Super Food: Avocado

This spring we have decided to post more blogs that are nutrition related, hence we start our new "Super Food" series. Each post will be dedicated to a certain food product that we think is very healthy and must become a part of your healthy eating habits.

So today we focus on avocado. Now there is a bit of controversy around this fruit: some people find it fatty and assume it stimulates weight gain. Well, it might be creamy in texture - but this is also a reason why it is fulfilling enough to substitute meat in a lot of vegeterian recipes.

Avocado comes from Central America and Mexico; even though we all call it a fruit, botanically speaking it is identified as a large berry. Avocado contains a single seed which is quite big in size and is removed before eating / cooking. Buttery texture of avocado is due to a broad range of fats that it contains. These include: monounsaturated fats, palmitic acids, linoleic acids and small amount of saturated fat. Oleic acids are considered as "good fats" and actually help reduce bad cholesterol level in your blood, hence lowering risk of having a heart attack or stroke. Avocado also contains an impressive amount of protein (for a fruit) and is a rich source of vitamins K, B, C and E. Avocado is good for people who are on diet or suffer from diabetes - because it contains very little amount of sugar and reduces risk of having a metabolic syndrome.

Aside from vitamins avocado is rich in potassium, magnesium and iron. Phytochemicals found in this fruit are believed to help prevent development of cancer in a human body. Low in calories, yet rich in its nutrient diversity - avocado sounds like an amazing fruit that additionally improves condition of your skin and hair.

The best way to consume avocado is to eat it in its raw form, as you would do with any other fruit. You can eat with eggs for breakfast; add to your salad or sandwich for lunch and snack on it after dinner. Avocado is great for any time of the day as it is a rich source of energy and only half of it is enough to cover a nutritional goal per day. Avocado is good at balancing out your nervous system and it is also a source of serotonin that boosts happy mood.

Sounds good to us, what about you?