Avocado is a popular fruit that grows mainly in warm climates. It’s a type of berry that is also known as alligator pear or butter fruits
Some of its health benefits are because it contains healthy substances, such as monounsaturated fatty acids, fiber, various vitamins, and minerals.
Below are 10 of some of the incredible benefits of eating avocado regularly
#1 Health Benefit Of Avocado- Reduces The Risk Of Cancer
Cancer is a prevailing health issue globally. According to National Cancer Institute (NCI), cancer occurs when a body cell ( it can be the lungs, breast, bladder, etc) grows so rapidly that it ends up spreading to other parts of the body that it is not natively a part of.
There are various symptoms of cancer and they include vomiting blood, pain, headache, fatigue, swelling of body parts, diarrhea, and constipation amongst others. The symptoms basically depend on the type of cancer
Avocado has not yet been scientifically proven to be able to prevent cancer but it does have substances that may be able to prevent cancer. An example is “folate”.
Studies have shown that folate may be effective in reducing the risk of colon, stomach, pancreatic, and cervical cancers.
Avocados contain phytochemicals and carotenoids which may be effective in preventing cancer. Studies have shown that carotenoids may prevent cancer progression
#2 Health Benefit Of Avocado- Reduces the Risk For Depression
There is decreased risk of having depression by eating avocado as regularly as possible.
According to statistics, depression in today’s world is on the rise, especially in developed countries.
Depression can be caused by a slew of both internal and external factors like hereditary, medications, illnesses, family issues, employment, or money issues amongst others.
Avocado is known to contain folate and studies have linked low amounts of folate with depression.
A good amount of folate is known to reduce the amount of homocysteine. Research shows that high amounts of homocysteine have been linked to depression and levels of serotonin, norepinephrine, and dopamine have been linked to mood and sleep regulation.
#3 Health Benefit Of Avocado- May Promote Healthy Weight Maintainance
Achieving and maintaining a healthy weight is very important as it affects every aspect of our lives
Being obese or overweight has a number of issues attached to it. It can negatively affect not only your health but also your self-esteem, social life, marital life, and the general quality of life
Avocado has been proven through research to increase weight loss, increase satiety and maintain healthy body weight.
Also, although the avocado is high in calories, it’s also packed with various healthy nutrients including fiber which increases satiety and increases weight loss
#4 Health Benefit Of Avocado- Improves Digestion
The ability to adequately digest your food is attached to a better quality of life.
Just as the saying goes, you are what you eat!. So everything that you ingest eventually shows up outwardly either on your skin, your mood, your mental capacity, and others
Avocado has a good amount of fiber and eating foods that are high in fiber help to prevent indigestion, maintain a healthy gut, and prevents colon cancer
#5 Health Benefit Of Avocado- Reduces the Risk for Heart Disease
The 3 main causes of heart attack are high blood pressure, diabetes, and heart diseases.
The most common type of heart disease in the US is coronary artery disease.
Studies show that 76 mg of plant sterol known as sitosterol is contained in every 100g of avocado. Regular consumption of sitosterol and other types of plant sterol helps to maintain cholesterol levels in the blood which invariably helps to prevent heart disease
#6 Health Benefit Of Avocado- Improves Eyesight
Just as the saying goes, “health is wealth!” and when talking about health, we are not only talking about the health of big organs in the body.
Avocado contains lutein and zeaxanthin which are the two phytochemicals in the eye. They produce antioxidants that help to minimize damage from rays of light (e.g UV light)
Avocado also contains monounsaturated fatty acids which aid the absorption of beta carotene which is a fat-soluble antioxidant that helps to prevent age-related macular degeneration
#7 Health Benefit Of Avocado- Helps to Relief Osteoarthritis
Osteoarthritis is an autoimmune disorder that causes the inflammation of the bones at different parts of the body.
Studies have shown that avocado may have positive effects on hip and knee osteoarthritis
#8 Health Benefit Of Avocado- Great for Pregnant and Breastfeeding Women
Pregnant and breastfeeding women generally have an increased need for different types of nutrients. This is because every nutrient in her blood vessels is being shared between her and the baby.
During pregnancy, the
- Folate requirements go from 400mg to 600mg
- Potassium requirement go from 2,600 mg to 2,900mg
- Vitamin C requirements go from 75mg to 85mg
One avocado can take care of 27% of the folate intake required during pregnancy
Avocados can also supply other nutrients needed during pregnancy and breastfeeding such as potassium, vitamin C and B6
The high levels of fiber in avocado also help to prevent constipation which is commonly seen in pregnant women
#9 Health Benefit Of Avocado- Reduces the Risk of Chronic Disease
This is where avocado comes in because avocado contains properties that can help reduce the risk of chronic infections
Studies have shown that
A)The monosaturated fatty acids in avocado may be effective in preventing cardiac disease
B)The fiber contained in avocado may be effective in
- reducing blood pressure
- reducing cholesterol levels
- increasing insulin sensitivity
And all these will lead to the prevention of chronic diseases like stroke, diabetes, certain GIT diseases
#10 Health Benefit Of Avocado- Detoxification
Every day, our bodies can easily get riddled with a lot of toxins as a result of the body’s exposure to various factors
These toxins can be from what is in the air, like smoke, radiation, etc, it can also be from what you eat like fatty foods, or what gets absorbed into the body through the skin, like the perfumes, deodorants amongst others
Hence the need for regular detoxification of the body to get rid of these toxins.
The fiber contained in avocado is effective in maintaining any healthy amount of bowel movement thereby maintaining a healthy digestive system. This adequate amount of bowel movement helps flush out toxins and diversify the gut microbe thereby preventing inflammation and aggravation of the gut lining.
Also read, ” 10 Health Benefits Of Guinep”
Conclusion
Below is a summary of some of the great health benefits of eating avocado
1. Reduces The Risk Of Cancer
2. Reduces the Risk For Depression
3. May Promote Healthy Weight
4. Improves Digestion
5. Reduces the Risk for Heart Disease
6. Improves Eyesight
7. Helps to Relief Osteoarthritis
8. Great for Pregnant Women and Breastfeeding Babies
9. Reduces the Risk of Chronic Infection
10. Detoxification
These are just some of the benefits of eating avocado, so you can comment below and let us know any other benefits of eating avocado regularly
DISCLAIMER
This content is for informational purposes only and does not substitute for formal and individualized diagnosis, prognosis, treatment, prescription, and/or dietary advice from a licensed medical professional. Do not stop or alter your current course of treatment. If pregnant or nursing, consult with a qualified provider on an individual basis. Seek immediate help if you are experiencing a medical emergency.