Ah...The Power of Avacados

The wonderful green fruit from Latin America strikes again. Who knew that a food could be that mushy and green at the same time. Love it or hate it, avocados pack a great punch of nutrition. Avocados or the alligator pear were originated in central Mexico and is know all over the Americas, Asia, and Europe.  It has also been known to be called the fertility fruit as it's shape is testicular like. Avocados are one of the few fruits that actually have a high fat content. I know what you're thinking, high fat, no way, before you freak out understand that fat is essential to your daily diet and without fat you would not be able to store energy. It's all about what type of fat you eat, saturated fat is the worst, and polyunsaturated and monounsaturated are the best, and 75 percent of the calories from fat in avocados come from monounsaturated fat. Why is saturated fat the worst? Well that is going to be in another article in the short future. Want potassium, which is an essential element and especially important in runners and exercise enthusiast? Well avocados have 35 percent more potassium than bananas, so next time you're running and cramping up, eat an avocado instead of a banana. The great fruit is also high in important vitamins like B, E, and K, and a great source of fiber.  In recent research a high avocado diet was shown in one preliminary study to lower blood cholesterol levels. Specifically, after a seven-day diet rich in avocados, mild hypercholesterolemia (high cholesterol) patients showed a 17% decrease in total cholesterol levels. These subjects also showed a 22% decrease in both LDL (bad cholesterol) and triglyceride levels and 11% increase in HDL (good cholesterol) levels.  Some research has been ongoing as using some of the compounds in avocados as anti-cancer and anti-bacterial. Words of wisdom "always get the guacamole."