8 secret benefits of avocados

Jemma O’Hanlon, Dietitian & Nutritionist

BHlthSc Nutr&Diet AdvAPD GAICD

Smashed avos may be cutting into millennials’ budgets like there’s no tomorrow, but word on the street is they are absolutely ripping good for you. We all know they’re rich in the ‘good’ fats, but here are 8 other reasons to order that smashed avo the next time you’re brunching.

1. Satiety

Avos keep you fuller for longer. Simple as that. Because avos are predominantly made of those ‘good’ monounsaturated fats, they slow down digestion and absorption and leave you feeling fuller for longer.

2. Cookie jar deterrent

Yep, because of that long lasting energy from point 1 above, your blood sugar levels will stay steady Eddie rather than going up and down like a horse on merry-go-round, meaning you’ll be less likely to crave something sweet come 3pm. #winning

3. Vitamin E

You might have seen those beauty spa posters where the lady is lying on her back in la la land with a green avocado-type spread all over her face. For good reason! Avocados are rich in vitamin E and this vitamin acts to not only keep your skin healthy but is an antioxidant as well.

4. Eye health

Ok, this one is for anyone struggling to read that itsy bitsy print on the slides in that boring boardroom presentation you have to go to every week. Avos contain carotenoids which are amazing for your eyes. So look beyond just orange veggies as avos contain important pigments including lutein and zeaxanthin.

5. Vitamin C

Not only do smashed avos taste good, they’re rich in vitamin C which helps support your immunity. Want an easy way to bump up that vitamin C even more? Add a squeeze of lemon juice. Oh, hello guac! Now, where are those corn chips?

6. Potassium

We all know bananas are a good source of potassium, but did you know avos contain a lot more? In fact, just half an avo contains more potassium than a medium banana. Take that banana-man.

7. Folate

Ok ladies, listen up. This one’s for you. You’ve probably seen the ads about taking folate before thinking about having a baby, but folate is so important for us at all stages of life. And avos come brimming with a natural source – over 240ug per avo. That’s 120% of your daily requirement!

8. Soluble Fibre

This is one is a wild card, one that you’d never suspect. You might think you get fibre from baked beans and wholegrain bread, but did you know that avocados are a rich source of dietary fibre as well (with 2/3 being soluble fibre)? Soluble fibre is a pretty mean beast as it traps cholesterol in its gel-like substance and helps to remove it from the body, so you get all the heart-healthy benefits from eating avos too.

This article was first published in Fitness First Magazine and has been reproduced with permission.