Avocado is that rare plant food where fat is the main event. Of roughly 15 g per 100 g, most is oleic acid ā the same monounsaturated fat that dominates olive oil.
What is worth noticing is that avocado does not only deliver its own nutrients. Studies adding avocado to a salad measured several-fold increases in the absorption of carotenoids from carrot, tomato and spinach, because fat-soluble nutrients need fat present to get into you at all.
Key benefits
- 1
It improves LDL cholesterol
Diets replacing part of their saturated fat with avocado's monounsaturated fat lowered LDL cholesterol and triglycerides. The plant sterols in avocado also partly block cholesterol absorption.
- 2
It boosts nutrient absorption from other vegetables
Carotenoids ā beta-carotene, lutein, lycopene ā and fat-soluble vitamins are only absorbed alongside fat. Trials confirm that adding avocado to a salad sharply increases how much of them reaches the bloodstream. If you eat plenty of vegetables and feel it does nothing, the missing piece may be fat.
- 3
It keeps you full for longer
Half an avocado (about 100 g) carries 6.7 g of fibre, and the fat slows gastric emptying. In one trial, adding avocado to lunch sustained fullness and reduced the desire to snack afterwards.
- 4
It is rich in potassium and folate
485 mg of potassium per 100 g ā more than a banana ā which supports sodium excretion and works in favour of blood pressure. The folate matters for cell division and fetal neural tube development, so it counts when planning a pregnancy.
How to eat it well
- Half to one a day is a realistic range. It is calorie-dense, so it is not an unlimited health food.
- Serve it with a vegetable salad. That is the easiest way to get the absorption effect described above.
- The dark green flesh nearest the skin holds the most carotenoids. Peeling by hand wastes less of it than scooping.
- Ripen at room temperature, store ripe fruit in the fridge. A paper bag with an apple or banana speeds up a hard one.
- Lemon juice on the cut surface slows the browning.
What to watch out for
- It is calorie-dense. Substituting it for another fat source beats adding it on top of what you already eat.
- With a latex allergy, cross-reactivity (latex-fruit syndrome) is possible.
- If you restrict potassium for kidney disease, portion it carefully.
- It contains sorbitol, so more than half a fruit can trigger symptoms in irritable bowel syndrome.
- On warfarin, keep vitamin K intake steady.
Nutrition
Approximate values per 100 g edible portion.
- Calories
- 160 kcal
- Fat
- 14.7 g
- Carbohydrates
- 8.5 g
- Fiber
- 6.7 g
- Protein
- 2.0 g
- Potassium
- 485 mg
- Folate
- 81 Āµg
- Vitamin E
- 2.1 mg
- Vitamin K
- 21 Āµg
Key nutrients
- Fat
- Fiber
- Potassium
- Folate
- Vitamin E
- Vitamin K