Fitness Together Georgia

Often, I get asked, “is it okay to eat avocados?”  My answer is a resounding “yes!”  Unlike other fruits where you may be concerned about getting too much sugar (which shouldn’t be a concern), you may be concerned with the amount of fat in an avocado.

 

It’s true, avocados have plenty of fat, which is why you should eat them sparingly.  However, they are rich in Omega-3 fatty acids (in alpha linoleic form) which is an essential nutrient (a nutrient your body requires).  These Omega-3’s help fight against cardiovascular disease and are usually most abundant in fish.  This makes avacodos great for vegans, sense it’s one of the view plant based foods full of Omega-3’s.

 

Another abundant nutrient in avocado is vitamin K.  It is a fat soluable vitamin that your body needs for blood clotting.  Considering the flesh of the avocado is quite soft, you may be surprised that there is 10 grams of fibers in a cup.  Seventy-five percent of the fiber is soluable fiber which is great for cardiovascular health.

 

Other nutrients in avocados is potassium (more so than bananas), vitamin C, vitamin E, and folate. 

 

If you eat a lot of avocados, then you may be get too much fat. However, if you eat them sparingly, the health benefits will outweight the risks.  Avocados are great to eat in slices as a side dish with just about any meal.  Of course, you can’t forget about guacomole (guacamole recipe).

 

 

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written by
Kelly Huggins
Exercise Science, B.S.
Fitness and Nutrition Coach
Fitness Together North Buckhead
Men’s Health Examiner writer