Is it Healthy to Eat Avocados Every Day?

Avocados are rich, creamy and nutritious.

The California Avocado Commission reports that California produces 90 percent of the nation’s avocados. Although you may consider the avocado a vegetable, botanists actually classify it as a nutrient-dense fruit. Either way, eating avocados every day as part of a well-balanced healthy diet promotes the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s goal of fruits and vegetables making up half of each meal.

Nutrients Fat Content

A medium-sized avocado contains approximately 20 to 25 grams of fat. This high-fat content caused many to shy away from eating avocados in the mid-1980s, when nutritionists emphasized low-fat foods. Recent guidelines from the American Heart Association stress the importance of the type of fat you consume, noting the differences between the good fats found in vegetables, or unsaturated fats, and the fats that contribute to high blood cholesterol levels, known as saturated fats and trans fats. The AHA recommends a total fat intake of 25 to 35 percent of your calories with saturated fats limited to less than 7 percent and trans fats less than 1 percent. Avocados contain mostly unsaturated fats, with only about 2 grams of saturated fat and 0 grams of trans fat in a 1-ounce serving. This makes avocados a part of a heart-healthy diet.

Avocados provide 20 essential nutrients including eight of the 13 essential vitamins: vitamins C, E, K and the B vitamins of B-6, folate, thiamine, riboflavin and pantothenic acid. Avocados also serve as a good source of essential minerals, including potassium and magnesium, yet contain no sodium, which contributes to their heart-healthy status. Avocados contain 81 micrograms per ounce of the phytochemical lutein, which helps maintain healthy eyes and skin. In addition to being a rich source of nutrients, avocados also function as nutrient-boosters by helping the body absorb essential fat-soluble nutrients.

Health Benefits

Avocados serve as a good source of both soluble and insoluble dietary fiber, with each 1-ounce serving providing 2.11 and 2.7 grams, respectively, as stated in “The Proceedings of Florida State Horticultural Society." High-fiber foods help normalize bowel movements, lower blood cholesterol levels and regulate blood sugar. Eating avocados every day, especially when used to replace foods containing saturated and trans fats, also helps reduce bad cholesterol, known as LDL, levels and decrease your risk of heart disease.

Everyday Ideas

The key to a healthy diet is eating in moderation, which includes nutrient-dense foods like avocados. However, you can incorporate avocados into your everyday diet because the rich flavor and creamy texture make them a perfect replacement for other foods that contain saturated fats, like butter, cheese and sour cream. Place avocado slices on your sandwich to replace the cheese and mayo. Top your baked potato with mashed avocado instead of butter and sour cream to add taste, increase the nutrients and decrease saturated fat. Avocados can be used in homemade ice cream, on bagels, in salads or in smoothies. The possibilities are endless.

http://healthyeating.sfgate.com/healthy-eat-avocados-day-3868.html