Avocado

I LOVE avocado. Avocado makes everything special!

Avocado is one of those foods that many people seem to be a bit frightened of eating too often because its high in calories due to a high fat content.  I don't worry about calories.  I eat avocados whenever I want to because they are so nutrient rich and the fat in them is good fat.  

Avocado is rich in many nutrients:  vitamins C, E, and K, folate, iron, potassium and magnesium and also contains smaller amounts of several other minerals.  Avocado is great for your skin, is a good source of fibre, helps to protect the liver and helps to lower cholesterol.  It contains oleic acid which can lower the risk of breast cancer, glutathione which also helps to protect against cancer and lutein which helps protect against eye cataracts and macular degeneration.

 

These days I eat avocado 4 or 5 times a week.  I put it in salads, spread it on toast topped with a boiled or poached egg, use it instead of cheese on a homemade hamburger, make guacamole by mashing and adding lemon juice, fresh herbs and garlic and spread it on steak, or chicken or use it as a dip.  I don't usually eat a lot of bread but on a recent camping holiday a good compromise between healthy and convenient turned out to be BBQ chicken and salad wraps for lunch.  I mashed and spread avocado over the wrap before adding the other ingredients.  With the creamy flavour of the avocado I didn't feel the need to add any store bought dressing or mayo that would be full of refined sugar and preservatives.

Avocado can be added to smoothies and I have even used it to make chocolate mousse!  The avocado gives the mousse a lovely texture.

For more nutritional information and inspiration about how to eat avocados visit the Australian Avocados website,  or here's an idea I have previously posted http://putthegoodstuffin.blogspot.com.au/2013/12/guacamole-topped-steak-with-rice.html

Sources:   http://m.avocado.org.au

100 Best Health Foods by Parragon www.parragon.com/lovefood

 

~ take every opportunity to put the good stuff in ~

This blog is about me, what I'm doing, what's working for me, and what's not. It includes my experiences and opinions. It is for general information only and is in no way intended to replace the advice of a health care professional.