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Discover The Healthy Benefits In Avocadoes!
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If you love avocadoes, you know that they are incredible when it comes to adding flavor to your meals. Not are avocadoes well known as an ingredient in guacamole, they make great garnishes for salad or even spreads on sandwiches. You can even eat avocadoes as a standalone snack — they are great with just a little olive oil and salt.
One of the facts about avocados you may not have realized is that they fall into the superfood category. That’s right! Avocadoes are packed with loads of micronutrients and components that make up a healthy diet. They are high in vitamins and minerals and also contain what many call the “good fats.”
If you’re a fan of avocadoes, you also know that they can work wonders when it comes to protecting yourself from diseases and health issues. For one, avocadoes help protect your heart. They can also pack a lot of nutrients to boost your immune system and prevent cancer. That is truly amazing! You may not know this, but avocadoes also work to protect your eyes and ears, so they actually protect your vision and your hearings. How cool is that?
Should I Keep the Pit?
When most people prepare an avocado, they throw away the pit. Nowadays we know that the seed found at the core of the avocado may contain some of the highest concentrations of antioxidants known to man! Just think, we were throwing this thing away the entire time!
In fact, the seed, or pit as it is commonly called, contains some of the highest concentrations of nutrients when compared to the rest of the fruit. The heart of the matter comes down to this. The pit of the avocado concentrates all of those powerful antioxidants into one place — the seed itself. Not only that, but the pit is a major source of fiber, which is incredibly important to keeping healthy. So how do you get into that pit and reap all the benefits for yourself? It can be a tough nugget to crack, for sure.
The easiest way to get nutritional value from the seed of the avocado is to dry it out and then grind it into a powder. To dry out your avocado seed, simply place it into the oven. Once the seed has dried out you can then chop or grate the pit. Once grated, the pit can be ground further to create a powder. If you like it more fine, keep grinding or try a spice grinder or blender. Once you get the consistency right, you can put the powder into smoothies or yogurt. Really, the possibilities are endless.
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Photo credit: bigstock.com
At the Heart of the Avocado
When you eat an avocado pit, you’re taking advantage of the antioxidants found within. Some studies have even suggested that over 80 percent of the nutrition of in an avocado can be found in the seed. That is some pretty powerful stuff!
In fact, when examined in a laboratory setting, testing found that the material within the avocado seed actually helped attack the chemicals associated with aging. So, essentially, eating the pit could reverse aging. That is a pretty major finding!
Doctors have also found that the compounds in avocado pits fend off major infections and kill bacteria. You also reap the benefits in the form of fiber, which help keep your colon healthy and wards off diabetes. Fiber is essential to keeping the human body healthy, and it has been known to help reset the human gut. Avocado seeds are good sources of fiber, and when paired with antioxidants, they deliver a one-two punch to the immune system.
All Hail the Mighty Avocado
Back in the day, avocados were resented and believed to be high in fat, but now we know that couldn’t be further from the truth. Avocadoes are actually high in fiber but have acceptable levels of saturated fats (the good kind).
The best thing about introducing avocadoes into your diet. The fiber found in them actually helps you feel satisfied and less prone to snacking between meals. When paired with a healthy diet, avocadoes can even help you lose weight by reducing the urge to snack. Couple that with fiber that aids your gut and promotes digestion and you’ll be reaping some major benefits. If you are keen to start adding avocado seed to your diet, you should be aware that the seed does have quite a potent taste.
In fact, the avocado seed can be very bitter on its own, which is why many people opt to mix it into their food. You can put the powder into a variety of recipes, even into spaghetti sauce, to handle the flavor.
You’ll still get all the benefits no matter how you decide to eat it and to top it off, avocado seed has actually been shown to reduce the risk of heart disease. It is also showing promise in the area of cancer prevention.
READ ALSO: Delicious Summer Treat: Vegan Avocado Ice Cream Video
If you can, give avocadoes another chance. If you love avocadoes, you may want to consider grinding up the seed, so that way you’ll get all the benefits available. Don’t worry about the fats associated with the avocado itself — when ingested in moderation these fats actually balance each other out and promote a healthier lifestyle through portion reduction. Now you can enjoy perfectly chosen avocadoes on a daily basis and know that you’re helping your heart and immune system through its powerful antioxidants. So go ahead, give avocadoes a try today!
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