Avocados are a type of berry that grow in warm climates. They have various names, such as alligator pear or butter fruit. Avocados are rich in many nutrients, including vitamins C, E, K, and B6, riboflavin, niacin, folate, pantothenic acid, magnesium, and potassium. They also contain lutein, beta carotene, and omega-3 fatty acids. — Worldculturepost
One of the main benefits of avocados is their high content of healthy, beneficial fats. These fats can help a person feel satiated between meals and support stable blood sugar levels by slowing down the digestion of carbohydrates. Fat is also vital for every cell in the body, as it promotes skin health, enhances the absorption of fat-soluble vitamins, minerals, and other nutrients, and supports the immune system.
About half an avocado, or 100 grams (g), provides:
- 160 calories (kcal)
- 14.7 g of fat
- 8.5 g of carbohydrates
- 6.7 g of fiber
- less than 1 g of sugar
Eating avocados as part of a varied, healthy diet can offer many health benefits. For instance, it may lower the risk of obesity, diabetes, heart disease, and overall mortality, while improving the appearance and health of the skin and hair, boosting energy levels, and regulating weight.
Health Benefits of Avocado
The following are 11 ways that avocados can improve health:
1. Protect the heart
Avocados are nutrient-dense foods that may help prevent heart disease. They contain 76 milligrams (mg) of a natural plant sterol called beta-sitosterol per 100 g of avocado. Consuming beta-sitosterol and other plant sterols regularly may help keep cholesterol levels healthy, which is essential for heart health.
Research suggests that eating avocados may help improve heart disease risk factors and prevent the development of heart disease.
However, some experts caution that many studies on the effects of avocados on heart health were funded by the Hass Avocado Board, which could bias the results.
Nevertheless, avocados may help raise the levels of HDL cholesterol, which protects the heart, and lower the levels of oxidized LDL cholesterol, which is linked to atherosclerosis, or the hardening and narrowing of the arteries.
Moreover, avocados are high in potassium and magnesium, which are important for regulating blood pressure. Maintaining a healthy blood pressure is crucial for preventing heart disease.
2. Good for vision
Avocados have lutein and zeaxanthin, two phytochemicals that are found in eye tissue. They act as antioxidants to help protect the eyes from damage, including from UV light.
The monounsaturated fatty acids in avocados also help the body absorb other beneficial fat-soluble antioxidants, such as beta carotene. Therefore, eating avocados may help lower the risk of developing age-related macular degeneration.
3. May prevent osteoporosis
Half an avocado provides about 18% of the daily value of vitamin K.
This nutrient is often ignored but is vital for bone health. Getting enough vitamin K can support bone health by enhancing calcium absorption and reducing calcium loss in urine.
4. May have anticancer effects
Studies have not yet established a direct link between avocado intake and a lower cancer risk. However, avocados have compounds that may help prevent some cancers from developing.
Research has linked an optimal intake of folate with a lower risk of developing colon, stomach, pancreatic, and cervical cancers. However, the mechanism behind this link is still unclear. Half of an avocado has about 81 mcg of folate, 20% of the daily value.
Avocados also have high levels of phytochemicals and carotenoids, which may have anticancer effects. Studies have shown that carotenoids, in particular, may protect against cancer growth.
A 2023 study found that eating more than one serving of avocado per week was linked to a lower risk of colorectal, lung, and bladder cancer. However, researchers did not find links between avocado intake and the risk of total cancer or other specific cancers. More research is needed to confirm these links.
5. Beneficial for fetal health
Folate is essential for a healthy pregnancy. Enough intake reduces the risk of miscarriage and neural tube defects. A person should consume at least 600 micrograms (mcg) of folate per day when pregnant. One avocado may have as much as 160 mcg.
Avocados also have fatty acids that are important for a healthy diet and fetal development.
6. May reduce depression risk
Avocados are a good source of folate, which plays an important role in overall dietary health. Studies have also found links between low folate levels and depression.
Folate helps prevent the buildup of homocysteine, a substance that can affect blood circulation and nutrient delivery to the brain. Reviews of previous research have linked high homocysteine levels with cognitive impairment, depression, and the production of serotonin, dopamine, and norepinephrine, which regulate mood, sleep, and appetite.
7. May improve digestion
Avocados are high in fiber, containing about 67 g per half fruit.
Eating foods with natural fiber can help prevent constipation, keep the digestive tract healthy, and lower the risk of colon cancer.
8. May support natural detoxification
Enough fiber supports regular bowel movements, which are essential for the elimination of toxins through the bile and stool.
Studies have shown that dietary fiber also supports good gut health and microbial diversity. This helps the body maintain a healthy balance of bacteria. This can reduce inflammation and irritation of the digestive tract.
9. May relieve osteoarthritis symptoms
Avocados, soy, and some other plant foods have saponins. These substances may have a positive effect on knee and hip osteoarthritis symptoms. However, researchers have not yet verified the long-term effects of saponins in people with osteoarthritis.
10. May have antimicrobial effects
Avocados and avocado oil have substances that have antimicrobial properties. Research indicates that avocado seed extracts can help protect the body from infections caused by both Streptococcus agalactiae and Staphylococcus aureus, for example.
11. May prevent chronic disease
The monounsaturated fatty acids in avocados may be helpful in preventing chronic conditions, such as cardiovascular disease.
Meanwhile, research suggests that an optimal intake of fiber may lower the risk of stroke, hypertension, diabetes, obesity, and some gastrointestinal diseases, and avocados are high in fiber.
The right fiber intake can also reduce blood pressure and cholesterol levels, improve insulin sensitivity, and promote weight loss for people with obesity.
12. Good for gut health
Avocados are high in fiber, providing about 14 grams in each avocado. That's almost half of the current DV for this essential nutrient (3Trusted Source). Getting enough fiber in your diet is important for the health of the digestive system because it helps support the growth of healthy bacteria.
A study with 163 adults who were overweight found that people who ate 175 grams (men) or 140 grams (women) of avocado daily for 12 weeks had lower fecal bile acid concentrations and higher bacterial diversity than a control group. Higher bile acid concentrations cause intestinal inflammation and are associated with the growth of microbes that cause negative health outcomes like colon cancer.
Also, the avocado group had more of the bacteria Faecalibacterium, Lachnospira, and Alistipes, all of which produce short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs), including butyrate. SFCAs help nourish colon cells and protect against diseases like colorectal cancer and inflammatory bowel disease (16Trusted Source, 17Trusted Source, 18Trusted Source).
Although these findings are promising, this study was partly funded by the Hass Avocado Board, which could have affected the results.
Also, remember that all fiber-containing foods, including fruits, vegetables, nuts, and seeds, are important for gut health. The most important factor in supporting digestive health is eating a variety of fiber-containing foods, not just avocados.
Avocado benefit for skin
Avocados are not only high in healthy fats, but they're also an excellent source of vitamins E and C, both of which are essential for the health and beauty of your skin.
Here are some of the ways that these ingredients help avocados offer skin benefits.
May relieve skin conditions
According to Maya Ivanjesku, chief scientific officer at LaFlore Probiotic Skincare, the fats, compounds, and vitamins in avocados may help accelerate skin healing and improve chronic skin conditions like eczema and acne.
Additionally, Ivanjesku says, these same nutrients may help moisturize dry skin and even out skin tone.
May prevent skin damage
Research from 2011Trusted Source shows that avocados have compounds that may help protect your skin from sun damage and inflammation. Ultraviolet (UV) damage to your skin can cause wrinkles, as well as other signs of aging, and skin cancer.
Additionally, studies have shown that both vitamin CTrusted Source and vitamin ETrusted Source, which are in avocados, play an important role in helping to protect your skin from oxidative damage caused by the sun and other environmental factors.
May enhance skin elasticity
A 2010 study of more than 700 women examined the association between the condition of the skin and the intake of fats and antioxidant micronutrients.
The researchers found that a high intake of fat especially healthy monounsaturated fat, like the fat in avocados helped improve skin elasticity and reduce the appearance of wrinkles.
May reduce breakouts
If you have skin that is prone to breakouts, Ivanjesku says washing your face with avocado oil may help you have fewer breakouts. This is because of the antimicrobial properties in avocado oil.
She also says that using avocado oil as a cleanser may help your skin feel more smooth and hydrated.
May improve overall skin health
If you want to improve the overall health of your skin, i recommends you using avocado oil on your skin.
Cold-pressed avocado oil has a lot of antioxidants, plant sterols, omega-9, minerals, and vitamins, including vitamins C and E. These nutrients can help increase the production of collagen, calm inflammation, and remove old skin cells, she said.
May prevent dry skin
Avocados are a great source of biotin, which is part of the B complex vitamins. Biotin is known to help prevent dry skin when applied on the skin. It can also help prevent brittle hair and nails.
How to use avocado on your skin
What makes avocados a simple addition to your skin care routine is that you can peel it, pit it, and use the flesh directly on your skin. You can also use avocado oil, which is in many over-the-counter skin care products.
Maria Velve, a certified makeup artist and green beauty expert, shares this avocado and honey deep moisture face mask.