(NaturalNews) Beware of popular health myths. For instance, throughout
the 1990s and into the first few years of this century, popular health
"experts" often warned against eating coconut oil or coconut milk,
causing many people to eschew a food now known to offer many health
benefits. Another lingering popular health myth warns against avocadoes,
which wrongly labels them as a dietary culprit because of their caloric
and fat content. Yet, the truth is avocadoes can boost health in at
least 5 ways:
1. Protein
Avocadoes provide all 18
essential amino acids necessary for the body to form a complete protein.
Unlike the protein in steak, which is difficult for most people to
digest, avocado protein is readily absorbed by the body because
avocadoes also contain fiber. If you are trying to cut down on animal
sources of protein in your diet, or if you are a vegetarian, vegan or
raw foodist seeking more protein, avocadoes are a great nutritional ally
to include not merely as an occasional treat, but as a regular part of
your diet.
2. Beneficial Fats
Avocadoes provide the
healthy kind of fat that your body needs. Like olive oil, avocadoes
boost levels of HDL (the "good" cholesterol). HDL cholesterol can help
protect against the damage caused by free radicals. This type of
cholesterol also helps regulate triglyceride levels, preventing
diabetes. A study published early this year in the
Canadian Medical Association Journal
found that a vegetarian diet, which includes HDL fats, can reduce
levels of LDL (the "bad" cholesterol) as effectively as statin drugs.
3. Carotenoids
Avocadoes
are an excellent source of carotenoids. Although many people associate
carotenoids only with red and orange produce, avocadoes are also an
excellent source of this phytonutrient. Avocadoes, also known as
alligator pears, offer a diverse range of carotenoids including not only
the better known ones such as beta-carotene, alpha-carotene and lutein, but also lesser known varieties of this type of phytonutrient such as
neoxanthin, zeaxanthin, chrysanthemaxanthin, neochrome,
beta-cryptoxanthin and violaxanthin. Every time you consume foods rich
in carotenoids, you deliver high quality vitamin A to your body, thereby
protecting eye
health.
Carotenoids also enhance the functioning of the immune system and
promote healthy functioning of the reproductive system. Since
carotenoids are fat soluble, eating avocadoes optimizes the absorption
of these nutrients.
4.Anti-Inflammatory
The combined
effect of the deluxe package of nutrients contained in avocadoes offers
powerful anti-inflammatory benefits. Avocadoes' unique combination of
Vitamins C and E, carotenoids, selenium, zinc, phytosterols and omega-3
fatty acids helps guard against inflammation. This means avocadoes can
help prevent or mitigate against both osteo- and rheumatoid arthritis.
5. Heart Health
The
fat content, which causes some uninformed health "experts" to deem
avocadoes as unhealthy, actually provides protection against heart
diseases. Studies have shown that oleic acid improves cardiovascular
health. Oleic acid is the primary fatty acid in avocadoes. Many people
now take supplements in order to consume more omega-3 fatty acids to
lower their risk of heart disease. Avocadoes are rich in omega-3,
delivering 160 milligrams per cup of alpha-linolenic acid.
6. Choosing and Eating
To
get the most nutritional value from avocadoes, avoid those which have
become over-ripe. You can identify these at the store because they will
have dents and feel overly soft when you hold them. A ripe
avocado
should have no dents in its skin and will feel slightly soft when
squeezed. You can also buy unripe avocadoes, which feel very hard when
gripped, and permit them to ripen at home. The portion of the avocado
closest to the skin is the most dense in nutrients, so be sure to scrape
the skin clean before discarding it.
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