Why Avocados Are The Key To Your Health!

I know what you’re thinking. Avocados can’t be the only thing in life that keeps us healthy. And…you’re right! They aren’t the only thing, but they do offer some pretty fabulous health benefits that can put you on a much healthier path when it comes to your diet. These fruits are considered superfoods, foods that are nutrient-rich and especially beneficial for health and well-being. But what makes this fruit a superfood anyway? I’m going to break it all down for you right here.

Fat
Avocados are known for being very high in fat content. In fact just 1 cup of avocados contains 21 grams. That’s 32% fat! This may seem like a lot, but what you may not know is that there are different types of fat and not all fat is created equal. Avocados contain healthy fats (mainly monounsaturated & polyunsaturated) that are great for supporting things like blood clotting, muscle movement, building cell membranes and coverings of nerves, and may be linked to reduced inflammation, a lower risk of heart disease, and anti-cancer effects. Plus, the fat in avocados is what makes them super filling. They are the perfect ingredient to add to a salad or sandwich if you want those to last you a little longer! And fat is also helpful in stabilizing blood sugar levels. Again, we’re talking healthy fats, but it’s a great option for managing blood sugar during the day.

Antioxidants
According to the Mayo Clinic, antioxidants are substances that may protect your cells against free-radicals, which cause oxidation and may play a role in heart disease, cancer and other diseases. We pick up free-radicals when we exercise, break down food, through exposure to toxins in our environment amongst others. The solution is to eat foods that are rich in antioxidants to combat the damage that free-radicals do. Lucky for us, avocados are one of the foods that contain high amounts of antioxidants.

Vitamins + Minerals
You’ve probably never looked into this before, but avocados contain tons of vitamins and minerals. Here’s a list of some of the vitamins and minerals they contain and their benefits to the body.

Vitamin K - Used to support bone health and is especially helpful in preventing fractures
Vitamin B6 - Supports a healthy brain and nervous system
Vitamin B5 - Helps to metabolize fats, proteins, carbs and supports proper hormone production
Vitamin C - Powerful antioxidant and it’s crucial for serotonin production
Zinc - Supports hormone production and boosting of the immune system
Iron - Enhances oxygen transport supporting energy production
Fiber - Keeps digestive system happy and fabulous for supporting people with diabetes, cholesterol issues or weight
Folate - The natural form of folic acid; it helps synthesize and repair DNA used in cell division and growth (hence why it’s so important for women who are pregnant
Potassium - Maintains normal blood pressure
Copper - Helps prevent anemia

As you can see, avocados aren’t just that creamy, yummy salad topper or addition to tacos, but they really are super healthy for you and help support your overall wellness. So if you’re wondering how to add them into your diet, here are a few recipes we love out our house that you can try out.

*Side note, I’d recommend getting ORGANIC for any ingredient that’s part of the dirty dozen.

Recipe #1 - Avocado Toast
This is a simple easy breakfast if you’re pressed for time.
Here’s what you need: avocado, bread (we use Ezekiel bread because it uses sprouted grains and is organic, but you can choose any bread you like), cherry or grape tomatoes (or any tomatoes for that matter), hummus, and spinach
1. Toast your bread to your liking.
2. Spread the hummus on one side of each slice of bread.
3. Cut up avocado into slices and place them on top of the hummus.
4. Cut up cherry or grape tomatoes to add them on top of the avocado.
5. Top the whole thing with a few leaves of spinach.
6. Enjoy! You can eat them as an open faced sandwich or put the two sides together,

Recipe #2 - Avocado Egg Scramble
Another simple breakfast is to make an egg scramble with avocado on top.
Ingredients: avocado, eggs (as many as you like to eat), and frozen veggies (your choice)
1. Cook up some frozen veggies (we like the mediterranean blend from Whole Foods) until soft and almost done.
2. Then add in your eggs (we use 2 extra-large eggs) and mix them around until cooked.
3. Cut up avocado and set aside.
3. Remove egg scramble from pan onto a plate and add cut up avocado on top.
4. Add salt and pepper to your liking and enjoy!

Recipe #3 - Avocado Brown Rice/Quinoa Bowl
This is a filling idea for lunch or dinner, although you could eat it at really any meal, and it tastes delish!
Ingredients: olive oil, avocado, brown rice/quinoa, spinach, onion, your choice of meat (cod, shrimp, salmon, chicken, ground beef, or cauliflower if you’re vegan), black beans.
1. Bake your chicken in the oven ahead of time at 375 degrees for about 45 minutes or until cooked through but still tender (If using cod, shrimp, salmon, ground beef, or cauliflower you can fry them in a pan with olive oil). When finished, cut up your meat into chunks or pull apart into bite size pieces.
2. You will also need to cook 2 cups of brown rice or quinoa. Use the instructions on the package for water amount.
3. Next, sautée spinach and onions in a pan with olive oil until soft and slightly browned. While the spinach and onions are cooking, cut up your avocado and set aside.
4. Now scoop some rice into a bowl, add in the black beans, spinach, and onions. Now add your meat to the bowl and top with avocado.
5. Add salt and pepper to taste and enjoy!

Recipe #4 - Chicken Salad w/Avocado
This is a recipe that I make often and I’m certainly not the first person to put it together, but you can also change up the ingredients to your liking or to make it taste a little different each day.
Ingredients: bell peppers, spinach, arugula, avocado, baby carrots, apple, chicken breast, balsamic vinegar/red wine vinegar, and olive oil
1. Ahead of time cook chicken breasts in the oven at 375 degrees for about 45 minutes or until cooked through but still tender. Let cool, then cut into bite sized chunks (or you can just pull the chicken apart with your hands if your prefer). Keep in the refrigerator.
2. When you’re ready to make the salad start by cutting up the apple and avocado into chunks (You could also grate the apple if you prefer).
3. Next, in a mixing bowl add all the ingredients (spinach, bell peppers, arugula, avocado, baby carrots, apple, and chicken). Add in olive oil and either balsamic or red wine vinegar to taste. I also like to add in a little salt and pepper for added flavor, but it’s totally optional. Enjoy!

So that’s the skinny on avocados! Let me know what you think about them? Love ‘em? Hate ‘em? I’d love to hear all about your favorite ways of using them too so drop them in the comments below!