Avocados are the Quasimodo of Super Foods.  They aren’t very attractive on the outside, but they are truly good inside.  Rich in monounsaturated fatty acids, fiber, magnesium, folate, vitamin E, lutein, carotenoids and polyphenols, this odd looking fruit packs a nutritional punch.

Avocados have been cultivated for thousands of years.  They originated in south-central Mexico between 7000 and 5000 BC.  They were a favorite of the Aztec Indians.  Aztecs actually used the avocado as a sexual stimulant.  ‘Avocado’ is derived from the Aztec word ‘Ahuacuatl’ which means ‘testicle tree’.  Archaeologists have discovered evidence that the Incas and Mayans consumed avocados as well.

The avocado is often known as the ‘alligator pear’ because of its pear like shape and rough green-black skin.  English people living in Jamaica actually were the first to give the avocado its nickname.  They felt that the fruit actually resembled the skin of an alligator.



You can’t write about the avocado and not mention guacamole.  Guacamole is a relish and dip made from avocado, tomatoes and salt.  Most people like to add lime juice, onions, and spices to their preparation as well. The recipe for guacamole originates in Native American cuisine and is believed to date back to pre-Columbian times.  Spanish explorers could not pronounce ahuacuatl, so they called the avocado aguacate. This is the origin of the word guacamole.  Guacamole has become wildly popular in Mexican and Southwestern cuisine.

A ripe and ready to eat avocado contains a high amount of fruit oil.  Fruit oil is directly responsible for the avocado’s buttery, smooth, nut-like flavor.  Most fruits are relatively high in carbohydrates.  The avocado is the exception.  It has no starch, but a small amount of fiber and sugar.  The average avocado contains only 12.5 mg of fat and 235 calories.

There are a myriad of reasons to eat avocados.  Let’s look at a few that are quite compelling.

Avocados are heart healthy



Acocados are ultra-rich in monounsaturated fat (the same type of fat found in olive oil).  The specific type of monounsaturated fat found in avocados is oleic acid.  Oleic acid is a potent inhibitor of fatty acid and cholesterol synthesis.

Avocados are a rich source of folate.   Studies have shown a direct correlation between diets high in folate and a reduced risk of cardiovascular disease and stroke.  One cup of avocado contains 23 percent of the daily value for folate.

A study was conducted with a group of women that were all plagued with high cholesterol.  They were asked to consume avocados on a daily basis.  Once they completed the study, they lowered their cholesterol by 8 percent.  Another study found that after a short seven days on a diet that including eating avocados on a daily basis, there were significant decreases in both total and LDL (bad) cholesterol.  There was a significant increase in HDL (good) cholesterol.

Avocados for skin disorders

Avocados are one of the best foods to consume for glowing and healthy skin.  They are as close to a natural skin moisturizer as you can get.  Avocados are a fantastic source of Vitamin E.  Vitamin E is a strong antioxidant and normalizes bodily functions.  Antioxidants protect polyunsaturated fatty acids in the membranes of body cells from caustic free radicals. A study published in the Journal of Dermatology found that a cream containing avocado and B12 stymied psoriasis outbreaks significantly longer than a conventional Vitamin D cream.

Consumption of avocados can be highly beneficial for your skin, but topical application is equally effective.  Avocado oil contains a fat that can heal your skin after exposure to harmful UV rays.  Skin treated with avocado oil following UV exposure had significant reductions in sunburned cells and inflammation compared with untreated skin.  The application of avocado oil actually enhanced DNA repair as well.

Avocados improve the absorption of nutrients



Everyone is familiar with the saying ‘You are what you eat’.  This is partially correct.  The truth is, ‘You are what you absorb’.  Avocados improve the body’s ability to absorb nutrients from foods.  Researchers added half an avocado to a salad that consisted of carrots, spinach and lettuce. They fed the salad to a group of test subjects and monitored their absorption of nutrients.   The addition of the avocado increased the absorption of beta-carotene by 13.6%, alpha-carotene by 8.3% and lutein by 4.3%.

Avocados are cancer fighters

Director of the UCLA Center of Human Resources Dr. David Heber added avocado extract to prostate cancer cells and discovered that their growth was inhibited up to 60%.  Avocado extract has shown to work equally well inhibiting cancer growth in breast and oral (head and neck) cancers.  The avocado’s cancer fighting power comes from its anti-inflammatory characteristics and high concentration of vitamin E and carotenoids lutein, alpha-carotene, beta-carotene, neoxanthin, violaxanthin and zeaxanthin.



Avocado has the highest concentration of lutein than all of the commonly eaten fruits.  Women with increased intake of lutein and oleic acid in their diets have been shown to have lower rates of breast cancer.

Researchers at Ohio State University discovered that extracts from the Hass avocado kills or stops the growth of pre-cancerous cells that lead to oral cancer.  Lead author and member of the molecular carcinogenesis and chemoprevention program Steven D’Ambrosio stated, “We think these phytochemicals either stop the growth of precancerous cells in the body or they kill the precancerous cells without affecting normal cells.’

Tips on using and selecting avocados

• Slice avocado lengthwise and twist to separate the two halves.  To remove the pit, put a knife into the pit and twist.  To remove the flesh, scoop it out with a spoon.
• Hass avocados (California) turn black when they are ripe
• If you open an avocado and it ‘lacks creaminess’, the avocado wasn’t ready to eat.
• Choose avocados that are soft to the touch but not ‘mushy’ or ‘overly soft’.
• Look for avocados that are unblemished, without spots or cracks or general damage.
• If you purchased an avocado that needs a few more days to ripen, place it in a paper bag or on a kitchen counter
• Spread avocado onto whole-grain bread or crackers
• Add avocado to your salads
• Add avocado to your favorite sandwich
• Add as a garnish for tacos
• Chop an avocado into chunks and sprinkle onto black bean soup

Harry G. Psaros is the publisher of HealthNutritionandWellness.com