The avocado is a delicious and very nutritious fruit, with many health properties. But what are its benefits? Discover them all and do not miss them.
The avocado is an edible fruit that is highly consumed in a great diversity of countries. And it is possible that, in a sense, the name avocado does not sound quite familiar to you, especially if you are Spanish or European. But, what if we tell you that it is the name by which avocado is also known?
It is characterized by being an exquisite fruit where there are any (although on many occasions it has come to be considered erroneously as a vegetable), highlighting its very important nutritional properties.
What is avocado?
The name of avocado comes from a word of Aztec origin, ahucatl, which means “testicle”. Finally, it was the Spanish who ended up naming it as the pear of the Indies. More specifically, it comes from Quechua, whose name was used to refer to the avocados, an Amerindian ethnic group that inhabited the north of Peru and the Loja (Ecuadorian province).
With this name, the traditional and delicious avocado is known in many Latin American countries, a wonderful fruit as well as exquisite, belonging to the Lauraceae family and scientifically baptized with the name of Persea Americana. In fact, it is known by this name in countries such as Argentina, Chile, Peru, Bolivia and Uruguay.
It is a fruit native to Mesoamerica (a region of the American continent comprised by the southern half of Mexico, Belize and El Salvador, passing through the west of Costa Rica, Honduras and Nicaragua), domesticated by the different indigenous peoples around 7000 years ago. In fact, nowadays it is grown mainly in areas that have mainly tropical climates, and also in the Mediterranean.
Most important avocado benefits
One of the main benefits of avocado (or the properties of avocado, in short) is that it is not only a nutritionally beneficial food, but it is also useful for beauty. But let’s go in parts.
Avocado nutritional information
100 grams of avocado provide:
- Energy: 160 kcal.
- Carbohydrates: 8.53 g.
- Proteins: 2 g.
- Fats: 15 grams of fat, of which 8.5 are monounsaturated fats, in addition to polyunsaturated fats.
- Water: 75 grams.
- Vitamins: especially highlights the contribution of vitamins A, B (B1, B2, and B6), C, E and K.
- Minerals: calcium, iron, zinc, magnesium, iodine and potassium.
Ideal in weight loss diets as it provides satiety
It is common for many people to believe that avocado, due to its caloric content, becomes a fruit not recommended in weight loss diets. However, the reality is that it is characterized as a remarkable food in this sense, because it is capable of improving metabolism.
It provides a feeling of satiety, so its consumption is interesting when it comes to controlling or reducing appetite. In addition, although it has a high fat content, these are healthy, and its benefits compensate for this caloric intake.
High antioxidant content
It is also useful for calming both the intestines and the digestive system, while its high antioxidant content makes it a healthy option to prevent the effects of free radicals.
Very suitable in pregnancy
Folic acid, as you surely know, stands out for being an essential vitamin during pregnancy, as it helps prevent defects in the baby’s development, and is also very important for the health of the future mother. Therefore, it is vital to ensure the consumption of foods that provide this vitamin.
In this sense, avocado stands out due to its folic acid content, so it is a recommended food for pregnant women and for people with anemia.
Avocado properties in beauty
Did you know that avocado also provides interesting benefits for our skin? And from a more natural beauty point of view, avocado is ideal for hydrating the skin. In fact, both its pulp and its oil (which is obtained directly from its pipe or stone), are ideal for the natural treatment of the skin and hair.
Its qualities do not end precisely in its external application on the skin or hair. Consumed we can also enjoy its benefits for the skin, thanks to its contribution in vitamin E, helping to reduce the harmful effects of sun exposure and also slow down the natural aging process of the skin.
Avocado allergy and its main contraindications
Although avocado is a healthy food, whose consumption is recommended within a healthy and varied diet, the truth is that like any other food it has certain contraindications.
Thus, for example, its consumption is not recommended in case of allergic reactions to avocado, mainly in people with allergies to tree pollen.
In this type of people, local symptoms can appear both in the mouth and in the throat after having eaten avocado.
What is medically known as latex fruit syndrome can also occur, the symptoms of which range from generalized hives to vomiting and abdominal pain.
