As I See It

I think that I have always liked avocados, at least since my taste buds matured and I realized green is not synonymous with gross. I have always liked them on a sandwich or as guacamole. They have always been a nice garnish to Mexican food, or a great addition to a salad. However, it wasn’t until recently that I began to see them as more than a tasty treat with appropriate foods.

When I decided to go vegetarian I had to find foods that not only possessed the essential nutrients to keep me alive and operating smoothly, but also that would fill me up and taste good. The avocado is a perfect match, for a lot of reasons.

Avocado’s are not so much a “low fat” option, in fact one medium sized avocado has as much fat as a burger, but that is where the comparison to fast food ends. Of the 30 grams of fat only 4 grams are saturated fat, leaving the other 26 to be monounsaturated (good fat), which actually helps to lower cholesterol. There have been numerous studies done on the affects of a diet including avocados and a lower risk of heart disease.

The addition of avocados to the diet also has the benefit of added variety, not to mention an all-together healthier choice, in your meal options. My husband and I eat these delicious sandwiches or wraps daily for lunch, they consist of: organic whole wheat tortillas or whole grain bread, hummus, pine nuts, capers or olives, baby spinach leaves, cucumber, peppers, red onion and a half avocado each. Nathan and I used to eat Lean Cuisines or canned soup for lunch on a regular basis, occasionally Chick-Fil-A (pre-vegetarianism), or whatever we could scrounge up. We now make it a point to eat these sandwiches and the result is feeling full and getting something good in our bodies daily, without a lot of work

For me I have seen an overall improvement in my skin quality as well. Some of it has to do with eliminating the hormone interference with meats (I still do dairy and cage-free organic eggs, with no antibiotics or added hormones) and an increased intake of water rich veggies, but a lot of it is related to gaining essential vitamins from food sources (and not supplements).

Avocados, besides being beneficial to your heart are chalk full of essential vitamins and minerals key to your overall well-being. With 60% more potassium than bananas, avocados also have the highest fiber content of any other fruit- 75% insoluble and 25% soluble. Fiber is essential for intestinal health as well as weight management (and who couldn’t use that?). They are loaded with B vitamins which among other things, support and increase metabolism, maintain healthy skin and muscle tone, as well as enhance immune and nervous system function. The only B vitamin not found in the avocado is B-12 which you can only get from animal products (which vegans must get from a supplement). Avocados are also high in vitamin E and K, which help with blood quality and wound healing.

Sure all of those things can be gained from other foods, but you will be hard pressed to find another food so substantial in them that tastes so good. All that being said it is important to remember that all good things can become bad if over-indulged in. Since avocados are high in fat, even though it is good fat, it is still fat that can deposit itself on your thighs, tummy, or butt without ever asking. Most research would recommend eating half a medium avocado a day, which can actually cause you to lose a small amount of weight and retain less fluid.

So, in conclusion, enjoy a daily bit of avo and head towards a healthier, fuller relationship with food.