The powerful health benefits of avocados for weight loss and well being are enough reasons to include them as part of your nutrition plan. But the truth is avocados maintain your health from the inside out. With avocado having so many uses and being so versatile, it’s no wonder it’s considered the ultimate superfood.
There has been a surge in the popularity of the avocado in recent years. A number of recipes have surfaced ranging from the trendy avocado toast to ice cream and brownies. Knowing of the powerful benefits of avocado has made indulging in these kinds of treats feel “cool”. It has long been proven that avocados are just as nourishing externally when applied to the skin as they are when eaten.
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The Powerful Health Benefits Of Avocado From The Inside Out
In addition to the avocado containing healthy fats, a major benefit of eating avocado is related to the approximately 20 vitamins and minerals that it contains. These vitamins and minerals all play a role in the support of every major system in the body.
Avocados even support your vision and have more potassium than bananas!
The Powerful Health Benefits Of Avocados Reduce Health Risks:
- Depression. Avocados help to regulate serotonin in the brain which stabilizes mood which is good news for those that suffer from mood disorders!
- Cancers. Avocados are loaded with antioxidants that help protect against cancers of the digestive tract as well as prostate cancer.
- Heart Disease. Avocados contain polyunsaturated and monounsaturated fats which lower bad cholesterol (LDL) and triglycerides and increase good cholesterol (HDL). Avocados also reduce inflammation thereby lowering the risk for a heart attack.
- Hypertension. Higher potassium helps to stabilize blood pressure which in turn also lowers the risk of heart attack, strokes, and protects the kidneys.
- Diabetes. Avocados are low in carbohydrates and are a healthy source of dietary fiber, therefore consuming them does not raise your blood glucose or spike insulin levels.
The Amazing Versatility Of The Avocado
The powerful health benefits of avocados for weight loss is my favorite reason for including them in my meal plan whenever possible. In terms of weight loss, the fat, protein, and fiber are part of what makes avocados so satiating. These factors dull hunger and reduce cravings which make the brain produce more leptin.
Leptin is the hormone that signals the feeling of fullness. Therefore, avocados curb your appetite and you stop eating! The nutrient density and appetite suppressant effects are still only part of the powerful benefits of avocados.
In my opinion, avocados are the perfect weight-loss food. There’s just no reason not to add avocado to your grocery list unless of course, you don’t like the taste of them. And, even if you do, there are still other reasons to make use of this incredible fruit.
My love of avocados is still fairly new so I haven’t quite explored all the ways to incorporate them into my nutrition plan. However, when I do have avocado on hand, I find that adding ½ of an avocado chopped to a salad creates a creamy risk texture that reminds me of a rich creamy dressing.
Store-bought creamy salad dressings are full of unhealthy oils and other unnecessary ingredients that will negate the health benefits of eating a fresh salad.
Adding some avocado on top of a bowl of fresh salad greens is not only delicious but also helps you absorb all the nutrients from the vegetables, which is the whole point in eating vegetables, am I right?
If you want to be creative, avocado, in my opinion, can take an otherwise boring dish to the next level. For example, when you add sliced avocado to an omelet with fresh salsa and black beans, your meal is suddenly way more interesting.
Sometimes depending on my appetite, protein shakes that claim to be meal replacements never keep me full for more than a couple of hours even if I add berries. However, adding in a little avocado gives a protein shake a more substance which is perfect for turning a protein shake or smoothie into an actual meal.
How To Ripen And Store Avocado
I find it helps to buy a few avocados that aren’t ripened so that I can have some on hand for several days. You can store them in the vegetable drawer in the refrigerator. This little trick has allowed me to preserve an avocado much longer.
When you want an avocado to ripen, storing it in a paper bag for 2 days will speed up this process. Once the avocado is ripened, cut it in half, drizzle the used portion with fresh lemon juice and store it for later in an airtight container in the fridge.
Make sure you only store the avocado in the container for no more than 2 days. Don’t worry if you see the surface turn brown, you can carefully scrape off the surface area and eat the rest.
The Powerful Benefits Of Avocados As Part Of A Beauty Routine
Studies show that our bodies have accumulated toxins over time from using the beauty products we buy in stores on a regular basis. This is why the powerful health benefits of avocados go beyond your plate. Avocados can be part of your beauty routine as a safe, natural alternative to using the skin and hair care products sold in stores.
The Powerful Health Benefits of Avocados Goes Beyond Your Plate:
- Avocado For Natural Skin Care. Just as there are recipes for consuming avocado, there are endless DIY skin care recipes that include avocado. Because of its nutrient profile, avocados have great non-toxic anti-aging benefits, and can effectively soothe and moisturize irritated skin.
- Avocado For Natural Hair Care. Avocado oil can serve as a luxurious deep conditioner to help protect even color-treated hair from dryness and heat damage. The antioxidants and moisturizing properties of avocado replenish and strengthen hair making it soft and lustrous.
More and more people are beginning to use natural products to simplify their beauty regimen. Choosing natural products for your skincare is a cost-effective way to help reduce toxins and avoid health complications later on.
Conclusion
The powerful benefits of avocado for weight loss and well being cannot be overstated. Between its nutrient profile and versatility, it’s easily considered the ultimate anti-aging superfood.
The skin is our largest organ and absorbs approximately 60% of what you put on it. If you are trying to reduce your exposure to toxins, avoiding commercial cosmetic creams and lotions is a great place to start. A good rule of thumb is to avoid putting anything on your skin that you wouldn’t ingest.
Do you love avocados and include them in your nutrition plan? Have you ever tried using avocado as part of your beauty routine?
Please share in the comments!
https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/270406#risks
https://www.californiaavocado.com/nutrition/nutrients
Thanks for sharing all this info. I’ve never used avocadoes for beauty uses but may have to try.