Content
- 1 Avocado - fruit or vegetable
- 2 What does avocado taste like?
- 3 Chemical composition of avocado
- 4 What are the benefits of avocado for the human body?
- 5 Medicinal properties of avocado
- 6 Is it possible to eat avocados while breastfeeding?
- 7 At what age can you give your child avocados?
- 8 How to eat avocado raw
- 9 When is the best time to eat avocado - morning or evening?
- 10 How many avocados can you eat per day?
- 11 How much does an avocado weigh without pits and peel?
- 12 Avocado in cosmetology
- 13 Avocado is harmful to the body
- 14 Conclusion
The benefits and harms of avocados are an interesting question for fans of healthy eating and lovers of exotic fruits. Avocado is valued not only for its unusual taste, but also for its numerous beneficial properties; to understand them, you need to carefully study the product.
Avocado - fruit or vegetable
Many people wonder whether avocado is a vegetable, fruit or nut. The fact is that the product has a rather large size, a dense peel and a dull taste without much sweetness.
However, green pear-shaped fruits grow on trees, and inside they have one large seed. Therefore, science clearly classifies avocados as fruits, despite the atypical appearance and structure of the fruit.
What does avocado taste like?
The taste of ripe fruit evokes many associations. Some people claim that the product is similar to zucchini or boiled chicken, others say that the fruit resembles potatoes. Often, the taste of fruits has nutty notes - cedar or almond.
Chemical composition of avocado
It is worth introducing fruit into your regular diet not only because of its pleasant taste. Unusual fruits have a rich composition and bring great benefits to the body. In particular, the pulp contains:
- vitamins;
- natural acids, including oleic and pantothenic;
- dietary fiber, or fiber;
- folates and unsaturated fatty acids.
If consumed frequently, the fruit can reliably protect against nutritional deficiencies.
Vitamins in avocados
The fruit contains a huge number of vitamin compounds, among which are:
- ascorbic acid;
- vitamins A and E;
- vitamin D, especially useful in the cold season;
- vitamin PP, or nicotinic acid;
- quite rare vitamin K;
- choline and vitamin H.
Subgroup B is widely represented; the fruits contain vitamins B1 and B2, B9, B5 and B6.
Macro- and microelements
The fruit contains a lot of minerals. Namely, the pulp contains:
- potassium and magnesium;
- sodium and copper;
- iron and phosphorus;
- manganese;
- zinc and selenium;
- calcium.
Eating avocados helps maintain the healthy functioning of all systems of the human body. The fruit can serve as an effective prevention of chronic disorders.
BJU avocado
From the point of view of nutrients, KBJU of avocado per 100 g is represented mainly by fats; the pulp contains 20 g. Another 6 g is occupied by carbohydrates, and proteins are present in a volume of 2 g.
Avocado calories
The fruit is unusual in that it has very high nutritional value. 100 g of product pulp contains about 212 calories. Calorie content 1 pc. An avocado without peel is approximately 205 kcal, if you take a medium-sized fruit.
Glycemic index of avocado
The proteins, fats and carbohydrates in avocado are perfectly balanced, the pulp contains no sugar and no cholesterol, this is the uniqueness of the product. The glycemic index of the product is only 10 units.
What are the benefits of avocado for the human body?
The benefits of the fruit affect many systems of the human body. The positive effects are that the fruit:
- cleanses the blood and reduces the likelihood of cholesterol plaques;
- prevents the development of cardiovascular diseases and atherosclerosis;
- lowers blood pressure and helps get rid of hypertension;
- improves brain performance and increases tone and vigor;
- has a beneficial effect on digestion and helps improve metabolic processes;
- saturates the body with polyunsaturated fatty acids, without causing any harm to the figure;
- serves as a prevention of cancer, as it prevents the growth of cancer cells and promotes the destruction of existing malignant formations;
- normalizes blood circulation and improves blood composition, increases hemoglobin, prevents anemia;
- has a positive effect on the reproductive system, avocado has the properties of a natural aphrodisiac;
- improves mood and reduces irritability and anxiety.
The fruit also has a very beneficial effect on the skin, smoothing out wrinkles and deep folds, and increases immune resistance.
The benefits of avocado for the male body
The beneficial properties of avocado for men are expressed in a good effect on potency. With regular consumption of the fruit, you do not have to worry about a decrease in libido; avocado also improves the quality of a man’s genetic material.
The benefit of avocado is that the fruit prevents the development of heart and vascular diseases in men and protects against early heart attacks. Eating the fruit is useful during high physical activity; tropical fruits increase strength and endurance and restore vigor.
Beneficial properties of avocado for women
The beneficial properties and contraindications of avocados for women are very diverse. First of all, the fruit has a beneficial effect on female hormonal levels, improves the condition during menstruation and menopause, and supports normal metabolism. Eating fruits reduces the risk of developing cancer.
Another benefit of avocado for a woman’s body is the valuable cosmetic properties of the tropical fruit. The product improves the condition of the skin and hair even when used internally; the use of masks based on fruit pulp brings an even more pronounced effect.Tropical fruits protect women from premature aging because they promote the regeneration of epidermal cells and stimulate the production of collagen and elastin after 30 years.
The benefits of avocado for pregnant women
Avocados are not only possible to eat during pregnancy, but also very healthy. The fruit contains a high amount of folic acid, which is important not only for the mother, but also for the fetus. Vegetable fats in the pulp are also beneficial; they contribute to the normal formation of the placenta and stimulate the healthy development of the baby’s brain.
The fruit strengthens the vision of the expectant mother and protects the woman from the development of heart diseases, has a good satiating effect and relieves attacks of toxicosis.
The benefits of avocados for children
For a child's body, a tropical fruit can be of great benefit. First of all, avocado has a positive effect on the nervous system of children, helping to prevent the development of hyperactivity and sleep disorders. Useful minerals and vitamins in the fruit strengthen children's immunity, make the baby more resistant to colds and infections, and promote healthy digestion.
The benefits of avocado for athletes
When actively playing sports, it is extremely important to pay attention to a balanced diet.Avocado is very beneficial during intense physical activity. First of all, the fruit contains amino acids that are responsible for rapid muscle growth and the quality of fat metabolism.
In addition, the tropical fruit increases overall endurance; if you regularly consume it during training, your strength indicators will quickly increase.
Medicinal properties of avocado
The tropical fruit is beneficial for many chronic diseases. The beneficial substances in the fruit can have a positive effect on the body with a tendency to edema and frequent colds, stomach diseases and metabolic disorders. The valuable effect of fruit on the body is worth studying in more detail.
Benefits of Avocado for the Liver
In the human body, the liver acts as a natural protective barrier and filter; it processes and removes waste and toxins. The benefits and harms of avocado for the liver lie in the fact that the tropical fruit takes on part of the functions of this organ, accelerates the elimination of toxins and thereby protects the liver from destruction. In addition, the fruit promotes the production of important hormones necessary for liver regeneration.
It is believed that with regular consumption of the fruit, toxic substances and poisons when they enter the body have a less destructive effect. In addition, studies confirm the good preventive effect of the fruit; avocado prevents the occurrence of malignant tumors in liver cells.
Avocado for pancreatitis
In the acute stage of pancreatitis, tropical fruit is completely prohibited for consumption. The fruits contain too much fatty oils, and this harms the pancreas and only worsens the patient’s condition.
During the period of complete remission, you can include fruit in your diet, but portions should be minimal. It is not recommended to eat the fruit on an empty stomach, as in this case it can provoke a new exacerbation of the disease.
Avocado for diabetes
Due to the extremely low glycemic index, avocados can and should even be included in the diet on a regular basis for type 2 diabetes. The tropical fruit does not cause harm, but it has a lot of benefits; the fruits saturate the body with vitamins and help lower the level of glucose and bad cholesterol in the blood.
For diabetics, the tropical fruit is valuable because it protects blood vessels and the cardiac system from the development of diseases, supports the functioning of the metabolic system and has a beneficial effect on the emotional background.
However, caution must be exercised when consuming the fruit. If you have diabetes, avocado can be harmful in excess quantities - you can eat no more than 1 small fruit per day. It is also better to avoid fruits if you have a pronounced tendency to obesity and ailments of the kidneys and biliary system; the fruit can seriously harm your health.
Avocado for cholecystitis
Inflammation of the gallbladder causes patients a lot of discomfort and forces them to follow a strict diet. But fruits and berries for this disease are highly recommended for consumption, and the list of permitted foods includes, among other things, avocados. You should only beware of this tropical fruit if you have large stones in the gallbladder. But with a calm course of the disease and moderate dosages, avocados will be beneficial and will not cause harm.
Avocado for gastritis
The use of tropical fruit for gastritis depends on the course of the disease and its type.In particular, if gastritis is accompanied by increased stomach acidity, it is better to remove fruit from the diet or reduce it to a minimum. You can eat only ripe fruits in small quantities, and before eating they should be steamed for better absorption.
But for gastritis with low acidity, the fruit will bring unconditional benefits. Tropical fruits will help increase the production of gastric juice and speed up the digestion of food. If the acidity of the stomach is reduced, you can eat tropical fruit not only steamed or baked, but also raw; the fruits will help improve your condition.
Avocado for duodenal ulcers
Duodenal ulcer most often develops against the background of increased stomach acidity. This imposes certain restrictions on the use of avocados. It is better to avoid the fruit in its raw form; it will have an irritating effect on the mucous membranes and will only worsen the condition.
You can eat the fruit baked or after steaming for peptic ulcers, but in small quantities. During the acute course of the disease, the fruit should be temporarily excluded from the diet and returned only after the pain and other unpleasant symptoms have subsided.
Is it possible to eat avocados while breastfeeding?
Avocados are allowed for consumption during breastfeeding, but with certain reservations. Since the fruit contains a high amount of fatty oils, its pulp can harm the baby's body in the first months of life. It is recommended to return fruits to the diet only 4 months after birth.
In addition, the child may develop an individual intolerance to the product.To make sure that it is absent, you need to start consuming the fruit in minimal quantities, carefully monitoring the baby’s reaction.
At what age can you give your child avocados?
The healthy fruit has a very high fat content and is not absorbed by the sensitive body of newborn babies. Therefore, it is prohibited to offer avocados to infants under one year of age; it will be harmful and lead to colic and indigestion.
After a year, it is permissible to add tropical fruit in minimal quantities to the child’s diet. However, if the baby is prone to allergic reactions, you should play it safe and postpone his introduction to unusual fruits until he is 3 years old. In addition, after your child eats tropical fruits for the first time, you need to carefully monitor the body’s reaction for several days and monitor whether negative symptoms appear.
How to eat avocado raw
Since the fruits do not appear on the average table too often, many do not know how to eat them correctly. This is done as follows:
- the fruit is thoroughly washed and cut in half into 2 parts;
- a large bone is pryed with a knife and removed;
- make a few cuts in the pulp, and then take a spoon and simply scoop out the pulp, using the hard peel as a natural “cup.”
Eating the fruit seed is strictly prohibited. It contains toxic substances that are dangerous to human health.
When is the best time to eat avocado - morning or evening?
Despite the increased calorie content, the fruit is beneficial when consumed at any time of the day.The main thing is to keep small dosages and eat no more than half the fruit at a time.
Fruits for breakfast will contribute to the rapid awakening of metabolic processes and will give the body a boost of vigor and efficiency from the early morning. There will be benefits from eating the fruit shortly before bedtime; for all its fat content, avocado does not cause excess weight.
How many avocados can you eat per day?
Fatty oils in fruits can harm the body if used carelessly. To get the maximum benefit from the fruit, you must adhere to strict dosages and eat no more than 200 g of avocado per day. This norm is the maximum; on average, it is recommended to limit yourself to half a small fruit per day.
How much does an avocado weigh without pits and peel?
Since the unusual fruit has a large large stone and a dense peel, this affects the weight of the fruit; the actual useful weight of the fruit is slightly less. Calculating the weight of the pulp is very simple - 1 fruit weighs on average about 180 g, and the peel and seed take up about 30 g of this volume.
Thus, without the pit and peel, the fruit will weigh about 150 g, or a little more or less, depending on the dimensions.
Avocado in cosmetology
Women use the fruits not only for food, but also to care for their beauty. The juicy, fatty pulp has a powerful rejuvenating and moisturizing effect when used externally. The fruit is used to create the most effective anti-aging masks and hair care products.
Avocado face mask
The benefits of avocado for the face include the softening, moisturizing and cleansing properties of the tropical fruit. When applied to the skin, avocado pulp helps get rid of acne, smooth out fine wrinkles and eliminate excessive dryness. The fruit has a tightening effect and tightens pores, regulates the oiliness of the epidermis and helps even out the color and texture of the skin.
An avocado face mask against wrinkles is made as follows:
- cut the fruit in half and scoop out the pulp with a spoon;
- knead until smooth, and then add a small spoon of honey;
- mix thoroughly and apply a thin layer to the skin of the face.
You need to keep the product for about 20 minutes, and it is recommended to carry out the procedure at least twice a week. Fruit pulp and honey will have a powerful effect on the epidermis, soften the skin and launch renewal processes, making the face look much younger.
Avocado hair mask
The vitamin composition of the fruit benefits not only the epidermis, but also the hair. Products based on the product nourish hair follicles, soften the scalp and restore damaged curl structure. The benefits of avocado for hair are that with regular use of the fruit for cosmetic purposes, the hair becomes smooth and silky, the volume of hair increases, and the curls become more manageable.
The easiest way to use the product is as follows: the pulp of 1 fruit is kneaded into a paste and distributed evenly over the hair. You need to keep the mask on for half an hour, after which you wash your hair with a mild shampoo.
In addition, you can make a firming mask using the product:
- the pulp of 1 fruit is kneaded to a pulp and mixed with egg yolk;
- add a small spoonful of honey and olive oil to the mixture;
- Apply the mask to the hair, especially carefully rubbing the mixture at the roots, and cover the hair with plastic wrap or a shower cap.
You need to keep the mixture for at least an hour, but it is best to leave the mask on all night and wash your hair in the morning. With regular use, the effect appears very quickly, hair stops falling out and acquires a healthy shine.
Avocado foot mask
The skin on the feet is especially susceptible to dryness and irritation; many women unsuccessfully struggle with the roughening of the epidermis on the soles and pads of the toes. The fruit, due to its powerful emollient properties, is of great benefit when caring for the skin of the feet. In cosmetic stores you can find special restorative mask-socks that help moisturize the epidermis and get rid of chafing, cracks and calluses on the feet.
You can prepare a foot mask at home. To do this, just mix avocado pulp with shea butter or other basic moisturizing oil, and then apply the mixture to your feet and insulate them with film and woolen socks. It is advisable to leave the mask on all night, then the cosmetic mixture will bring maximum benefits.
Avocado is harmful to the body
A healthy avocado can be harmful if consumed carelessly. First of all, an overdose of tropical fruit is dangerous - exceeding the recommended daily intake leads to intestinal upset, nausea and allergic manifestations.
Contraindications for the fruit are:
- allergy to avocado;
- pancreatitis in the acute stage;
- acute peptic ulcer and gastritis with high stomach acidity;
- tendency to obesity.
You should approach avocados with caution if you have an intolerance to citrus fruits - this increases the likelihood of identifying an allergy.
Conclusion
The benefits and harms of avocados largely depend on the dosage. The fruit has quite a few contraindications, and most people will only benefit from eating the fruit in small quantities - avocados will improve their health.