The Amazing Avocado

The primary reason to eat more avocado is simply because they taste great and adding them is a healthy way to boost the flavor and texture of your meals as well as a healthy way to add valuable nutrients, fiber and healthy fat to your diet.  They’re great tossed in a salad or added to a bowl of soup and guacamole on celery is a great appetizer.

Often in our attempt to be health conscious we avoid avocado because of their somewhat high fat and calorie content (one half a medium avocado 138 calories and  14.1 gr fat).  However, they are packed with nutrients and heart healthy compounds making avocado one of the best foods you can eat.

Learn how to select an avocado, why they are so good for you, how to quickly ripen them and how to make a  simple and fabulous  guacamole.

Start with a ripe avocado.  Ripening Tip:  To speed up the time to ripen place the avocado in a brown paper bag with bananas and/or apples.  It really accelerates the ripening process.

Eat avocados for all the following reasons.

Avocado make you feel full faster:  Just ½ an avocado contains 3.4 grams of soluble and insoluble fiber and both keep your digestive system running efficiently.  The soluble fiber is known to slow the breakdown of carbohydrates in your body which helps you feel full longer. The oleic acid is a fat that activates the brain to make you feel full.

Avocados can help lower your cholesterol:  In addition to increasing your feeling of fullness, the oleic acid in avocados can help reduce your cholesterol levels. High cholesterol is one of the main risk factors for heart disease. In one study, individuals eating an avocado-rich diet had a significant decrease in total cholesterol levels, including a decrease in LDL cholesterol. Their levels of HDL cholesterol (the healthy type) increased by 11%.

Avocado can lower blood pressure:  With its double whammy of monounsaturated fat and potassium avocado can lower blood pressure. Just half an avocado offers 487 milligrams, more than you’ll get from a medium-size banana. To whip up your own avocado salad dressing, puree a medium avocado with 2 tablespoons of lemon juice and a dash of cayenne.

Avocados could help keep your heart healthy.:  One cup of avocado provides almost a quarter of your recommended daily intake of folate, is associated with a lower risk of heart attacks and heart disease.. The cholesterol-lowering properties of avocado, along with its folate content, help keep your heart

Avocados protect against eye disease:  They are a great source of lutein, a carotenoid that works as an antioxidant and helps protect against eye disease.

Enjoy an avocado today.

Purist Guacamole Recipe
This is a simple, ready in minutes recipe.  Remember to ‘only’ make this with ripe avocados

Ingredients:   2 medium Hass avocados, 1 lime and salt to taste

Directions:    Cut the avocados in half and remove the pit. With your fingers, slip off or peel away the avocado skin, or use a spoon to scoop out the avocado flesh. Place the flesh in a bowl and mash coarsely with a fork. Add lime juice and salt, to taste.

What’s Your Favorite Avocado Recipe? – Please share it with us.