September 16 is international Guacamole Day so its time to avo-go and guac it out. Guacamole was the brain child of the Aztecs and was originally made with avocados, chilli, tomatoes, onions, and salt. Today there are many variations on this Mexican classic, but whatever your secret recipe there’s three key ingredients that give guac its nutritional nous, and that are the reason that your body is cheering for international guacamole day.
- 1. The good kind of dense
Avocados are naturally nutrient dense. Along with other essential nutrients they contain the good kind of fats, antioxidant Vitamins E and C to protect your cells from damage, niacin and Vitamin B6 that both help combat tiredness and fatigue as well as potassium an important nutrient for healthy muscles.
- 2. A healthy habit
Research from the U.S. has shown that people who eat avocados had better overall diet quality, ate more vitamins and minerals like Vitamins E, K, magnesium, and potassium and also had a lower body weight than those people who didn’t report eating avocados. So why not start this healthy habit today?
- 3. Nutrient Booster
The good fats in avocados help your body absorb essential fat soluble nutrients like Vitamin A and vitamin E. Vitamin A is important for healthy vision and supporting our immune system. Vitamin E is an antioxidant vitamin that helps protect our cells from free radical damage. This means that you’re not only getting all the wonderful nutrients in avocados, but you’re also helping absorb nutrients from other foods, like tomatoes.
- 4. Antioxidant defences
Tomatoes contain an antioxidant called Lycopene. Lycopene is a carotenoid that gives tomatoes their red colour. Tomatoes are also rich in Vitamin C, another antioxidant.
Antioxidants are important as they help protect the cells in our body from attack and damage that can result in inflammation. That’s why eating a diet with plenty of antioxidants from fruits and vegetables is important for our health.
- 5. The friendly bugs
You’ve probably heard of the friendly bugs or good bacteria that live in our digestive system. While research in this area is relatively new, it’s clear that these bugs otherwise known as our gut microbiota play an essential role in our health. Prebiotics are a special kind of fibre that is important for healthy gut microbiota.
Onions naturally contain a prebiotic called inulin. Our body can’t digest inulin so it stays in our gut and provides food for the good bugs which helps them to grow and in turn supports our gut health.
Whether you add coriander, jalapenos, chilli flakes or another favourite ingredient to your guacamole, the best part is: its veggies! And you can never go wrong adding more veggies to your plate. I’ve said it before and I’m sure I’ll say it again, less than 4% of Australians are eating enough vegetables – its just plain crazy. So guac this way, and celebrate international guacamole day by adding some guacamole to your day. You know your body will thank you.
 Fulgoni VL, Dreher M and Davenport A. Avocado Consumption is Associated with Better Diet Quality and Nutrient Intake, and Lower Metabolic Syndrome Risk in US Adults: Results from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) 2001-2008. Nutrition Journal. 2013; 12:1