is pressed too easily, then the fruit is overripe and should not be taken.

Green avocados keep well in the refrigerator. Bring it to a ripe state will help the neighborhood with other fruits (bananas, apples) at room temperature for several days.

The pulp darkens quickly, sprinkling with lemon juice will slow down this process. The cut fruit should be stored for a very short time and only in the refrigerator - due to the high-fat content, it quickly deteriorates.

Popular questions and answers

When is it better to eat avocado: in the morning or in the evening?

The last meal should be finished at least two hours before bedtime. This applies to any food, including avocados.

How does an avocado taste?

The taste and texture of the avocado are reminiscent of soft butter with hints of cucumber and herbs.

How to use avocado oil?

Avocado oil is used in cooking and cosmetology. In the first case, they are seasoned with salads; it is not recommended to cook in such oil (for example, fry). In the second - for moisturizing and nourishing the skin. It can be used both independently and as part of creams and balms.