There are number of exotic fruits and fancy vegetables about whom claims of enormous health benefits are made day in and day out. Dr. Neeru Bali reflects on the unknown and very helpful health benefits of Avocados backed by scientific research.

Why Avocado?

There are innumerable fruits which claim to prevent heart disease, diabetes and even cancers. Unfortunately, none of them have been subjected to vigorous scientific scrutiny to authenticate the veracity of those claims. If there indeed one fruit which can justifiably lay claim to have enormous health benefits, it is avocado. The health benefits of avocados have been known for a long time but it is only now that they are deservedly getting international acclaim.

The Amazing And Proven Health Benefits of Avocados are:

But First The Varieties and Availability of Avocados

Avocado is a fruit of avocado tree, i.e Persea Americana. It is often referred as  super fruit & taking into consideration, we are going to discuss the various unknown health benefits of avocados in brief. In fact, there are many kinds of avocados Some are pear shaped while others are round. Their colour also varies from green to black. Some avocados are very small weighing as little as 250 grams while others may be huge weighing almost one and half kg. The most well studied and the popular avocado is Hass avocado. It is also popularly known as alligator pear  as it has a bumpy skin and resembles a pear. The eatable part of the fruit is yellow green fleshy part inside while the skin and seeds are not eatable and are discarded. Although it is originally a fruit of Mexico and South America but it is now widely available across the world. In India, particularly in south it is quite commonly cultivated and is known as ‘makhan phal’ or ‘butter fruit’. With wide spread acknowledgement of the numerous health benefits of avocados, they can now be procured in most parts of India.

Health Benefits of Avocados #1: Incredibly Nutritious

Avocados are very nutritious and contain large quantities of Vitamins and Minerals. They are rich in Vitamin K, C, E, B5, B6, folate and potassium. They also contain small amounts of magnesium, manganese, iron, copper, zinc, phosphorus, Vitamin A, B1, B2 and niacin. They are low in carbohydrates and rich in fats and proteins. Loaded with heart-healthy monosaturated fatty acids They are rich in monounsaturated fatty acids which have proven heart healthy qualities. They are indeed the fattest plant fruits in existence. The predominant fatty acid in them is Oleic acid. Oleic acid is also the major component of olive oil and most of good qualities ascribed to olive oil is due to Oleic acid. Oleic acid in addition to heart protective properties have also anti inflammatory and anti oxidant properties. Fats in these fruits are resistant to heat induced oxygenation and therefore, avocado oil is healthy and a safe cooking medium.

Health Benefits of Avocados #2: Loaded with Fiber

One of the very important health benefits of avocados is that they are highly rich in fibre, most of it (75 percent) is insoluble fibre. Fibre is an indigestible plant matter and is useful in preventing many diseases. This unique combination of high fibre and high fat content induces satiety makes it excellent product for weight loss. A typical 100 gram serving of avocado contains 7 grams of fat which is almost one fourth of daily recommendation. They also lower cholesterol and triglyceride levels. There is some evidence from small studies which show that only they help in decreasing LDL, triglycerides but also increase good cholesterol i.e. HDL. In a large epidemiological study from US, it was found that people who regularly take this wonder fruit are healthier and have less metabolic syndrome comparably. People who eat them regularly have lesser weight, lower BMI and lesser belly fat. Time is ripe that larger studies are conducted in controlled systemic manner to evaluate whether these beneficial effects on lipids translate into lesser occurrence of heart disease.

Health Benefits of Avocados #3: Super-Beneficial As Antioxidants And Help In The Breakdown Of Nutrients and Minerals

As avocados are rich in fats, they also help in improved absorption of fat soluble Vitamins like Vitamin A, D, E and K as well as that of anti oxidants like Carotenoids. These fruits are also rich in Lutein and Xanthin which are extremely important for health of eyes. Small studies have shown that these anti oxidants help in reducing the risk of cataracts and macular degeneration.

Health Benefits of Avocados #4: Prevent Harmful Diseases and Conditions like Cancers, Osteoarthritis, etc

Since ages, avocados are said to prevent occurrence of cancers in many civilizations. However, scientific data to support this hypothesis is both flanked by supporters and adversaries. There is small data from experiments in animals that they may reduce side effects of chemotherapy. These fruits are also good for joints and in reducing the symptoms of chronic osteoarthritis. Delicious and easy to incorporate with the diet Avocados are delicious and can very easily be incorporated in routine diet. They can be added to all types of salads. Fruit should be eaten when it is ripe and slightly soft. Although the nutrients in the fruit can get oxidised rapidly after fleshing, this process can be considerably slowed down by the addition of lemon juice.

So these were some amazing health benefits of avocados, which, are the reason good enough to start the consumption of this miraculous fruit on daily level. Any healthy nutritious diet should include them. If you are particularly keen to take care of your health and to lose weight, go ahead and take help from these super fruits.

What facts say about the various health benefits of Avocados:

One dietary survey found that people who ate avocados had a much higher nutrient intake and had a lower risk of metabolic syndrome.