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Avocado rich in minerals and vitamins

Homepage Articles Avocado rich in minerals and vitamins

Avocado rich in minerals and vitamins

The avocado is a fruit of the green Persea Mill tree. It belongs to the ovary family. It does not occur naturally in Poland. It is a rather unusual fruit. It contains almost no sugar at all.

Table of Contents

1. The nutritional value of avocado

Avocado has many supporters in Europe, where an average of 1 kg of avocado is consumed per capita per year. The fruit is mainly imported from Peru, Chile, Colombia, South America, Israel, and Mexico. In recent years, avocados have become so popular that there are legitimate concerns that our suppliers will not be able to meet the growing demand. Why did we do this at this point? Perhaps for health reasons. Avocado is known mainly for the beneficial fatty acids that are found in its meat. However, not everything that can offer this unusual fruit acidity.

2. Avocado has a high content of vitamins

Avocado contains high amounts of vitamins C, E, and K. Vitamins C and E are high in antioxidant activity. What can we do? Everything indicates that vitamin C is beneficial for a healthy heart. It is especially recommended for people who smoke, are obese, are overweight, have high cholesterol, hypertension, and have type 2 diabetes. Studies have even shown that consuming vitamin C in the right doses reduces the likelihood of having a heart attack.

3. Avocado content of mineral ingredients

The key minerals found in avocados are potassium and magnesium. This is yet another argument that eating this fruit can be beneficial for the cardiovascular system. It has been repeatedly shown that a diet high in potassiums and low in sodium has a hypotensive effect contributes to lowering blood pressure. However, this effect is observed only in people who have hypertension.

4. Avocados are a source of valuable fatty acids

That's why avocado contains high doses of monounsaturated fatty acids (MUFA) and polyunsaturates (PUFA). This is why it's a great alternative to butter. Butter as an animal fat is mostly saturated fatty acid (SFA), which when consumed in large amounts can contribute to lipid disorders. The American Heart Association recommends replacing SFA with MUFA and PUFA.

5. The source of the carotenoids

The main subclass of carotenoids present in avocados are xanthophyls (including lutein or zeaxanthin). Most of these compounds contain mercury, which is found right next to the skin. The closer you get to the peel, the lower the concentration of carrotenoids.

6. Avocado/Soybean Unsaponifiables

ASU is a mixture of avocado and soybean oil extracts, made up of one-third of avocados and two-thirds of soybeans. It contains, among other things, vitamins that are best soluble in fat and sterols. It has been shown that ASU has a very beneficial effect on relieving the symptoms of inflammation of the joints.

Source

Christiansen B.A. et al., Management of Osteoarthritis with Avocado/Soybean Unsaponifiables, „Cartilage” 2015, 6(1), 30–44.
Dreher M. L. et al., Hass avocado composition and potential health effects, „Critical Reviews in Food Science and Nutrition” 2013, 53(7), 738–750.