Good for your intestines and 6 more health benefits of avocado
Avocado on toast, in a salad or in sushi: many of us love it. And although the fruit (yes really, avocado is not a vegetable!) Contains a relatively high amount of fat and calories, an avocado has many health benefits for that very reason.
Recent research shows that avocado is good for gut health, but that’s not the only thing that makes it so healthy.
1. Good for your intestines
Recent research, published in the Journal of Nutrition, shows that people who eat an avocado daily have better gut health than people who never consume such a fatty fruit. The healthy intestinal bacteria are stimulated by avocado to break down fiber and reduce the amount of unhealthy acid. As a result, they have a better digestion and therefore fewer intestinal complaints. Eating avocado every day would also ensure that you absorb less unhealthy fats in your intestines. So, two gut health benefits, but that’s not all the avocado has to offer.
2. Avocado contains more potassium than a banana
Bananas are known as true potassium bombs, but avocado contains even more of this substance. Potassium is a relatively unknown substance, but it is very important for your body. Among other things, it plays a role in the functioning of your nerves and muscles, and contributes to a healthy cardiovascular system. A potassium deficiency can cause unpleasant symptoms, so it is wise to keep it up with an avocado from time to time.
3. Packed with healthy fats
A whopping 77 percent of all calories in an avocado come from the healthy fats it contains. You probably knew that an avocado is full of those fats, but what are the health benefits? The fat in the avocado is mainly oleic acid, an unsaturated fat. This form of fat helps to reduce the ‘bad’ LDL cholesterol, among other things. High cholesterol can cause blocking your arteries and lead to cardiovascular disease. Due to the health benefits of this type of fat, avocado can contribute to good heart health. Olive oil, fatty fish and nuts also contain this type of oleic acid.
4. It can help with weight loss
An avocado is high in fat and calories, so it may not be the first thing you think of when you want to lose weight. Yet it can actually contribute to weight loss, research shows. For example, people who eat avocado with a meal would get 23 percent more satisfaction from eating and 28 percent less appetite in the five hours after the meal. If that works in the longer term, it would make it easier to eat fewer calories.
5. Avocados can help prevent type 2 diabetes
Researchers at the University of Guelma in Algeria discovered in 2019 that a substance found only in avocados can inhibit cellular processes in the pancreas. And not just any cells: they are the cells that play an important role in the development of insulin resistance and type 2 diabetes. It concerns the substance Avocatin B, which prevents the body from producing excessive insulin. You can read more about this here.
6. Lots of fiber
This one should not be missing from the list of health benefits of avocado: it is full of healthy dietary fiber. Many of the well-known spreads, such as: eggs, sprinkles or cheese, contain little fiber. Avocado on bread is therefore a good option. By combining an avocado with bread and egg, you get a nice meal with carbohydrates, fiber and protein. And those fibers have all kinds of health benefits: they help you feel full for longer help stabilize your blood sugar and ensure good digestion.
