Everybody know that avocados are the standout selection in the produce aisle. While most fruit has a lot of carbohydrates, avocado is high in healthy fats. In fact, many studies show that it offers excellent health benefits. It’s also the go-to ingredient to make guacamole for friends and family. Lately, avocados are also turning up in everything from smoothies to salads and even brownies. And, they also happen to be the perfect fruit to eat on the keto diet, which is a high fat, low carb diet that can do wonders. In the keto diet avocados are a staple, so if you happen to love avocados, you’re in for a treat. The Body Reboot book discusses avocados and other fruits that have powerful health benefits and are perfect for eating on this diet. Now let’s take a look at some of the proven health benefits of this popular fruit – they’re impressive!

Healthline tells us all about this superfood and what some of the most abundant nutrients are in it:

Avocado is the fruit of the avocado tree, scientifically known as Persea americana.

This fruit is prized for its high nutrient value and is added to various dishes due to its good flavor and rich texture. It is the main ingredient in guacamole.

These days, the avocado has become an incredibly popular food among health-conscious individuals. It’s often referred to as a superfood, which is not surprising given its health properties.

There are many types of avocado that vary in shape and color — from pear-shaped to round and green to black. They can also weigh anywhere from 8 ounces (220 grams) to 3 pounds (1.4 kg).

The most popular variety is the Hass avocado.

It’s often called “alligator pear,” which is very descriptive, as it tends to be pear-shaped and has green, bumpy skin like an alligator.

The yellow-green flesh inside the fruit is eaten, but the skin and seed are discarded.

Avocados are very nutritious and contain a wide variety of nutrients, including 20 different vitamins and minerals.

Here are some of the most abundant nutrients, in a single 3.5-ounce (100-gram) serving (3):

Vitamin K: 26% of the daily value (DV)

Folate: 20% of the DV

Vitamin C: 17% of the DV

Potassium: 14% of the DV

Vitamin B5: 14% of the DV

Vitamin B6: 13% of the DV

Vitamin E: 10% of the DV

It also contains small amounts of magnesium, manganese, copper, iron, zinc, phosphorous and vitamins A, B1 (thiamine), B2 (riboflavin) and B3 (niacin).

This is coming with 160 calories, 2 grams of protein and 15 grams of healthy fats. Although it contains 9 grams of carbs, 7 of those are fiber, so there are only 2 “net” carbs, making this a low-carb friendly plant food.

Avocados do not contain any cholesterol or sodium and are low in saturated fat. This is why they are favored by some experts who believe these substances are harmful, which is a debated topic, however.

Crit Rev Food Sci Nutr. 2013 discusses avocado’s health properties by revealing its high nutrient value. Wow, it has got a ton of vitamins and nutrients!

Hass avocados, the most common commercial avocado cultivars in the world, contain a variety of essential nutrients and important phytochemicals. Although the official avocado serving is one-fifth of a fruit (30 g), according to NHANES analysis the average consumption is one-half an avocado (68 g), which provides a nutrient and phytochemical dense food consisting of the following: dietary fiber (4.6 g), total sugar (0.2 g), potassium (345 mg), sodium (5.5 mg), magnesium (19.5 mg), vitamin A (43 μg), vitamin C (6.0 mg), vitamin E (1.3 mg), vitamin K1 (14 μg), folate (60 mg), vitamin B-6 (0.2 mg), niacin (1.3 mg), pantothenic acid (1.0 mg), riboflavin (0.1 mg), choline (10 mg), lutein/zeaxanthin (185 μg), phytosterols (57 mg), and high-monounsaturated fatty acids (6.7 g) and 114 kcals or 1.7 kcal/g. The avocado oil consists of 71% monounsaturated fatty acids (MUFA), 13% polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA), and 16% saturated fatty acids (SFA), which helps to promote healthy blood lipid profiles and enhance the bioavailability of fat soluble vitamins and phytochemicals from the avocado or other fruits and vegetables, naturally low in fat, which are consumed with avocados. There are eight preliminary clinical studies showing that avocado consumption helps support cardiovascular health. Exploratory studies suggest that avocados may support weight management and healthy aging.

WebMD explains the fat content (which you don’t need to worry about if you’re on a high fat, low carb diet), and the total amount of calories in an avocado. As they reiterate, it has healthy fats which are perfectly fine to eat and excellent for your body:

Avocados are high in fat. But it's monounsaturated fat, which is a “good” fat that helps lower bad cholesterol, as long as you eat them in moderation.

Avocados have a lot of calories. The recommended serving size is smaller than you’d expect: 1/3 of a medium avocado (50 grams 0r 1.7 ounces). One ounce has 50 calories.

CNN further discusses why, in particular, the monounsaturated fats found in avocados are healthy for you. They also include a few ways to eat avocados. Though, if you're considering going on the keto diet, we would recommend staying away from avocado toast. 😉 

Monounsaturated fats are good for your health in many ways, such as helping lower your “bad” LDL cholesterol levels and being high in vitamin E, which promotes healthy vision, a healthy immune system and other benefits, according to the US National Library of Medicine.

“In addition, the relatively high fat content in avocados is associated with a low glycemic response, which is the tendency of a food to raise blood glucose,” Hensrud said. “Evidence from large populations studies suggests that consumption of monounsaturated fats such as contained in avocados decreases overall mortality.”

How could you get those health benefits? Avocado toast has become a trendy way to consume the buttery fruit in the US, but Jenna Stangland, a registered dietitian at the physical therapy clinic Viverant in the Minneapolis area, said there are many other ways to include avocado in your daily diet.

“Avocado oil I think is getting to be easier to find in the grocery stores and more common as a type of oil to use in cooking or a marinade or as an ingredient in a homemade salad dressing, and then that oil contains the healthier fats rather than an oil that would have higher saturated fats,” Stangland said. Avocado has a very high smoke point, the temperature at which oil starts to smoke, which makes it a good choice for cooking.

If you want glowing skin and healthy body avocados can help with that. Very Well Fit dishes about avocados impressible beauty-boosting nutrients and how it helps with beauty and eye health, to name a few beauty benefits.

The avocado is packed with vitamins, minerals, and essential fatty acids that are great for your skin. In fact, women have been making hydrating face masks using avocado for centuries. Here's a closer look at some of the beautifying nutrients packed into this stone fruit.

Vitamin C

This immune-boosting compound also helps with tissue growth and repair and is also necessary to form collagen (a protein that gives skin its elasticity).

Vitamin E

This antioxidant protects against free radicals, which damage the skin and other parts of your body.

Lutein

This compound, which helps boost eye health, may also help protect the skin against harsh UV damage.

Monounsaturated fats

These fats help your body absorb key nutrients and plant compounds, allowing your skin to reap as many benefits as possible from the avocado. Plus, studies show that higher intakes of total dietary fat are associated with greater skin elasticity. This is especially important as we age because skin elasticity automatically decreases.

Carotenoids

These compounds help protect against the damage caused by UV rays. The more produce you eat (including avocados), the higher concentration of carotenoids in your body.

As a bonus, we include a few ways to eat avocados courtesy of NBC:

Protein-rich edamame is whirled with avocado and flavorful seasonings to bring you this bright dip. Like other bean-based foods, this dip gets extra credit: Because beans are rich in nutrients, they count toward your veggie-quota as well as your protein requirements. Score extra points by using vegetable dunkers, like red pepper strips or carrot coins. Whole grain chips and crackers are healthy alternatives.

To satisfy a craving for mint chocolate chip ice cream in a healthier way, all you need are popsicle molds, medjool dates, avocado, mint leaves, and mint chocolate chips. For under 150 calories, you’ll have a luxurious and creamy treat.

There are other foods you can eat on the keto diet, such as berries and eggs. Basically, all of the fats go, and you can also get away with the not so healthy fats from time to time too! Learn more about the keto diet, how it works, and how we can offer you support in the Body Reboot book. We want your body reboot to be a success! To receive your free book, help us cover the cost of shipping and visit this page today.

Sources: Healthline, NCBI: Crit Rev Food Sci Nutr. 2013, WebMD, CNN, VeryWellFit, NBC News