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Avocado is a product that has gained immense popularity in recent years. It is a fruit, although we eat it mainly in savory dishes, just like vegetables. Controversial is not only its taste (pleasantly delicate for some, bland for others), but also the method of cultivation and high price. But is avocado healthy and worth reaching for? Find out how to eat avocado and which recipes using it are the tastiest.

Avocado - composition

Avocado is a nutritionally valuable food product. It contains an exceptionally high amount of fat compared to other fruits and vegetables. 100 g of avocado provides:

about 170 kcal,

15 g of fat,

2 g of protein,

8 g of carbohydrates,

7 g of dietary fiber.

The high amount of calories that avocados provide is due to the large amount of fat. It is worth emphasizing, however, that these are healthy, unsaturated fatty acids that should be an indispensable element of our diet.

This is not the only benefit of avocados. This fruit is rich in minerals (especially potassium, magnesium, calcium), B vitamins, C, A, E, K, folic acid, phytosterols, carotenoids, squalene and lecithin.

Avocado - health properties

The presence of a variety of ingredients with rich health-promoting properties makes the consumption of avocados beneficial in many disease states. Avocados, among others:

supports the prevention and treatment of blood cholesterol disorders and atherosclerosis,

regulates blood pressure,

has a strong antioxidant effect, which is used in the prevention of cancer, cataracts, cardiovascular and degenerative diseases of the nervous system,

is beneficial for pregnant women due to the content of folic acid necessary in the prevention of defects in the nervous system of the fetus,

relieves rheumatic pains,

supports the process of vision,

has a positive effect on the condition of the skin.

Low glycemic index, high content of healthy fats and dietary fiber makes avocados also recommended for people with blood glucose disorders and those who are overweight and obese. The addition of this product to a meal prolongs its absorption and ensures a longer feeling of satiety.

In addition, avocado can be used externally (on the skin, hair), using avocado oil for this purpose or preparing masks from its flesh.

How to choose a good avocado?

Depending on the variety, the avocado can be oval, pear-shaped and green or brown-purple in color. After cutting, you will notice light green or cream flesh and a large stone.

When buying an avocado, make sure it is ripe enough. Hard and too soft pieces should be avoided. The stalk of a ripe avocado comes off without much trouble, and underneath it you should notice a light, creamy flesh. A brown color will indicate that the fruit is too ripe.

To slow down the ripening of avocados and prevent them from spoiling quickly, store them in the refrigerator.

Avocado Recipes

Avocados are most often eaten in savory dishes. The most popular avocado recipe is guacamole, a Mexican dip. This product is also used for home-made sandwich spreads, e.g. with eggs, cottage cheese or salmon.

How else to eat an avocado? You can simply cut them up and use them as an addition to sandwiches, toasts or salads. Another way to use it is to prepare desserts. Thanks to its creaminess, avocado can be a base for homemade ice cream, mousses and chocolate creams.

Guacamole - recipe

Ingredients:

ripe avocado,

a spoonful of lemon juice,

a small clove of garlic,

spices: salt, pepper, hot pepper.

A method of preparing:

Cut the avocado in half, remove the pit and skin.

Transfer them to the blender bowl, add the rest of the ingredients and mix everything.

Guacamole can be served on a sandwich, with fresh or grilled vegetables or a tortilla.

Healthy fats in the diet

Products that are a source of healthy fatty acids, such as avocados, vegetable oils, nuts, should be consumed by us every day. In their favor, it is worth limiting the consumption of animal fats and hydrogenated vegetable fats. This is how the Baltic diet offered at the Centers of the Sofra Health Institute was composed. Such a modification of the diet reduces the risk of developing cardiovascular diseases, has a positive effect on our brain, immune system and beautiful appearance.