Abundance Of Wellness

Avocados, I just love them, and thankfully so do my family.  Come to my place, and you will nearly always find this beautiful green fruit on our dinner table.  When I was growing up, eating avocado was a real luxury, and something that was not readily available.  My children, on the other hand have grown up with them – they were eating avocados before they could walk .  Anyway, I wanted to share with you today, the many great health benefits of avocado, as well as its wonderful versatility.

An Interesting Little Fact You May Not Know About The Awesome Avocado

Through my studies with Don Tolman, I was fascinated to learn that the avocado targets the female reproductive organs, and that its name was originally derived from a word meaning the womb or cervix.  If you cut an avocado in half, the shape containing the swollen seed is similar to that of a pregnant woman.  Not only that, did you know that it takes 9 months (40 weeks), for an avocado to grow into the ripen fruit ready for eating?!  Bottom line is, if you’re dealing with any issues relating to the reproductive system, eat more avocado!

My Summary Of The Health Benefits of Avocado

Here is my list of the great health benefits of avocado, and why I always make sure that it’s a staple on our healthy shopping list.

• They are a great source of many essential vitamins and minerals, including vitamins A, B, C, E and K; as well as calcium, copper, iron, magnesium and potassium.
• The B vitamin, folate, is essential for pregnant women to help protect their unborn baby.
• Contain lots of dietary fiber, great for those suffering from constipation and hemorrhoids.
• The potassium content helps to regulate blood pressure, and is important in the prevention of heart disease and strokes.
• Can help to protect against certain types of cancer including breast, cervical and prostate.
• It’s a complete protein, containing all 9 essential amino acids. Furthermore, it is actually a more usable source of protein for the body, than a piece of beef steak!
• Helps to stabilize blood sugar levels.
• A great natural remedy for bad breath.
• Contrary to popular belief, avocado is not fattening, and can actually help with weight loss, as its dietary fiber helps to give you that feeling of fullness.  This does cause some confusion, as many believe that avocado is fattening; however this fruit is mostly made up of mono saturated fat, which is the good type of fat that we all need.
• Another great health benefit of avocado is that it helps to lower bad cholesterol levels and increase good ones.  Cholesterol does not come from plant sources, but rather is either made by the body, or taken into the body from eating animal products.
• Its antioxidant content helps to slow down the aging process.
• Its anti inflammatory properties make it a great choice for sufferers of arthritis, as well as those suffering from asthma and eczema (you can in fact, rub avocado oil into the skin, as it helps to hydrate dry skin).
• Adding avocado to your salads can actually help to increase the absorption of carotenoids, which are important in protecting the body against conditions such as heart disease and cancer.

There are so many great health benefits of avocado, and in addition to this, it is incredibly versatile.  With its beautiful creamy, buttery taste, why not substitute it for butter on your sandwich?  Alternatively cut one in half, grab a spoon, and eat it straight out of the shell.  My family also love eating it as a dip with our favorite crackers and raw vegetables, such as carrot.  I sometimes add it to my green smoothie, giving it a lovely creamy texture. So, what is your favorite way to eat an avocado?

Hilary

Abundance Of Wellness Advocate

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