Puebla, Mexico, is said to be the avocado's birthplace. The earliest known trace of avocados was discovered in a Puebla, Mexico, cave and dates to approximately 10,000 BC.
The avocado belongs to the same family as cinnamon and camphor, and it is native to Mexico and Central America. From a botanical perspective, an avocado is a large berry that grows on trees up to six feet tall. The avocado ripens 1-2 weeks after it is picked, just like a banana.
Avocados are often referred to as the healthiest food due to its impressive nutritional value.
Here is what scientists say will happen to your body when you eat an avocado every day.
1. Supports Early Child Life and a Healthy Pregnancy
Avocados are rich in antioxidants, monounsaturated fats, and fiber. These nutrients are associated with improvements in breast milk production, birth outcomes, maternal health, and fertility in premenopausal females.
The lutein found in breast milk increases with maternal diet. The antioxidant aids in proper neural and eye development in infants. Also, monounsaturated fats are essential to the development of the brain in the initial years of the baby.
Nutrients like folate are significant to fetal health to prevent heart and neural defects. A half avocado offers 10 percent of the advised daily consumption for pregnant females.
Additionally, avocados could aid expectant mothers to overcome nausea as a result of their richness in B6 vitamins. This is an excellent therapeutic approach for treating morning sickness.
2. Healthy Skin
Avocados have antioxidant properties and high-fat content that are critical in the maintenance of healthy skin. Zeaxanthin and lutein are present in human skin and are obtained from the consumption of foods like avocados. These antioxidants could aid in protecting the skin from UV as well as visible radiation damage.
According to research, it was discovered that both oral and topical intake of zeaxanthin and lutein could aid in improving skin wrinkles, hydration, and elasticity.
Another study revealed that both dietary intake and topical use of avocados could enhance wound healing in rats.
3. Healthy Weight
Fruits like avocados are rich in healthy fats and fiber that increase satiety to support a healthy weight. Numerous studies have shown that avocados aid in supporting a healthy weight. Also, consumption of avocados is linked to improved nutrient intake and diet quality.
Research, where participants consumed one and half of an avocado every day for six weeks, revealed decreased percentage of body fat, body mass index, and body weight.
Another study of overweight adults discovered that half an avocado consumed during the lunch hour minimized hunger by 28 percent and 40 percent for three or five hours, respectively.
4. Slowed Aging
Avocados are the richest in fat-soluble antioxidant content among all vegetables and fruits. Xanthophyll is the main antioxidant carotenoid in this fruit.
Research has shown that xanthophyll in avocados could safeguard you against damage to your DNA and support slowed aging. The antioxidants present in avocados could assist in minimizing oxidative damage and could prevent Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s diseases.
A study where participants consumed avocados daily for half a year discovered that there was an improvement in problem-solving, attention span, and memory compared to control groups.
5. Reduced Depression
Dietary fat type and quality play a critical role in the function of the brain. Monounsaturated fats present in avocados possess anti-inflammatory properties that could minimize the risk of depression.
Numerous studies discovered that the anti-inflammatory nature of these fats is linked to lower depression risk.
Other studies have confirmed the link between depression and deficiency of folate. Foods such as avocados that have high contents of folate could aid in reducing depression risk through prevention of the homocysteine buildup in the brain.
6. Reduced Blood Pressure
One of the critical avocado benefits is lowered blood pressure. Avocados have high contents of potassium, which aids in relaxing the blood vessel walls, thereby minimizing blood pressure.
The monounsaturated fats present in avocados can minimize blood pressure in the long and short-term. The high content of fiber of the fruit could also lead to the prevention of hypertension, particularly in populations that consume fiber below the levels that are recommended.
7. Management of Diabetes
Diabetes management is also one of the essential avocado benefits. The dietary fiber, fat, and antioxidant levels in avocados can assist in normalizing the level of blood sugar and reduce the risk of diabetes.
Research has shown that consuming half of the fruit daily could lead to lower insulin levels in the blood. Another study conducted in rats showed that avocados aid in inhibiting critical enzymes that are associated with type 2 diabetes.
Oil from avocados was also discovered to boost the sensitivity of insulin by 96 percent in rats that ingested a diet rich in sucrose.
8. Prevention of Cancer
Avocados consist of high levels of phytochemicals, like carotenoids that could assist in the prevention of cancer by boosting the death of the cells in cancerous and precancerous cells. Carotenoids as well as antimicrobial proteins, such as defensin present in avocados possess high levels of antioxidant activity and can aid in stimulation of the death of breast cancer cells.
A study showed that overall carotenoids in the blood are linked to minimized risk of cancer, particularly in females who have dense breast tissue. Avocado’s carotenoid extract can help in inhibiting the growth of prostate cancer cells.
Research has discovered that the concentration of carotenoids in the blood is related to decreased risk of death from digestive cancers like pancreatic, colon, and esophageal cancer. Another study revealed that phytochemicals present in avocados, like xanthophyll and lutein, minimizes oxidative stress in patients who are undergoing treatment of early-stage neck and head cancer.
Glutathione is a potent antioxidant that is richer in avocados than in most fruits. A study has shown that there is an association between high levels of glutathione and minimized risk of oral cancer. Extracts of avocados induced the death of oral cancer cells.
9. Reduced Risk of Heart Disease
Avocados have monounsaturated fats that lessen LDL cholesterol and inflammation. Numerous studies have discovered that a diet rich in avocados minimizes overall cholesterol, triglycerides, and LDL cholesterol.
A study carried out with rats showed that a diet rich with avocados boosted heart disease markers like increasing HDL cholesterol and reducing triglycerides in a period of five weeks. Avocados have high levels of potassium that could minimize blood pressure, a critical risk factor of heart attacks.
Avocados are rich in polyphenols that assist in controlling heart disease by reversing acute and chronic inflammation. Beta-sitosterol is cholesterol that is plant-based and present at high levels in avocados. They can aid in lowering cholesterol levels.
Avocados also have vitamins E and C. A study revealed that a mixture of vitamins E and C led to the hardening of arteries in individuals with high levels of cholesterol. Additionally, avocados are rich in B vitamin folate that assists to reduce the levels of homocysteine in the blood, which is a heart disease predictor.
10. Boosts Absorption of Nutrients that are Plant-Based
Vegetables and fruits have high levels of nutrients, but these nutrients can be sabotaged. They have an in-built sabotage mechanism that is in the form of fiber. Even though fiber is critical to your health needs, it can become a problem when it prevents the absorption of multiple phytochemicals present in plant foods.
You can counter this by consuming healthy fats that act as carrier molecules to transport nutrients that are soluble in fat that would have otherwise been wasted. This proves the typical case of nutrient deficiency that takes place in individuals who limit fat intake or are mainly on vegan diets.
11. Healthy Liver Function
The liver is a very critical organ in the body. In spite of being self-generating, it requires being looked after. The best way to take care of your liver is to assist it in functioning optimally.
Avocados can assist in reducing fatty liver disease symptoms that result from high levels of blood triglycerides and cholesterol. Additionally, avocados can aid in improving the synthesis of the most robust anti-oxidant in the body called glutathione. This nutrient aids in protecting you from free radicals.
12. Treatment of Arthritis
Chronic rheumatoid arthritis and osteoarthritis are both severe conditions that lead to extreme discomfort to patients. Even though you can enjoy temporary relief from symptoms with over-the-counter pain drugs, you need a permanent solution.
Avocados have a compound that can aid in providing relief from inflammation and pain linked to arthritis conditions. Though it is not clear as to the quantities that can be consumed to enjoy these benefits, consuming an avocado per day could help you in relieving pain since the healthy fats can assist in cushioning the tissue between the joints.
13. Acts as an Aphrodisiac
The word avocado originates from the Aztec people and means testicle. This is because they believed that avocados are potent aphrodisiacs. Avocados have high levels of saturated fats that are essential in testosterone synthesis.
Contemporary diets that seek to limit fat intake are associated with low testosterone levels, which lead to low sex drive. Hence, avocados are foods that can boost your sex drive.
Conclusion
If you are looking to have a healthy heart, have a healthy sex life, and live longer, avocados are the ideal fruit. Numerous studies support these avocado benefits and, therefore, you are assured to enjoy them all.
You can consume avocados with every meal without facing any side effects. While many foods can become monotonous and boring when consumed every day, avocados remain sweet and delicious even when eaten daily. Spice up your diet and boost up your health with avocados.source: powerofpositivity