The avocado is a rather unique type of fruit. Most fruit consists primarily of carbohydrate, while avocado is high in healthy fats. Numerous studies show that it has powerful beneficial effects on health.
4 Major Health benefits of avocado that are supported by scientific research.
- Avocado is Incredibly Nutritious: This is coming with 160 calories, 2 grams of protein and 15 grams of healthy fats. Although it contains 9 grams of carbs, 7 of those are fiber so there are only 2 “net” carbs, making this a low-carb friendly plant food. Avocados do not contain any cholesterol or sodium, and are low in saturated fat. I personally don’t think that matters, but this is one of the reasons they are favored by many “old school” experts who still believe these things are inherently harmful.
- They Contain More Potassium than Bananas: Potassium is a nutrient that most people aren’t getting enough of. This nutrient helps maintain electrical gradients in the body’s cells and serves various important functions. Avocados are actually very high in potassium… with a 100 gram (3.5 ounce) serving containing 14% of the RDA, compared to 10% in bananas, which are a typical high potassium food. Several studies show that having a high potassium intake is linked to reduced blood pressure, a major risk factor for heart attacks, strokes and kidney failure.
- Eating Avocados Can Lower Cholesterol: Heart disease is the most common cause of death in the world. It is known that several blood markers are linked to an increased risk which includes cholesterol, inflammatory markers, blood pressure and various others. Reduce total cholesterol levels significantly.
- Avocado May Help Prevent Cancer: There is limited evidence that avocado may be beneficial in preventing cancer. One study showed that it may help reduce side effects of chemotherapy in human lymphocytes. Avocado extract has also been shown to inhibit the growth of prostate cancer cells.
