Packed With Healthy Fats

This nourishing superfruit is full of beneficial fats - raw and plant-based. The body needs health-supportive fats for optimal brain and cell function and, contrary to popular belief, eating a balanced portion of healthy fat will not make you fat. Since Avocados are full of the health-promoting monounsaturated fats that provide slow-burning digestible fuel, consumption will leave you feeling fuller for longer and even aid in keeping weight at an optimum level by boosting the metabolism. The inclusion of the right types of fats in the diet is crucial as it assists the body in healing and repairing itself from the cellular level upwards. Healthy fats actually help metabolise carbohydrates, can assist in supporting the reduction of unhealthy high cholesterol and control insulin levels for both low and high blood sugar.

Fatty acids also play a key role in regulating the central nervous system, reproductive health and cognitive processes because they have a maked effect on hormone levels, helping to balance hormones naturally. Getting enough healthy fats will help to boost your mood, and maybe its positive effect on reproductive health is the reason it was used to promote fertility by the ancients.

Nutrient Dense

Avocados contain an abundance of nutrients that are critical to human health. They are rich in chlorophyll – the compound that gives them their lovely green glow. Benefits of this life giving phytonutrient include; immune system support, potent antioxidant action, promotion of healthy circulation, it is anti-inflammatory, anti-aging and promotes a healthy digestive system.

Containing a plethora of vitamins and minerals, Avocados are purported to be one of the most nutrient dense foods in the world. With 18 essential amino acids (protein), high soluble fibre content and an unusually high amount of antioxidant, oil-soluble carotenoids, Avocados support almost every aspect of the body’s requirements for long term health.

Anti-inflammatory

Certain foods are more likely to contribute to the inflammation that can lead to disease. Processed foods, refined carbohydrates and grilled meats all raise the protein Interleukin-6 (IL-6) which is a marker of inflammation. Maintaining consistently high levels of this inflammatory protein is associated with a higher disease risk.

The anti-inflammatory properties of Avocados are so strong that they may actually offset less healthy food choices. This was borne out in a now famous study conducted by the University of California in Los Angeles (UCLA), where one group participants were given a grilled hamburger made of 90% lean beef. The second group had the same hamburger but also ate half a medium sized Avocado. The burger only group experienced a spike in IL-6 levels by 70%, elevated triglycerides and a 27% decrease in peripheral blood flow. The Avocado group fared dramatically better - their IL-6 levels rose by only 40% and there was virtually no decrease in the peripheral blood flow.

Dr. David Heber, MD, PhD, the study’s lead researcher had this to say; “The study supports the hypothesis that fresh Avocado, may help support normal vascular function, which is important for heart health. After eating a burger with one-half of a fresh medium Avocado, some of the after-meal effects observed after eating the plain burger, specifically inflammation and narrowing blood vessels, were reduced within hours, and triglycerides did not increase beyond what was observed after eating the burger alone.”

Healthy Digestion

Avocados support digestive health in many ways. Firstly they are rich in soluble fibre which enables food to move more rapidly through the intestines whilst absorbing water to prevent constipation. They also contain potassium which is necessary to regulate fluid in the body - a deficiency in this important mineral is characterised by intestinal paralysis which can result in bloating, constipation and abdominal pain. Finally, Avocados are rich in B vitamins which are important in the metabolism of proteins, fats and carbohydrates.

Avocado Oil

Avocado Oil is high in many antioxidant vitamins and fatty acids that provide many benefits to the skin. It contains polyhydroxylated fatty alcohols which can reduce inflammation and soothe sunburned skin. The high oleic acid content helps to regenerate and moisturise dry skin and the phytosterols in this oil help to rejuvenate stressed and tired skin.

Avocado Oil also contains the natural steroid "sterolin" which can help to trigger collagen production, which in turn helps to increase the skin's elasticity. It is also rich in antioxidants which fight the free radicals that can contribute to cellular degeneration.