Food focus – Avocados

Did You Know

The name avocado comes from the Aztec word for testicle ahuacatl, due to its shape and helped with its reputation as their ‘fertility fruit’.

The avocado is a true superfood, packed with nutrients that protect and renew fatty areas of the body.

Avocados often get a bad press because of their high fat content, but fat is a quality issue and this rich fruit contains healthy monounsaturated fats and fat-soluble nutrients like vitamins A and E that are needed for health and of fatty body parts like the skin, eyes, heart, brain and liver. For a fruit avocadoes have a good protein content, which works with their vitamin C, B vitamins and copper content to support the production of collagen, the substance from which all of our body tissues are made – vital for good skin, bone and muscle rejuvenation.

• Combination of the right fats, vitamins, minerals and plant chemicals that support heart health, especially balanced levels of potassium and sodium.
• High levels of carotenoid nutrient lutein protects eyes from macular degeneration and skin from sun damage.
• Part of the Mediterranean diet for longevity and its healthy monounsaturated fat content also in olives, nuts and seeds.

Practical Tip

Avocados have the right creamy texture to make them the perfect alternative to more sugary bananas in smoothies where the extra fat content can also slow down release of sugars from fruits and make a more substantial breakfast drink. To ripen them more quickly, put in a bag with a banana.

MAJOR NUTRIENTS PER 3.5OZ/ 100G AVOCADO

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