Avocados are good for you

by Jen (May 23, 2008)

If you think “fat is bad”, you’re missing out on some good foods. There are different kinds of fat, and some of them have nothing to do with weight gain and everything to do with improving your health. Fats that boost your bad cholesterol are bad. Fats that boost your good cholesterol actually helps keep arteries clean and protect against heart disease. Avocados are loaded with good cholesterol boosting fat. And they taste fabulous.

Avocados are one rich, delicious food you can’t believe is good for you, but it is. You can put slices of avocado on a dish, mash it up with a little onion powder to make guacamole dip, or spread it thinly on sandwiches in place of mayo. You can also eat an avocado all by itself, with or without a little salt.

Avocados also contain nutrients that seem to protect people from strokes, cancer and Alzheimer’s, and reduce the risk factors for birth defects. They’re great for babies, children and pregnant women because they’re one of the few foods that provide babies with much-needed good fat, which promotes mind and eye development.

If you’re concerned about keeping your weight down, the only thing you need to consider about avocados is the amount of calories. A whole avocado can be over 300 calories, so be aware of this when deciding how much you’re going to eat. The best way to make avocado work for both your weight maintenance and your health is to replace “empty calorie” items with it. For example, try avocado in place of cheese or mayo in your recipes. Instead of making fat free ranch dip for your (no trans-fat, please) potato chip snacks, make a thin guacamole dip that doesn’t break the chips (mashed avocado, watered down slightly).

Avocados are one of the easiest foods to incorporate into your diet. They’re highly versatile and easy to serve.

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