marzo 05, 2021 3 min read

Is Avocado a Fruit? Find the Answer, Its Benefits and Nutritional Value

 Is avocado a fruit? Indeed, avocado is the world’s healthiest superfood. It is delicious and is full of nutrients. It has positive effects on our heart, body weight, and digestive tract. 

 What are Avocados?

 These nutritious fruits are Mexican, but now their cultivation is everywhere in the world. Avocado tree – with greenish-yellow flowers – grows 30 to 40 feet tall. Avocado is a single-seeded berry produced by these trees. Among different types of avocados, Hass avocado is the most popular variety. Its serving can be as a vegetable or a fruit.

 How Many Calories Are in Avocado?

 Avocados are rich in nutrients. It provides us with a good amount of calories (227). Along with that, it is rich in fiber, vitamin K, vitamin C, folate, potassium, and much more. 

 How Avocados Benefit Us?

 The top nine health benefits of avocado are:

  1. Heart Health

 Avocado – especially avocado oil – balances the blood lipids that are beneficial for our heart. Avocado also helps in reducing cholesterol levels and blood pressure. 

  1. Reduces Risk of Metabolic Syndrome

 Metabolic syndrome refers to such conditions that increase the chances of heart diseases, stroke, and diabetes. Avocado can lower these risks by lowering high blood sugar, high blood pressure, high cholesterol, obesity and excess belly fat. Researchers have found that avocado consumers are 50 percent less likely to come across metabolic syndrome in their lives as compared to non-consumers.

  1. Eye, Skin and Hair Health

 The fat-soluble vitamins and monounsaturated fats present in avocados render us with glowing skin, bright eyes and shiny hair. Avocados are the best natural moisturizer when it comes to skin. They are high-antioxidant foods. Therefore, they contain a type of carotenoid called lutein, which protects eye health and preserves healthy, youthful-looking skin and hair. Rubbing the inside of an avocado peel and using avocado oil is as much beneficial. 

  1. Fight Cancer Cell Growth

 Avocados are cancer-fighters too. The phytochemicals present in them are powerful enough to kill oral cancer cells. Monounsaturated fatty acids also help to avoid the risk of cancer.

  1. Promotes Weight Loss

 If you want to lose weight, avocados are your friends. Fats increase satiety hormones that help reducing appetite and increase the time between your meals hence reducing your diet overall. Avocados build positive changes in fatty acid blood serum levels. 

  1. Enhances Digestive Health    

 As avocados are rich in fiber, they are great for anyone with digestive tract issues. Fiber is known for supporting regularity and helps in removing waste and toxins through the intestines and colon. Avocado also provides essential fats for digestion and nutrient absorption.

  1. Insulin Resistance and Diabetes

 As avocados are MUFA-rich, they can do wonders to blood sugar levels, insulin concentrations, blood lipid profiles, blood pressure, and glucose levels.  

  1. Boosts Mood

 Fatty acids positively affect the nervous system and cognitive abilities so eating healthy fatty acids is a booster for mood. Higher-fat diets might lower depression, anxiety and other mental disorder risks. 

  1. Decreases Arthritis Symptoms

 Avocado is beneficial for arthritis symptoms. Avocado oil may help decrease symptoms of osteoarthritis. 

 Selecting, Storing and Preparing Avocados

 Make sure that the avocado you are selecting is ripe by simply squeezing it. You can keep avocadoes safe in a refrigerator, and lemon juice can preserve them. 

 Risks and Side Effects

 People with kidney problems should be taking a low-potassium diet. You should also make sure not to have an avocado allergy. Taking avocado in moderation and drinking plenty of water is best in most cases.