Avocados are a popular tree fruit from Central America. This soft-fleshed fruit is popular for making guacamole and has also become a staple of many low-carb diets. Avocado calories scare some people off from making this amazing whole food a regular part of their diet. Here’s why you don’t need to worry about fat and calories, and why you should be focusing on all of these amazing health benefits.
For 1 avocado (201g), there are 322 calories. This seems like a lot. Before we go into why these 322 calories shouldn’t freak you out, here’s a look at everything else in avocados.
Avocados have many important nutrients. They are a good source of vitamin C, vitamin K, folate, and potassium. They contain vitamin A, vitamin E, thiamin, riboflavin, niacin, vitamin B6, pantothenic acid, calcium, iron, magnesium, phosphorus, zinc, copper, and manganese. On top of this huge list of nutrients, avocados are also a great source of dietary fibre and contain almost no sugar.
Avocados help support a healthy cardiovascular system, can help with weight management, and healthy aging. According to a 2013 study, “avocados have both a medium energy density of 1.7 kcal/g and a viscose water, dietary fiber and fruit oil matrix that appears to enhance satiety.” An increase in satiety helps decrease food consumption, and in turn, can help with weight loss.
The high fibre levels can have a major effect on satiety and food intake. A diet rich in fibre is very beneficial for weight loss. It can help with constipation and intestinal health. This is especially beneficial for people who are cutting grains out of their diet and upping their protein intake. Both of these can dry out the system, and bind you. Adding a high-fibre food like avocados to your diet can balance things out, and keep your gut healthy.
Avocado calories largely come from healthy fatty acids. The majority of the fat in avocados is in the form of oleic acid. This fat can help reduce inflammation and its damaging effect.
There are numerous studies showing, not only the benefits of fatty acids, but the specific benefits avocados can have on heart health. Avocado can reduce cholesterol, and triglyceride levels. Considering heart disease in the number one cause of death in America, it is important that we take heart health seriously. Not only is it important to reduce cholesterol and triglycerides, but also lowering inflammation in the body are key.
The fats in avocados can also help your gut properly absorb, and use the nutrients and antioxidants found in your diet. Avocado can improve your nutrient absorption as much as 15x. For anyone with leaky gut, this can be a great way to help heal your gut, and your body, by getting all of the nutrients found in your food.
Avocados also are rich in antioxidants. Included in avocados résumé are lutein and zeaxanthin, which are needed for ocular health. These antioxidants help maintain a healthy retina. The retina is the part of the eye responsible for receiving light, and converting it to sight. A healthy retina can help ensure healthy eyes as you age, preventing many age-related degenerative diseases.
The phytochemicals in avocados can be especially beneficial for cancer patients. Studies have found that avocados can reduce the negative side effects experienced from chemotherapy.
Avocado Calories
There is a fear of calories. Excess calories result in stored energy, also known as fat.
Why would anyone who is trying to burn fat fill their diet with a super high-fat, high-calorie food?
Because not all calories are burned the same way by the body. Fat is needed to burn protein properly, and these calories typically are burned and used faster than calories from sugars (carbohydrates).
Are avocados right for everyone? Obviously, they aren’t right for anyone allergic to the fruit, but they can be good for pretty much everyone else. The only time avocados really aren’t going to help you is if your diet is filled with highly processed, high-carbohydrate food. If you’re already filling your body with junk you’re not going to see many, or any, health benefits by adding extra calories to your diet. The idea is to replace the unhealthy, highly processed food in your diet with this good whole food. Adding good food to your diet isn’t enough. You have to take the garbage out!
Avocado calories can seem high but think of all the good they do. These fatty calories can help you absorb nutrients, burn fat, improve heart health, and much more. Avocados can be eaten plain, or combined with other whole foods for a healthy meal. This is one whole food you’ll want to keep in your diet.
