People on the keto diet are all in on avocados, but there are plenty of good reasons why all of us should eat avocado more often than we probably are.
Some people don’t know this, but avocado is actually the fruit of a flowering tree. It’s considered a large berry with one very large seed in the middle. (If you love to eat avocados as much as I do, you should try these Avocado Fries)
Why You Should Definitely Eat Avocado
1. Avocado is packed with vitamins and minerals. It is rich in vitamins C, E, K, and B-6, and riboflavin, niacin, folate, pantothenic acid, magnesium, and potassium. That’s a big doese of healthy stuff!
2. Folate is a big deal. Women need 400 milligrams of folate a day. If you’re pregnant, remember that folate is necessary for healthy babies. Even if you’re only planning to become pregnant, you’ll need up to 800 mcg a day.
One half of an avocado has 81 mcg. That’s a nice assist in meeting the daily amount needed.
3. Maintain healthy cholesterol levels. There is 25mg of beta-sitosterol per ounce in an avocado. Beta-Sitosterol helps lower cholesterol levels. Talk with your doctor if you have blood pressure problems.
4. Monounsaturated fats are the good guys of fats. Those are the heart-healthy fats and one avocado is loaded.
The American Heart Association (AHA) recommends that between 25 percent and 35 percent of your total daily calories should consist of fat.
They say that most of your daily fat intake should come from monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats. Over 75% of an avocado is good fat. It’s on their “Love It” list.
5. Lower Your Risk of Depression. Medical News Today reports that foods high in folate can reduce the risk of depression.
6. An avocado can help with digestion. Because of the fiber in an avocado, you could really help with a constipation issue by eating one every day.
7. Weight loss is easier. When you eat avocado, you will notice that you feel full longer. Watch the calories, though. Make sure you’re burning more calories than you’re taking in.
One study found that “the addition of approximately one half of an avocado at a lunch meal can influence post-ingestive satiety over a subsequent 3 and 5 hour period in overweight adults.”
How to Choose a Ripe, Ready to Eat Avocado
Look for an avocado that is darker in color. Those are usually the ripe ones. Be careful you don’t choose one that is sunken in or “dented.” They are too ripe.
You should be able to gently squeeze an avocado and have it yield a little bit to the pressure. If it’s mushy, it’s not for you.
Pop it in the refrigerator and you’ll have up to 2 days to eat it, although I would use it up in a day if possible.
If you want an “almost ripe” avocado that won’t be ready for a few days, you’ll want one that is softer than an unripe avocado, but still doesn’t yield to pressure. Leave it at room temperature until it’s ready.
Don’t buy overripe avocado! It can actually be rancid and have mold.
You’ll know it’s overripe if it looks pretty beat up and “dented.”
How to Cut an Avocado
Who among us hasn’t had a difficult time cutting an avocado the right way, or dealing with the dreaded hard seed in the middle?
Wash the outside and pat dry. Put the avocado on a cutting board lengthwise. Start at the narrowest end and slice the avocado all the way around to the seed. Twist it apart with two hands.
Get the seed out using a spoon.
To slice it, cut it in wedges and peel the skin back from each. It’ll come off easily.
How to Store an Avocado
Like apples, once the skin is broken avocados start to brown. To help slow that process, leave the seed (or pit) in the half you’re going to save. Sprinkle it with a little lemon juice and cover it tightly in plastic wrap. It’ll keep for a day in the refrigerator.
Are y0u an avocado lover?
How do you use them? Do you eat them every day? Not everyone in my house is a fan of the rich, buttery goodness, but I am! I can’t imagine not loving them!
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