What Are the Health Benefits and Nutrients of Avocados?
Avocados boost your vegetable intake, helping you consume the 3 cups of veggies the U.S. Department of Agriculture recommends daily for men or the 2.5 cups recommended each day for women. Avocados contain healthy fats, and also offer other nutrients essential to your health. However, since they pack a hefty caloric punch -- 384 calories per cup -- you should consume avocados in moderation.
Vitamin B-5, or pantothenic acid, plays a number of physiological roles in your body. It activates coenzyme A, a protein that helps you produce steroid hormones -- such as estrogen and testosterone -- as well as cholesterol. Vitamin B-5 also aids in nervous system function by helping you produce acetylcholine, a chemical your nerve cells need to communicate, and by maintaining healthy myelin, the fatty substance that coats each nerve and aids in speedy nerve transmission. Each avocado half you eat contains 1 milligram of vitamin B-5, or 20 percent of your recommended daily pantothenic acid intake, according to the Linus Pauling Institute.
Avocados also contain folate, or vitamin B-9, a nutrient that aids in cell growth. You need folate to produce new DNA, a process essential for cell division. Consuming folate might protect against stroke, according to the Office of Dietary Supplements, and low levels of folate correlate with an increased risk of depression. The folate in avocados also benefits expecting mothers, since getting enough folate is important for early development of the fetal nervous system. Consuming half of an avocado boosts your folate intake by 61 micrograms and provides 15 percent of the RDA, according to the Office of Dietary Supplements.
Avocados benefit your digestive and cardiovascular health because of their fiber content. Fiber helps slow the release of sugar into your bloodstream after a meal, helping to regulate your blood sugar levels. It lowers your blood cholesterol, preventing high cholesterol levels that increase your risk of heart disease. In addition, fiber loosens your stool to prevent constipation. A diet rich in fiber might also help fight colon cancer. Each avocado half contains 4.6 grams of dietary fiber, approximately 18 percent of the recommended fiber intake for women and 12 percent for men, according to Colorado State University.
Serving Tips and Meal Ideas
Incorporate avocados into a range of healthy recipes. Use avocados in your smoothies instead of yogurt -- not only do avocados lack the harmful saturated fat and added sugar found in some yogurt varieties, they represent a plant-based option for those following a vegetarian or vegan diet. Puree avocado and roasted garlic to make a creamy sauce for whole-wheat pasta, and used mashed avocado in your wraps and sandwiches. Alternatively, mix avocados, black beans, chopped tomatoes, onions and quinoa for a healthy and hearty salad.
Sylvie Tremblay holds a Master of Science in molecular and cellular biology and has years of experience as a cancer researcher and neuroscientist. Based in Ontario, Canada, Tremblay is an experienced journalist and blogger specializing in nutrition, fitness, lifestyle, health and biotechnology, as well as real estate, agriculture and clean tech.