• Avocado – what do we know about it?
• Fat and calories that promote a healthier diet?
• How does avocado affect health?

We continue the series of articles in which we look at the health-promoting properties of various vegetables and fruits.

We've already covered why it's worth eating carrots, for example; we've also written about pumpkin , Brussels sprouts, and blueberries . Today, however, our attention turns to avocado, which is becoming increasingly popular in Poland and is used not only in vegan and vegetarian cuisine.

Avocado – what do we know about it?

Avocado, or more precisely, the avocado or the graceful avocado, is a species of specific, because still green, tree that has been known to humanity for almost... ten thousand years! This plant was originally cultivated in southern Mexico, but soon spread to other parts of the Americas—not only in Central and North America, but also in the South. The edible part of the avocado is its pear-shaped fruit. Inside the fruit is a large, inedible stone and edible pulp, which is an invaluable source of healthy fats, vitamins, and minerals. Interestingly, an average-sized avocado has between 350 and 400 calories—such a high calorie count is due to the overwhelming amount of healthy fats.

Fat and calories that promote a healthier diet?

As mentioned above, avocado is a high-calorie product, but we shouldn't be afraid of those calories. Why? It's simple: this fruit contains 20 to 30 percent fat, including monounsaturated fatty acids (omega-9), as well as unsaturated fatty acids (omega-3 and omega-6), which have a positive effect on immunity and can speed up and stimulate our metabolism for more productive work. But that's not all – avocado is also a source of fiber and numerous vitamins, including vitamins E, A, B1, B2, C, and K. This fruit is also characterized by a significant amount of potassium, and it also contains lutein and zeaxatin.

How does avocado affect health?

We have already listed the main ingredients that avocados consist of, so it is worth checking out how they affect human health.

• First of all: Avocado supports weight loss.
• Secondly, it has a positive effect on concentration and even inhibits memory loss.
• Thirdly, it cleanses the body of toxins, increases immunity and makes our skin smooth, firm and elastic.
• Fourth, it lowers blood pressure and cholesterol levels.
• Fifthly, it improves the function of the digestive system and ensures, among other things, the liver, stomach and intestines.
• Sixth, it improves the nervous system and allows you to maintain appropriate blood sugar levels.
• And finally, seventhly, it allows you to effectively take care of the health of our eyes.

So, to answer the question in the title of today's post – yes, it's definitely worth including avocado in your menu planning for the coming days or weeks. However, it's worth remembering the correct portion size of this fruit, as it's a great source of fat in our diet but contains a high amount of calories. It's also worth remembering that our diet should be varied in terms of different macronutrient sources.