AvocaDo or AvocaDon’t: The Facts Behind the Fats

Avocados have become everyone’s favorite addition to meals. They’re the perfect companion to a bacon, egg and cheese breakfast sandwich, and the fourth wheel on a BLT in the afternoon. Avocados have been bringing the “healthy” to meals everywhere. Chipotle even charges us extra to slap guac onto our burrito bowls, but, no matter the price, we can’t live without the stuff.

With the increasing popularity of this aesthetically beautiful fruit, VALLEY began to wonder, ‘Is this really a “healthy” fat?’ What gives avocados their reputation of being healthy? In reality, what are the facts behind the fats?

Let’s start with the benefits. Avocados provide a ton of nutrients to benefit your health and body functions. They contain tons of vitamins and minerals such as B vitamins, vitamin K, vitamin E, vitamin C, potassium and copper. They’re also very high in fiber and unlike almost any other fruit, that’s right a fruit, they are extremely low in sugar.

Avocados also contain antioxidants which provide many important nutritional benefits that will affect long-term health. They are known to reduce the risk of heart disease, increase satiety and weight loss efforts and reduce symptoms of arthritis. There is a common misconception about the fats in avocados in reference to weight loss effects. While they are high in fat, the addition of avocado to meals makes people feel full faster and longer. This encourages them to eat less often and indulge in smaller portion sizes.

Like every type of food, fruits and vegetables included, too much of a good thing isn’t exactly a good thing. Overindulgence can hinder the weight loss people are attempting to promote. While avocados are known as a “healthy fat,” too much of them can be bad for your health as well.

If you’re like most Americans, you’re indulging in your avocado fix now more than ever. But how much are you eating per day? A single avocado contains about 22 grams of fat— that’s about half of your daily intake based on a standard 2000 calorie diet. The recommended amount of avocado per day is about one-fifth of a fruit. This may seem like nothing to some people, but VALLEY is here to tell you that eating a whole avocado won’t kill you.

It’s important to balance your fat intake each day, especially if you’re looking to lose a few pounds. All in all, avocados health benefits are tremendous and their fat is healthy fat.