Avocado is one of the fruits that can be included in most recipes, due to its mild flavor and creamy consistency. It can even be added to salads and still be a balanced meal since it is rich in healthy fats. Eating half an avocado a day could improve our health since it improves the nervous system, and the immune system and helps reduce cholesterol.
The avocado is the fruit of the evergreen tree of the same name, a member of the laurel family. It is shaped like a pear and contains a round, light-colored seed inside, which is covered by a thin, brown, woody layer.
“It is native to Mexico, Colombia, and Venezuela. The ancient Aztecs called it ahuacatl, which means ‘testicle’, as it was considered an aphrodisiac fruit,” says the Spanish Nutrition Foundation.
Properties of avocado
One of the main properties of avocado is that it is an antioxidant because it is rich in vitamins A, C, D, K, and B. According to nutritionist Fernanda Aguilar, this fruit also provides magnesium, potassium, phosphorus, calcium, iron, copper,r and zinc.
Avocado provides significant amounts of vitamin E, a powerful antioxidant. In addition, its consumption helps to cover the needs of other vitamins, such as C and B.
“Various studies have indicated that the consumption of avocado reduces the levels of total cholesterol and its LDL-Cholesterol fraction (“bad” cholesterol), as well as triglycerides in the blood, an action possibly due to its composition in fatty acids and its richness in fiber,” indicates the Spanish Nutrition Foundation.
Benefits of avocado
Due to its high nutritional content, avocado is a food that provides many nutrients to the body that help keep it healthy and strong, especially to the immune system, bone system, and neurological system. Below are the benefits of avocado.
- Improves digestion
- Nourishes the skin, nails, and hair, due to the vitamin C and E it provides.
- It strengthens the bone system, due to the vitamin K it contains. It also helps blood clotting.
- It protects the brain, due to its folic acid content that improves mental capacity. This type of vitamin B also reduces the risk of suffering strokes.
- It regulates blood pressure, thanks to the potassium it provides to the body.
- It strengthens the immune system, being a source of vitamin C.
- Improves muscle function, thanks to the magnesium and potassium it provides.
- It gives the feeling of satiety since it is rich in fiber.
- It helps reduce cholesterol, due to its oleic acid content.
How to choose an avocado
One of the difficulties that one may have when trying to eat an avocado is knowing how to choose one when it is ripe. Given this uncertainty, Aguilar recommends that to know if an avocado is ripe, you can press it gently with your fingers and if it gives, then it is ready to eat.
It is not recommended to squeeze all the fruits, so another recommendation is to remove the stem that remains at the top. When removing it, if we see that it is a little dark, it means that the avocado is a little overripe. If the color is green, it may need a few days to ripen, but if it is yellowish, then it is ready.
Benefits of avocado seeds
The avocado has a rounded seed that measures 2 to 4 centimeters in length. Medicinal properties are attributed to it due to its high content of antioxidants, fiber, and amino acids, although there are still no studies to determine its benefits.
So far, studies have been conducted to determine the benefits of avocado seeds on animals, so there is a lack of data on humans. However, it is considered to be anti-inflammatory, to control cholesterol, and digestive problems, to help lose weight, and to strengthen the immune system. It is also used for cosmetic purposes, to give strength and shine to hair.
The easiest way to include avocado seeds in your diet is through an infusion.