5 Health Benefits Of Avocado

The avocado is one of those fruits that I never went crazy for (I do not hate it or love it; my feelings are neutral towards it).

However, my dogs (which have all passed and are now living happily in dog heaven) loved eating avocados (I guess that they knew a good thing when they saw it).

The avocado fruit is quite popular here in the Republic of Trinidad and Tobago and it has the same amount of popularity regionally and internationally.

Some people like avocado’s subtle nutty flavour and its buttery texture, while others like it for its nutritional value.

Avocado lovers will be pleased to know that I decided to explore the amazing health benefits of avocado (Yes, I will be informing them of the nice things that will happen to them if they eat avocados regularly).

1.) It Reduces Our Risk Of Developing Heart Disease

I have never met anyone who said, “I do not want a healthy heart.” So, that means that they all want their ticker to keep on ticking.

According to Julie Corliss’s article, Enjoy Avocados? Eating One A Week May Lower Heart Disease Risk, people who consumed two servings of avocado each week lowered their risks of getting cardiovascular disease by 16% (She should know what she is saying because she is the Executive Editor of the Harvard Health Letter).

What keeps the heart healthy is the following sets of nutrients working synergistically:

• Healthy fats
• Fibre
• Vitamins
• Minerals

Hey, you do not have to take my word for it. You are free to conduct your own research on the reasons why avocados lower our risk of developing heart disease.

2.) It Does A Wonderful Job Of Protecting Our Eyes

The two chemical compounds, lutein and zeaxanthin (which are present in avocados) are known to protect our eyes from those harmful ultraviolet rays.

Therefore, regular avocado consumption has the potential of delaying age-related macular degeneration.

By the way, Peter Jaret has an informative article called, Lutein and Zeaxanthin for Vision (Reading it will provide you with greater insight as to how those two antioxidants protect our eyes).

3.) It Regulates Our Blood Pressure

Everyone is fully aware of the fact that high blood pressure is the leading cause of:

• Stroke
• Heart attack
• Kidney disease

The good news is that eating avocados can help to prevent us from getting those things.

The potassium content within the avocado is the mineral that is responsible for regulating our blood pressure.

To learn more about the wonders of potassium, I highly recommend reading, Everything You Need To Know About Potassium by Megan Ware.

4.) It Can Help Us To Lose Weight

Those of you who have a strong desire to remain slim (or those of you who would like to reduce your belly fat and drop a few unwanted pounds), can go right ahead and eat avocados.

The weight loss effects of avocados are attributed to monounsaturated fats (the healthy kind of fat) and their high fibre content.

So, that means we can eat avocados in moderation (a very strong emphasis on “Moderation”) and maintain a healthy weight.

5.) It Has The Potential To Prevent Cancer

Yes, it is true. Eating avocados has the potential to prevent cancer.

And, why is that so?

Because avocados contain phytochemicals and carotenoids (Which are both well-known for having anti-cancer properties).

Final Thoughts

Eating avocados is good for us. As you have learned, regular avocado consumption can:

• Reduce our risk of developing heart disease.
• Protect our eyes.
• Regulate our blood pressure.
• Help us to lose weight.
• Prevent cancer.

May you have fun eating your avocados (After all, they are beneficial to our health).

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