![\"\"](\"https:\/\/wp-media.beliefnet.com\/sites\/261\/2012\/07\/Avocado-150x150.jpg\" "\\"Avocado\\"")
<\/a>We\u2019re talking about avocados.\u00a0 Yes, they are technically a fruit because they grow on a tree and the seeds are the reproductive method of that tree.\u00a0 We tend to think of them as vegetables because they aren\u2019t sweet and because of the way we use them in our meals.<\/p>\nAnd you can eat them!\u00a0 You\u2019ve been warned against them because they are high in calories and contain a large amount of fat.\u00a0 However, we know now that fat doesn\u2019t make you fat.\u00a0 Sugar does.\u00a0 The fats in the avocado are healthy fats that are good for your heart.\u00a0 Those same fats and the large amount of fiber make the avocado very low glycemic at less than 15 on the glycemic index.\u00a0 When you eat this fruit, your body doesn\u2019t get the message to pack fat into your cells.\u00a0 You do have to make allowances for the calories — about 322\u00a0 per whole avocado.\u00a0 But the health benefits make these calories worthwhile rather than empty.<\/p>\n
Here are some of the health benefits of avocados:<\/p>\n
*Cancer prevention.\u00a0 Avocados have been shown in several studies to inhibit the growth of prostate cancer and oral cancer.\u00a0 They are also high in oleic acid, which has been shown to prevent breast cancer.<\/p>\n
*Eye health.\u00a0 Macular degeneration and cataracts are two of the most common age-related eye diseases. Avocados can help protect against them because they contain more of the carotenoid lutein than any other fruit.<\/p>\n
*Lowers cholesterol. Avocados are high in beta-sitosterol, a compound that has been shown to lower cholesterol levels. In one study, 45 volunteers experienced an average drop in cholesterol of 17% after eating avocados for only one week.<\/p>\n
*Healthy heart.\u00a0 One cup of avocado has 23% of the recommended daily value of folate.\u00a0 Studies have shown that people who eat diets rich in folate have a lower incidence of heart disease than those who don\u2019t.\u00a0 They also contain lots of vitamin E, monounsaturated fats, and glutathione — all good for your heart.<\/p>\n
*Stroke Prevention. People who eat diets rich in folate have a much lower risk of stroke than those who don’t, and avocados are rich in folate.\u00a0 In fact, one serving provides 23% of your daily requirements.<\/p>\n
*Arthritis protection.\u00a0 Aching joints getting you down? Avocados might help.\u00a0 Among their many nutrients, they contain vitamins C and E as well as manganese, all of which help reduce inflammation.<\/p>\n
*Regulates blood pressure.\u00a0 They are full of potassium — about 975 mg. in one avocado. You would have to eat at least that three bananas to get that much.\u00a0 Potassium is an important nutrient for keeping blood pressure regular.<\/p>\n
*Cures bad breath.\u00a0 Well, sometimes.\u00a0 Bad breath usually starts in the intestines.\u00a0 The fiber avocados contain will cleanse the intestines and improve digestive health, which fixes the bad breath problem that comes from this inner source.\u00a0 (But go to your dentist if bad teeth are causing your problem. I don\u2019t think avocados will fix that! )<\/p>\n
*Increases the absorption of other nutrients.\u00a0 One study showed that, when participants ate salad including avocados, they absorbed five times the amount of carotenoids (a group of nutrients that includes beta carotene and lycopene) than those who didn\u2019t eat avocados.<\/p>\n
There are other benefits too numerous to mention, because avocados have a whole alphabet of vitamins and also contain phytochemicals and antioxidants.\u00a0 I think you can see that those calories are worth the count because they are packed with nutrition.<\/p>\n
Check back tomorrow for a recipe using avocados. (Assuming it turns out — which isn\u2019t always certain, the way I cook!)<\/p>\n
Eating to live and living for Christ,<\/p>\n
Susan Jordan Brown<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
A fruit that does everything from preventing cancer to curing bad breath?\u00a0 Yes, this one fruit has too many health benefits to list them all in one short blog.\u00a0 It\u2019s also very low on the glycemic index at less than 15.\u00a0 And it tastes good!\u00a0 Ironically, you\u2019ve probably seen it as an indulgence to be…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":423,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[9],"tags":[533,532,535,534],"class_list":["post-1775","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-eating-plan","tag-arthritis-prevention","tag-avocado","tag-nutrients","tag-phytochemicals"],"yoast_head":"\n
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<\/a>We\u2019re talking about avocados.\u00a0 Yes, they are technically a fruit because they grow on a tree and the seeds are the reproductive method of that tree.\u00a0 We tend to think of them as vegetables because they aren\u2019t sweet and because of the way we use them in our meals.<\/p>\n