Avocado, a Prized Fruit for Health – Conscious Generation

By Nadine Vattappara
On a hot summer afternoon, I ran into a small juice shop. Seated casually behind the table, I quickly browsed through the menu searching for something to quench my thirst. I saw an option which said butterfruit milkshake. Even though it was a sultry hot day, a small laugh escaped my lip because I thought to myself, “what a queer name?”. Determined to try it out, I placed the order and I waited for the order to reach me. Meanwhile, I searched online to know more about the then ‘mysterious fruit’.
Avocados are also called ‘alligator pear’ because of its tough skin and a leathery appearance. But in a certain part of India, this fruit is known as butterfruit. Due to the extra research and studies been done on this fruit people have started understanding its health benefits and therefore, the sale of avocado has gone up radically.
One of the amazing facts about avocado is that because of its thick skin preservatives cannot be used on this fruit. The thick skin also provides a natural resistance against insects and other pests. It is one of the safest foods which can be consumed on a regular basis. People won’t find a separate category called ‘organic avocado’ because everything about this fruit is organic.
Evidence in caves shows avocados have a long history dating back to centuries. This fruit has been part of Mexico for a really long time. Mayans (they lived in modern-day Mexico at 2600 B.C) and the Olmecs (they lived in modern-day Mexico in 1400B.C) were also its consumers. Later after the colonization, this fruit travelled to America and Europe and later to the rest of the world.
Like most fruits, avocado trees grow well in tropical, sub-tropical and equatorial areas. The fruit can weigh anything between 220 Gms to 1.4 kg. Like banana, this is also a climacteric fruit. Avocados get harvested early and later they ripen over time.
This fruit is rich in monounsaturated fats, which make its texture creamy and smooth. It contains a lot of fiber, vitamins, and minerals such as vitamin K, vitamin E, vitamin C and B-vitamins, potassium, and copper.
Health benefits include-
Anticancer properties: Researchers have proved that this fruit can decrease the risk of breast cancer and a few other types of cancer because this fruit has cell regeneration properties that help clear out the affected cancer cells from the body.
Improves overall health– This fruit improves the nutrient absorption in the body and this way, it helps people keep healthy, in spite of today’s poor dietary habits.
Great for Skin: This fruit has the “good” polyunsaturated and monounsaturated fats that are healthy for your system. It also prevents clogged arteries and bad circulation.
Protects eyes– This fruit is rich in antioxidants like Lutein and Zeaxanthin. These are essential for eye health. These reduce the risk of cataracts and muscular degradation.
Provides Dental Care: As bad breath is caused by upset stomach or indigestion, antioxidants and anti-bacterial properties in the fruit can help keep the mouth fresh and can also kill the bad- breath causing bacteria in the mouth.
Improves Longevity: This fruit has vitamins that encourage cell-regeneration. Xanthophylls, a powerful antioxidant within this fruit helps decrease signs of the aging process on different parts of the body.
Strengthens bones: Avocados contains zinc, phosphorous, copper, and trace amounts of calcium and selenium which lowers risks of osteoporosis ( a condition in which bones weaken and fracture easily) and these, in turn, improves bone mineral density.
Helps weight loss: The main component of this fruit is fat therefore, it not included in calorie- restricted diet. But most of its fat can be categorized under fibre. This property will help satiate one’s hunger. This fruit does help reduce body weight and it is also low in carbohydrates.
Reduce Arthritis: The anti- inflammatory properties in the fruit can help reduce the inflammation in tissues, joints and muscles. Arthritis has been a common disease now days; studies have shown that consumption of this fruit in adequate quantity can reduce the pain.
Healthy Heart: When compared to Banana which contains 10% potassium, avocado contains 4% more. Potassium is rarely found in our diet and it is necessary to maintain the electrical gradient between the cells. It keeps a check on the blood pressure levels and reduces the risk of getting a heart attack, stroke or kidney failure.
Lowers cholesterol and triglyceride: Research show this fruit can lower bad cholesterol (LDL) by 22% and improves good cholesterol levels (HDL) by 11%, if it is consumed for a longer period,
Helps liver- Avocados have anti-inflammatory properties because it contains Vitamin E and K, both these together reduce cellular inflammation. And this will support the liver health.
Prevent Bleeding: Vitamin K deficiency causes bleeding disorder and is commonly seen in new born babies. As this fruit is loaded with Vitamin K, intake of this fruit during pregnancy reduces the risk of newborn babies being born with this disorder.
These days we can find several ‘Avocado Delights’ such as milkshakes, raw avocado soup, avocado mango salad, chickpea and avocado sandwiches, and avocado filled wraps and dips.
Avocados rose to visibility just a few years ago. Though the old school food experts consider it a super fruit, one cannot consume more than one a day, as it is a high- calorie fruit and certain precautions have to be taken.
Over consumption can cause diarrhea and nausea and in certain situations, allergies might also develop. People who are found to have allergies to potatoes, tomatoes, and peaches are likely to be allergic to avocado. We all should keep in mind that even though the fruit can be considered to be an elixir, it should be consumed in moderation.