Its green hue and savory taste can make you think it is a vegetable, but avocado is actually a fruit. More specifically, they are single-seeded berries with touch stones or pits like peaches. Many people wonder if they should include avocados in their diet. As avocados are quite high in calories, many people wonder if avocados are bad. What is the truth then?
Are Avocados Bad for You?
No, they are not. Yes, they are high in fat and calories, but even then, they are not harmful for you. A cup of cubed avocado has up to 240 calories and about 22g of fat, which is the reason why many people who watch their calorie intake avoid them. This should not be like this.
The reason is that avocados contain monounsaturated fats. Fat found in dairy and animal products are Trans fats or saturated fats, which are the ones to avoid. Monounsaturated fats are actually good for you and help lower your cholesterol. You cannot stop your intake of fat altogether because your body needs it to produce hormones, keep your skin and hair healthy, and pad your internal organs. Fats also make absorption of certain vitamins possible.
While you do not need to stop eating avocados, you should consume 25-32% of your daily calories from fats. You should limit saturated fat to 7% or less though – do not consume more than 1% of Trans fats. Avocados are loaded with unsaturated fats and have 2g of saturated fat with no trans-fat in a 1-ounce serving. So, are avocados bad for you? No, they are not; in fact, they can always be a part of a heart-healthy diet.
More Great Benefits of Avocados
Here are some of the most impressive benefits of avocados, which will also help to answer the question, "Are avocados bad for you?"
1. It Improves Digestion
Avocados have a soothing effect on your intestines and improve your digestive system. They have insoluble and soluble fibers, both of which help keep your digestive system functioning smoothly. Avocados provide you with 40% of your daily requirement of fiber. Their fiber content makes them great for anyone looking for a cure for constipation. The fiber in avocadoshelps bulk up stool and ensures that it passes through the intestinal tract smoothly.
2. It Strengthens Hair
Avocados are great for your hair and skin mainly because they are loaded with vitamins and important nutrients that keep your skin from drying out. Many beauty products include avocados in their ingredients because they can nourish the skin and add a glow on your face. You can use avocados to prepare hair and skin masks or use its oil to treat plaque psoriasis. The presence of lycopene and beta-carotene makes avocados extremely beneficial for your skin – these organic compounds eliminate signs of premature aging and tone your skin at the same time.
3. It Keeps Eyes Healthy
Include avocados in your diet to have healthy eyes. They are good for your eyes because they contain carotenoids, such as zeaxanthin and lutein. They protect your eyes again eye diseases related to age, cataracts, and macular degeneration. Avocados are also capable of eliminating free radicals from your body, which are also responsible for causing several eye related complications.
4. It Improves Cardiovascular Health
People ask, "Are avocados bad for you?" mainly because they believe they are bad for your heart. The truth is different. They are actually good for your cardiovascular health because they have beta-sitosterol, which regulates cholesterol levels in the body and prevents heart disease. Studies show that regular consumption of avocados may help improve antiatherogenic properties of bad cholesterol, which is responsible for causing arteriosclerotic vascular disease. As they are loaded with potassium, they also work to keep your blood pressure in check. Potassium acts as a vasodilator and dilates your arteries to make circulation easy. This protects you from heart attacks, clots, and strokes.
5. It Prevents Kidney Disorders
What you eat will have a huge impact on the balance of fluids and minerals in your body. It is even more important for people with chronic kidney disorders. Potassium plays a role in maintaining a normal heart rate and fluid balance. The balance of fluid helps the kidneys to work in a healthy way.
6. It Neutralizes Free Radicals
Free radicals can cause several complications. Avocados can eliminate them because they have antioxidants such as violaxanthin, epicatechin, neochrome, and more. They also contain vitamin C and vitamin E that reduce the oxidation of LDL cholesterol. Due to their antioxidant properties, avocados help prevent several serious conditions, such as cardiovascular disease, cancer, premature aging, vision problems, cognitive disorders, and more.
7. It Lowers Risk of Depression
Avocados are effective against depression because they contain folate. Foods containing folate prevent the buildup of a substance called homocysteine that can affect circulation and limit delivery of nutrients to the brain. High levels of homocysteine can also affect the production of the dopamine, serotonin, and norepinephrine, which regulate sleep, mood, and appetite.
8. It Prevents Osteoporosis
Eating half of an avocado provides you with about 25% of your recommended daily intake of vitamin K, which is vital for your bone health. People think they need vitamin D and calcium for stronger bones and overlook the importance of vitamin K in maintaining bone health. Vitamin K improves absorption of calcium and prevents excretion of calcium through urine.