Avocado Health Benefits

Avocado Health Benefits

I’m originally from New Jersey, and growing up there we never actually ever ate an avocado.  I’m pretty sure, if my memory serves me correctly, that I never even saw an avocado anywhere on the east coast growing up in the 70s!

It wasn’t until we moved to California that I found out about this magical, amazing, delicious and treasured “fruit.”  Yes, an avocado is considered a fruit!

Then for many years, you could only get avocados at certain times of the year, remember?  Summertime would roll around, and the glorious avocado would appear to everyone’s utmost excitement.

I remember getting so happy when you would go to the grocery store around the beginning of summer and see the avocados on sale.  I also remember they were way more expensive back then they are today.

Well, fast forward to the new millennium, and for many of us across the country, avocados are available year round.

From small avocados with a seed as big as the avocado itself, to extra large ones as big as a softball.  From buttery smooth ones, to watery ones, and everything in between.

Also, avocados have become super affordable, in addition to the amazing avocado health benefits, so there is no reason not to make them a regular part of your diet.

Remember How Much We Used to Be Afraid of Fat?

Remember years ago when we were all afraid of fat!  Yes, I know you do!  Fat was considered our mortal enemy.

Everything became “fat free”  People were terrified of eating too much fat, and that of course included our beloved avocado.

A lot of people would never even think of eating more than a 1/4 of one small avocado a day.

Well, like all nutrition information, which seems to change as rapidly as the weather, we are now being told that avocados, and fat like avocados, are good for us.

I feel like I’ve know this intuitively for a really long time.   I’ve been eating an avocado a day for a really long time.  I can tell you with 100% clarity that avocados do not make you fat. No, they do not make you fat!

Avocados have amazing health benefits.

Here is a great article on why you should eat an entire avocado every day!

Do Not Be Afraid of Avocados In Your Diet

There are so many reasons not to fear the avocado!  For one avocados do not just have heart healthy fat… one avocado contains about 13 grams of fiber!  So that means on top of delivering good fat to your body, they also keep you full longer because of the natural fiber they contain!  I bet a lot of people don’t even know that avocados contain fiber!

Another reason that avocados are so darn good for you is because when you add “good fat” to other fruits and veggies, you actually end up absorbing MORE of the nutrition from the fruit and veggies because of the addition of the fat.

Avocados are also said to have anti-inflammatory benefits and can help with aches and pains in the body.

Avocados are also a great natural source of potassium, which helps with mood and controlling blood pressure.

So don’t fear the avocado… embrace it!  Start adding avocado to your diet today, the possibilities and recipes are absolutely endless.

Here is one of my favorite avocado toast recipes that my daughter turned me on to from when she was living in Guatemala.  This little recipe has a surprising twist that adds a whole other amazing food to your diet that is going to surprise you!!