Although it sometimes gets a bad rap for having a high fat content (15%) the humble avocado is bursting with nutrition and can provide some amazing health benefits.

Avocados are high in fiber, a good source of protein (higher than most other fruits), and are packed full of vitamins and minerals that can help ensure the body is running on top form. As for the fat, it’s mostly the healthy monounsaturated kind that can help keep troublesome cholesterol levels in check.

All in all, avocados are very healthy food choice.

Here’s just a few of the reasons why:

1. Avocados are good for the Heart

Coronary heart disease remains one of the biggest killers in the UK and heart disease continues to be a cause for concern in most of the other countries in the western world. In the majority of cases the disease is self-inflicted and can usually be traced back to bad diet so making a few dietary changes for the better can be a life-saver, especially if the changes include sensible food choices like avocado.

Avocado is rich in monounsaturated oleic which has been shown to have the ability to lower dangerous low-density lipoprotein cholesterol and produce an accompanying increase in healthier high-density lipoprotein cholesterol.

Many of the other nutrients hiding in this somewhat misunderstood fruit are also known to be heart-healthy:

• Vitamin E: Prevents cholesterol oxidation
• Potassium: Regulates blood pressure
• Folate: Reduces the amount of homocysteine [a non-protein amino acid that damages the heart] in the blood.

2. Avocados can help you Lose Weight

Scientific research has shown that monounsaturated fatty acids such as the ones found in avocado are likely to be utilized as a slow-release energy source rather than stored as body fat. This “slow-burn” effect, when coupled with the fruits high fiber content, can also create feelings of satiety that will reduce the desire for snacking or eating between meals.

3. Avocados can help Manage Diabetes

Diabetics face greater risks of heart disease than non-diabetics. For this reason it is vitally important for diabetics to maintain a healthy cholesterol level and, as already stated earlier in this article, avocados are very useful in this regard.

Science has shown that diabetics who include more monounsaturated fats in their diet, such as the ones provided by avocado, will benefit from a reduction in triglyceride levels that may ultimately lead to more desirable blood glucose levels and improve insulin function.

Other avocado benefits that are particularly noteworthy, as pertains to diabetes, include:

• High levels of vitamin C: To strengthen the cardiovascular system and improve immune function.
• High levels of potassium: Helps maintain healthy heart function and regulates blood sugar levels

4. Avocados are good for your Skin

The monounsaturated fats provided by avocados are known to have the ability to improve skin tone and ensure a healthy complexion. Avocados are also a good source of omega-9 fatty acids that can prevent/reduce redness of the skin and aid the repair of damaged skin cells.

In a world where looks appear to be becoming increasingly important, many people may be interested to learn avocado contains antioxidant carotenoids that can protect against wrinkles and other tell-tale signs related to the aging process. Avocados are also a good source of vitamin E, which is known to offer protection from the skin-damaging rays of the sun, allowing the vitamin C in avocados to get to work unhindered and help provide the collagen and elastin that are necessary for firm healthy-looking skin.

5. Avocados can help combat the Symptoms of Arthritis

Osteoarthritis is a painful, crippling disease that affects millions of people all over the world, but whereas some foods (milk, sugar, wheat) can actually aggravate the disease, avocado has the ability to soothe the symptoms of arthritis.

The monounsaturated fats, phytosterols, and antioxidants avocados provide can reduce the inflammation associated with arthritis. The Omega 3 in avocado can be equally beneficial and the fruit also contains antioxidants that may reduce the speed of cartilage breakdown.

6. Some Avocado Nutritional Information