How many calories in an avocado?
If you’ve ever wondered how many calories are in an avocado, the answer can be pretty vague. Compared to other fruits, avocados are considered “heavier” because they contain almost twice the calories of other fruits. However, it isn’t entirely accurate that avocados can make you fat just because they have more calories. They are still fruit, after all, and contain a lot of the health benefits that fruits get credit for.
The best thing about avocados? You can eat them in several ways. They are consumed as dips, sandwich spread, smoothies, or just eat it as is. Avocados have a very versatile taste, so that you can pair the fruit with almost anything in your daily diet. To know about how many calories are in avocado and what benefits the fruit offers, read below.
Benefits of eating avocado
While avocados mostly come from Central and South America, it is popular worldwide and used in many recipes and even homemade remedies. Many people believe that avocados contain many health benefits and can help with several health conditions like Type 2 diabetes and heart diseases. Science has backed this up to some extent. Avocados do have many vitamins and minerals that could help keep the body healthy. However, there are no scientific claims that have been approved for therapeutic or medical use.
The avocado fruit is rich in nutrients and antioxidants like Vitamin E and C, potassium, and fiber. These compounds can help strengthen the body’s immune system and combat harmful oxidants. Potassium is also good for keeping up healthy blood pressure levels, cholesterol levels and supporting water retention. Being high in fiber, the calories present in avocados can help you lose weight and maintain a regular bowel movement, which is very important for your digestive health.
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Calories in one whole avocado
You now know that avocados are healthy despite their reputation for having a higher calorie count. The question now is how many calories are in one whole avocado? A medium-sized fruit should contain around 234 calories. It contains around 21 grams of fat, but not all of them are bad. It contains polyunsaturated fats and monounsaturated fats found in animal meats and plants, which is better than saturated fats found in greasy fast and canned foods.
A healthy diet is made up of whole foods and drinks. As tempting as it is to finish one whole avocado in just one sitting, remember that even with healthy fats come calories. While the fats in avocado are certainly a much healthier option than a bag of chips for snacks, eating too much of something can still lead to probable health complications.
Recommended serving of avocado
According to the Academy of Nutrition, the recommended single serving size is around one-fifth to one-third of the whole fruit. The guidelines aren’t exactly dry-cut, so it’s really up to you and what diet you’re doing that would fit the serving of an avocado. Just take note that avocado’s nutrition contains about a third of the daily recommended intake for healthy fats. They are also very rich in fibers so which might affect your bowel movements and digestive process.
What are ways to eat avocados?
If you prefer eating an avocado by itself, that’s great. But if you aren’t a big fan of its natural taste, there are plenty of ways to consume this wonder fruit. You can make some homemade guacamole, blend it into a smoothie, or maybe just squeeze a lemon on some slices to add more flavor. One of the most popular trends in recent years? Avocado on toast. Just put some thinly sliced avocado on top of your toast and partner it with an egg. Breakfast that is both delicious and will keep your heart healthy.
You can also add avocados to rice bowls, salads, tacos, pasta, pizza, basically anything you can think of that would be palatable with the addition of this fruit. Ironically, avocados have become very popular and in-demand in recent years despite being relatively pricey because they need to be imported in states that can’t grow naturally. Avocados are high in fat, but they are good fats, so it wouldn’t be a crime to eat them every once in a while. However, you want to eat them.
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Is avocado good for weight loss?
Often referred to as “nature’s keto” starter, avocados have been pretty popular in many diets. Paleo, keto, and Atkins are some of the diets that recommend avocados as part of the routine. A study also stated that avocados could help the body burn fat for fuel and energy. It can help you lose weight by making you feel full for longer periods.
But that’s not all that it does. Its soluble fibers that help you move bowels easily are also healthy for the digestive system. A good-running digestive system is vital for weight loss, as you may have already guessed. Fibers are also likely to suppress appetite naturally, so you aren’t bound to eat every half an hour. If not to help you lose weight, avocados can help you maintain the current weight you are in.
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Summary
Often nicknamed the “millennial fruit,” avocados are pretty popular. Ever since celebrities and social media endorsers found that avocado toast is considered healthy, millions of young Americans have started consuming the fruit regularly. While also criticized for being “mainstream” and overpriced, there are benefits to eating the fruit. It contains a good list of vitamins and minerals that can keep the body healthy and happy.
Not a big fan of avocados? That’s alright. They can be an acquired taste because they’re not particularly sweet or taste strongly of anything unless combined with other ingredients. The fun comes in when you come up with ways to eat avocado and maybe invent a whole new recipe. Try out a slice or two of the fruit and see how you like it and if it can be included somewhere in your diet.
