Food on Trial : Avocado

Welcome to the brand new, first of many more Food on Trail Features! I have been thinking for awhile to add a new segment to my blog, called: Food on Trial. Every so often, I will choose a certain food, fruit, vegetable, grain, meat, fish etc and will research its health benefits, and all the rest of the pros and cons pertaining to that food. I promise to share all of my findings with you on here.

There are lots myths and fables when it comes to certain foods, and it is my mission to discover and uncover all of the truths about our every day foods, so that together we can be educated about what it is we choose to put in our bodies. I’m sure you’ve all heard the saying: “You are What You Eat”, so it is my hope that with the help of my findings we can all choose to eat consciously every day, so we can live long & healthy lives. =)

I decided to choose Avocado as today’s feature, mainly because I have been hearing a lot that this magical fruit (that’s right, you read it correctly: it is a fruit indeed, and not a vegetable, like most people believe), is a Super Food! Personally, I only fell in love with Avocado a little over a year ago, and ever since then I include it in my diet regularly. I love to enjoy avocados in my salads, as a spread on a whole wheat toast or as a classic quacamole with some baked tortilla chips.

Classic Guacamole Recipe

So what is an Avocado and where does it come from?

The avocado (Persea americana), aguacate or palta (Spanish), butter pear or alligator pear, is a tree native to the Caribbean, Mexico,^[1] South America and Central America, classified in the flowering plant family Lauraceae along with cinnamon, camphor and bay laurel. The name “avocado” also refers to the fruit (technically a large berry that contains a large seed^[2]) of the tree which may be egg-shaped or spherical.

About 75% of an avocado’s calories come from fat, most of which is monounsaturated fat. Avocados also have 60% more potassium than bananas. They are rich in B vitamins, as well as vitamin E and vitamin K.^[22] They have a high fiber content among fruits – including 75% insoluble and 25% soluble fiber. - Source: Wikipedia

I found this helpful list of Healthy Ways to Enjoy Avocados on Leslie Beck’s (Canada’s Leading Nutritionist) amazing website, which by the way is filled with tons of helpful information on Nutrition. Thank you, Leslie for these awesome suggestions! I will be sure to follow this guide, and I hope you guys will also find it useful.

Breakfast

• Avocado and eggs are perfect partners for omelettes or frittatas or when paired in breakfast wraps.

• Sprinkle diced avocado over scrambled eggs instead of cheese.

• Try the recipe for an Avocado smoothie.

• Spread mashed avocado on whole wheat toast or bagels instead of butter or margarine.

Lunch

• Include avocado in your green or fruit salad.

• Spread your wrap with mashed avocado before filling.

• Fill egg white halves with guacamole instead of the usual yolk and mayo mixture.

• Top soups with avocado slices or dices.

• Avocado and seafood such as crabmeat, make a great sandwich filling or salad topping.

Dinner

• Serve grilled avocado with feta cheese on pizza instead of pepperoni and mozzarella cheese.

• Toss salads with avocado slices and balsamic vinegar instead of a creamy dressing. Save on the fat and up the flavour.

• Try an avocado salsa as a condiment or side dish to grilled chicken or fish.

• Mash potatoes with avocado instead of sour cream or butter.

• Try an avocado soup for something different.

• Pair avocado with pasta.

Snacks

• Dip into guacamole with baked tortilla chips. Or try baked whole-wheat pita triangles.

• A small dish of cubed avocado, seasoned with lemon or lime juice and salt makes a delicious and creamy snack.

• Have pieces of fresh fruit accompanied by a sweet avocado dip.

Beet & Avocado Salad Recipe

So now that we know how we can enjoy this delicious fruit, lets closely examine its many benefits. I did a quick search and read online, and here is a list of Top 15 Health Benefits of an Avocado:

1. It protects cholesterol related heart diseases and reduces the risk of cardiovascular diseases.
2. It is used both in prevention and treatment of prostate and breast cancers. Scientists have proved that a toxin in avocado kills the cancer cells. So-called toxin has a great effect on the tissues, particularly heart muscle tissues.
3. Avocado includes necessary minerals like potassium, calcium, vitamin C and K, folic acid, copper, sodium and dietary fibers. These are used to provide the mineral necessity of the body.
4. Oleic acid in avocado can be used to lower cholesterol level in the blood.
5. Avocado is a good source of potassium, a mineral that helps regulate blood pressure. Adequate intake of potassium can help guard against circulatory diseases, like high blood pressure, heart disease or stroke.
6. It has been traditionally used to treat osteo-arthritis, and its oils have been used topically to treat wounds, infections, arthritis, and to stimulate hair growth.
7. The Monounsaturated fat contained in Avocados speeds up the metabolic rate when comparing it to saturated fats, and the high fat content leaves you feeling full, which helps reduce overeating, thereby complementing weight-loss plans!
8. Sodium reduces the risk of high blood pressure and stoke.
9. It improves the ability of the body to absorb carotenoids.
10. Avocado is used to help people who have sexual problems.
11. It is a good antioxidant.
12. It can be used in the treatment of skin disorders.
13. It is used to heal people who suffer from digestive and circulatory problems
14. Last, but not the least, it has a rich and creamy texture that can be easily used to replace high-calorie foods like mayonnaise, cheese and ketchup!
15. One cup of avocado provides almost a quarter of your recommended daily intake of folate, a vitamin which cuts the risk of birth defects. If you’re pregnant—or planning to be—avocados will help protect your unborn baby.

Chipotle Shrimp Taco with Avocado Salsa Verde Recipe

So with all of these amazing benefits, is there anything bad that can be said about Avocado? Here is a few points to keep in mind:

- Avocados are pretty high in calories. In fact, one medium-sized avocado contains a little more than 300 calories, most of them coming from Fats (77% Fat, 19% Carbs, 4% Proteins). However, it is mostly mono-saturated fats, which means the “good fat”; so its just the calories that you need to worry about, which can be burned by being active!

- Individuals who are allergic to latex or to other tropical fruits, such as bananas or kiwi, may also be allergic to avocado. Large doses of avocado or avocado oil may have mild laxative effects.

- Avocado may decrease the effects of blood-thinning drugs such as warfarin and aspirin, as the oil in it may interfere with the absorption of drugs or some nutrients from food. So one should avoid eating these when using similar prescribed drugs.

I don’t know about you, but personally, I think the benefits well outweigh the so-called negatives, and now after doing this little research, I will be enjoying my avocado even more so than before knowing how much good this little miracle fruit does for my body!

How about you? Are you already an avocado fan or will you give avocado a chance after reading this post? Please share your thoughts in the comments below.