Avocados, also known as alligator pears, are most famous for their role as the party favorite known as guacamole. This amazing Mexican treat is consumed at a rate of about 8 million pounds per Super Bowl Sunday. However, the avocado is no one-hit-wonder. Outside of guacamole and many other dip recipes that boast their creamy richness, the avocado has many other uses. It can even be a healthy substitute for butter in both cooking and baking.
A common misconception about avocados is that they should be avoided because they are high in calories, specifically calories from fat. But a recent article in the Critical Reviews in Food Science and Nutrition states there are now numerous clinical studies suggesting that eating avocados helps support cardiovascular health and may actually help with weight management and healthy aging. Avocados are considered by many to be a “super food” because of their ability to help fight disease, maintain a healthy weight, and support a longer life.
Half of an avocado has 160 calories, 15 grams of unsaturated fat, and only 2 grams of saturated fat. The fat found in avocados is mostly mono-unsaturated fatty acids (72%) which is a healthy fat that acts as an anti-inflammatory agent and promotes heart health by helping to lower LDL (the bad cholesterol) levels. Avocados are also an excellent source of fiber, which can promote weight loss and maintenance by keeping you feeling full longer. Avocados also have more potassium than bananas.
Did you know the avocado is not a vegetable, but a fruit? They are the best fruit source of vitamin E, an antioxidant that protects against disease and is good for your skin. Not only that, they are packed with vitamin B, C & E and are a good source of folate.
The American Heart Association (AHA) dietary guidelines recommend a diet that includes at least five servings of fruits and vegetables, is rich in potassium, contains up to 30% of calories from fats, mostly unsaturated, and is low in saturated fat, cholesterol, and trans-fat. Avocados meet these guidelines with flying colors.
So, try substituting avocados for butter in your next dish, or add it to your next breakfast smoothie, salad, burger, or sandwich. And, most importantly, don’t feel bad eating guacamole at your next super bowl party!
This message was brought to you by
Guidelines for Commenting
Let's make it our goal as a community to help everyone enjoy and improve the experience of dining out. Whatever you have to say, whether in praise or in critique, please try to say it with love.
When writing comments and reviews, do your best to be friendly, respectful, honest, fair, encouraging, specific, concise and helpful. If you have the time, pay a little attention to grammar and formatting too.
You have to use a real email address. Your comment will not appear on the site until you've clicked on the verification link that gets sent to your inbox.
We moderate comments, and reserve the right to edit or remove any that detract from the kind of good-natured community we want to provide. Whenever we make changes, we'll try our best let the commenter know why.
Don't name names. Feel free to comment on "the owner", "the service", "the chef", or "the staff", but any potentially harmful references to specific individuals will be removed.
If you have any questions for us, you can always reach us through Facebook, Twitter, or through our Contact Form.