Tuesday 6 December 2016

Nutritional composition and health benefits of “AVOCADO PEAR”

Many persons enjoy taking avocados. For some it is a fruit, another group considers it simply a “food additive”, while yet another class consider it as a medicinal fruit.
Avocado Pears
Have you ever bothered to know more about those green-skinned, fleshy-bodied fruit that may be pear-shaped, egg-shaped or spherical with a single brown seed in them?
Avocado with its botanical name as “Persea Americana” is a fruit tree that is native to South Central Mexico, classified as a member of the flowering plant family Lauraceae.
In the United Kingdom, it is termed “avocado pear”. It is known as “butter fruit” in some parts of India and in Eastern China it is known as “alligator pear” or “butter fruit”.

Nutritional Composition of Avocado

Avocados offer nearly 20 vitamins and minerals in every serving, some of which are:
  1. Potassium: which helps control blood pressure.
  2. Lutein: which is good for your eyes.
  3. Folate: which is crucial for cell repair and during pregnancy.
  4. B vitamins: which help you fight off disease and infection.
  5. Vitamins C and E, plus natural plant chemicals that may help prevent cancer, Vitamin K, Calcium, Iron, Magnesium, Zinc, Potassium, Water etc.
Wondering about the commercial benefits? Yes! Avocados are commercially valuable and are cultivated in tropical and Mediterranean climates throughout the world. Its trees are partially self-pollinating and are often propagated through grafting to maintain a predictable quality and quantity of the fruit.
Avocados and Calories
As against the widely spread myth about avocado which says “Avocado is very high in calories and can make you fatter than you are now”, the truth is avocados are high in calories but healthy and good calories.
The fibers and the good cholesterol present in the avocados are in fact beneficial for the body and can help reduce both body fat and bad cholesterol. Avocados are high in fat but it’s monounsaturated fat, which is a “good” fat that helps lower bad cholesterol, as long as you eat them in moderation.
The fibers helps you feel full longer. In one study, people who added a fresh avocado half to their lunch were less interested in eating during the next three hours.

Health Benefits of Avocado

Cancer: Adequate intake of folate from food has shown to protect against colon, stomach, pancreatic and cervical cancers.
Lowers risk of depression: Foods containing high level of folate may hell to decrease the risk of depression as folate helps to prevent the buildup of homocysteine which is a substance that can impair circulation and delivery of nutrients to the brain.
Improved digestion: Despite its creamy texture, an avocado is actually high in fiber. Eating fiber can help to prevent constipation, maintain a healthy digestive tract.
Other health benefits include:
  • Promotes weight loss
  • Boosts heart health
  • Lowers cholesterol
  • Eases arthritis symptoms
  • Absorbs other nutrients
  • Natural detoxification
  • protection from chronic disease like stroke, obesity, diabetes, etc.
Avocado is one of the healthiest fruits available in the world, as it improves your health.
Start eating avocados!

NOTE: This piece is written by Lolade Akinwande of Kokomansion Media and edited by Ayo Olowo

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