The health benefits of avocados

We don’t just like avocados in the UK – we love them. Figures show that we bought 17.4 per cent more avocados in the year to April 2024 compared to the previous 12-month period, the biggest rise for any fruit or veg. From guacamole to salads to fancy starters, they’re the superfood beloved of healthy eating influencers that even picky Gen Z-ers will eat, usually smashed on toast for breakfast.

It’s not surprising then that avocados are expected to become the second-most traded major tropical fruit by 2030, after bananas, according to the OECD/FAO Agricultural Outlook 2021-2030. And while their mass production and exportation generate hefty carbon emissions, meaning our eager consumption is often criticised from a sustainability point of view – they provide a multitude of health benefits, from better heart health to improved skin health and digestion.

Are avocados healthy?

From a health perspective, this creamy green fruit turns out to be incredibly good for us, according to a study that showed them to have a host of health benefits. Even the notoriously high-fat content boosts our wellbeing, so any alarm bells over fat intake can be misleading.

“While avocados do have high-fat content, it’s mainly unsaturated, particularly monounsaturated fat, which is beneficial for natural cholesterol levels and heart health,” says Helen Bond, a dietitian. “Let’s not forget that fat is good for us,” adds Lara Hughes, a clinical nutritionist who also has a background in neuroscience. “The body loves to run on fat, and it keeps us fuller for longer. If we don’t have good fats in our diet, we’re much more likely to get hungry, have cravings and overeat”.

Health benefits of avocados 

• Antioxidants

• Heart health

• Energy levels

• Stress management

• Better digestion

• Skin health

• Hormone function

• Brain function

• Managing your weight

Antioxidant

Vitamins C and E are powerful antioxidants that are abundantly found in avocados. Vitamin C is vital for maintaining healthy skin. “Vitamin E protects us from damage from oxidated stress, which comes from things like pollution and sunlight,” says Bond. Scientists are investigating whether vitamin E might help prevent or delay the chronic diseases associated with free radicals, such as Alzheimer’s, cardiovascular disease and autoimmune and inflammatory disorders such as rheumatoid arthritis and cancer. “What’s more, avocados provide copper which is an essential nutrient for supporting our bodies’ cells,” Bond adds.

Heart health

Avocados contain no cholesterol and as polyunsaturated and monounsaturated fats can help lower blood cholesterol levels, they are good for our heart health. What’s more, they can help lower our low-density lipoprotein (LDL), otherwise known as “bad” cholesterol. “Avocados can also increase our high-density lipoprotein (HDL), the type of cholesterol carrier that helps with excreting bad cholesterol from the body,” says Hughes. The potassium in avocados is essential for blood pressure regulation and may help protect against hypertension and stroke.

Energy levels

Packed with a variety of B vitamins, including thiamine (B1), riboflavin (B2), and niacin (B3), avocados help your body convert food into energy. And their high-fat content provides a higher amount of energy (i.e. calories) than other fruits and vegetables.

Moods and stress

Avocados contain vitamins K, E, C, and B. “These are crucial for our mental health. They regulate neurotransmitter levels, which impact on our mood and energy levels,” Hughes explains. “And the magnesium they contain also helps you feel calmer and prevents you from feeling stressed, as does B6,” she adds.

Digestion

Avocado is full of fibre and essential nutrients such as potassium, which helps promote healthy digestive function. “The insoluble fibre in avocados helps with bowel movements and promotes good gut health,” says Hughes.

Skin

Eating an avocado every day increases elasticity and skin firmness, according to a US study. But that’s not all. “Avocados are good for our skin because they’re anti-inflammatory and contain vitamin C, which is an antioxidant. What’s more they’re great for collagen production and synthesis, helping your body make collagen naturally. For the same reason, they’re good for our hair and nails,” says Hughes.

Libido and hormone function

“The good fats avocados contain are good for hormone function, from oestrogen to testosterone, making them essential for coping with menopause. And for the same reason, they’re good for your sex life. This is why it’s important to have enough good fat in our body,” says Hughes.

Brain function

The monounsaturated fats in avocados can help keep the brain healthy by reducing your blood pressure, which is linked with cognitive decline.

Managing your weight

Eating healthy fats helps slow down the process by which your stomach empties, which keeps you full longer than usual and delays the return of hunger. Adding half of an avocado to your meal may significantly boost satiety for up to five hours.

Are there health benefits from the avocado seed?

“The stones and skin can be dried and ground as they are very high in phenolic compounds, which are good for gut health. They’re also antimicrobial and good for lowering inflammation. You can boil an avocado stone and make a tea to release those phenolic compounds,” says Hughes. To grind avocado stone at home, start by thoroughly washing and drying it, which will make it more brittle and soft, then use a sharp knife to cut it into smaller pieces that you can then pulse, along with the dried skin, in a spice or coffee grinder to make a fine powder.

Avocado oil health benefits

“The oil is great for your skin. It’s anti-microbial and good for moisturising and cleansing,” says Hughes. It’s also good for soothing eczema and psoriasis. “With these inflammatory conditions, avocado oil will calm the skin down,” she says. “The mono-unsaturated fats are also heat stable, meaning avocado oil is good for cooking as it doesn’t change structure when heated unlike some oils that can produce harmful bi-products,” says Hughes.

Avocados and gut health

Avocados contain both insoluble and soluble fibre. “Soluble fibre is good for reducing inflammation in the body, while insoluble fibre is good for producing good bacteria, and making sure you’re having regular bowel movements, so you’re excreting out toxins that can affect mental health, plus any nasty bacteria. And that fibre feeds the good bacteria in your gut,” says Hughes.

Soluble fibre also helps to manage blood glucose and cholesterol levels. “Another nutrient in avocados that benefits the gut is phenolic compounds, a type of antioxidant that acts as both prebiotic and probiotic in the stomach, meaning they’re good for beating inflammation and for gut health,” says Hughes.

Nutritional values

According to the Harvard School of Public Health, one whole medium avocado contains:

About 240 calories, 13 grams carbohydrate, 3 grams protein, 22 grams fat (15 grams monounsaturated, 4 grams polyunsaturated, 3 grams saturated), 10 grams fibre, and 11 milligrams sodium. It is also a source of fat (mostly monounsaturated, 67 per cent), B vitamins, vitamin C, vitamin E, vitamin K, folate, potassium, magnesium and carotenoids (lutein and zeaxanthin).

Source: Marina Gask, Yahoo News UK