Avocado nutrition facts

The avocado is a fruit normally grown in Mexico. Together with cinnamon, camphor and bay laurel, the avocado belongs to the flowering plant family called Lauraceae. The fruit can be of different shapes (pear-shaped, egg-shaped or spherical), it is green and contains a large seed. After it has been harvested avocado ripens and is ready to be consumed.

The fruit can be cultivated in countries with tropical climates. It is rich in flavor which may be why so many people enjoy eating avocado. Furthermore, some people are familiar with its nutritional value and appreciate the fruit because of rich content of certain beneficial substances. Avocado is abundant in many vitamins and minerals. It also contains essential fatty acids as well as healthy fat.

Avocado: Nutrition Facts

The avocado is a delicious fruit, that many people love to eat, but there are those, who are aware of the abundance of fat in avocados, and tend to avoid them. The fruit is considered one of the most nutritious in the world, and when consumed in moderate amounts and on regular bases it is associated with many beneficial effects.

A cup of sliced avocado (approximately 150 grams) has about 235 calories, 3 grams of protein, 11 grams of carbohydrates, 1.3 grams of sugar, 7 grams of dietary fibers and 22.7 grams of fat. There is no cholesterol in avocado. The same quantity of the fruit contains many vitamins and minerals.It is rich in vitamin A. vitamins B1, B2, B3 and B6. Avocado also contains vitamin C, E and K. there is also an adequate amount of folate. As for minerals avocado contains potassium, selenium, calcium, sodium, phosphorus, magnesium and iron. It is also rich in zinc and manganese.

Even though avocado contains lot of fat the good thing is that almost 90% of fat obtained from avocado are monounsaturated fats. These are 'healthy' fats. This fact makes avocado a suitable substitute for foods rich in saturated fats.

What are Avocado Health Benefits?

Many people believe that consumption of avocado may lower cholesterol levels due to high content of monounsaturated fats. These fats are additionally good for better absorption of carotenoids. Furthermore, being an excellent source of folate avocado can be highly effective in prevention of heart conditions, stroke etc. Potassium from avocado is essential for process of regulation of blood pressure and reduction of circulatory problems. Some types of cancer can be prevented due to the presence of oleic acid. And finally, the fruit is used in many beauty products for skin and hair care.