It is time for another Food Friday and today the focus is on the avocado. Which some may just refer to as guacumole ;)
The avocado fruit is native to Mexico and Central America. Mexico produces about 3 times as many avocados as the 2nd place country Chile. Avocados are most popular for being used to make guacamole. One of the best attributes of an avocado is their "good fats" content. In a single cup of sliced avocado, there are 21 grams of fat. Of that 21 grams of fat only 2 are saturated. By doing simple math you can figure that the other 19 are unsaturated. The benefits of unsaturated fat consumption include heart health, increased good cholesterol, and a decreased risk of stroke and heart attack. Avocados are also packed with omega-3 fats. Omega-3's of course are good for heart health, a healthy brain, and low triglycerides.
What may be more special about avocados though is their high content of antioxidants. Avocados are great sources of carotenoids. Check out the list below to see the individual carotenoids and their benefits.
Alpha-carotene: Healthy skin, bones, vision, immune system
Beta-carotene: Healthy skin, bones, vision, immune system
Beta-cryptoxanthin: Healthy skin, bones, vision, immune system
Lutein: Healthy eyes, protects skin from UV damage, anti-cancer and anti-inflammatory
Zeaxanthin: Protects eyes from UV damage and disease
Additionally, avocados are good sources of fiber, vitamins C & K, potassium, and folate.
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