If you’re an avocado lover and are trying to shed some excess pounds, then you’d be glad to know that there are actually many avocados benefits for weight loss. This is especially true for those who are following a low-carb diet, most especially keto.
Avocados are loaded with healthy fats that can help you to stay in ketosis. The fruit is a great source of vitamins, minerals, and fiber. Not only that, a serving of avocado contains only 80 calories, which means you can easily include it any low-calorie diet plan.
So let’s find out more about the avocados benefits for weight loss and learn how you can incorporate it in your weight loss plan.
Nutritional Benefits of Avocado
In order for us to better understand how avocados can help with your weight loss goals, let us find out the nutritional benefits of avocado.
Although avocados are known mainly for their high fat content, these fatty fruits are also packed with nutrients and are a great way to incorporate them into your daily diet. As what Laura Flores, a San Diego-based nutritionist, told the Live Science,
“Avocados are very high in omega 3 fatty acids, the good kind of fat, in the form of alpha-linolenic acid,”
Compared to other fruits, avocado has a somewhat unique nutrition profile. Aside from being loaded in fiber, avocados are also rich in vitamins and minerals, including vitamin K, B vitamins, copper, potassium, Vitamin C, and Vitamin E.
Consumption of avocados has long been associated with many health benefits, including lowering the risk of cardiovascular diseases. But perhaps the biggest benefit of avocado lies in the fact that it’s rich in monounsaturated fats. The smooth and creamy texture of this fatty fruit is very satiating, which is useful for weight loss.
A serving of avocado that’s around 100 grams or 3.5 ounces contains the following Recommended Daily Intake (RDI):
• Folate – 20% of the RDI
• Potassium – 14% of the RDI
• Vitamin C – 17% of the RDI
• Vitamin E – 10% of the RDI
• Vitamin K – 26% of the RDI
The fats in avocado help with absorption of the fat soluble vitamins A, D, E and K from other foods in your diet.
Pesticide Free
Another great thing about this healthy fruit is that you do not have to go to the expense of buying them organic so far as pesticides are concerned. Although they do get sprayed with pesticides the chemicals just don’t make it through that tough outer skin.
They are No 1 on EWG’s Clean 15 list for 2019. On the other hand it’s likely that organically grown ones are better in nutrient content so the choice is yours.
Fat In Avocado
It is the healthy fats in avocado that are credited for its ability to help people to lose weight. Technically, avocados are considered a fruit. But nutritionally, avocados are considered an excellent source of fat. As a matter of fact, 77% of the calories of avocado came from fats.
Most of the fats in avocados are monounsaturated fats. There’s also a small amount of polyunsaturated fats and saturated fats. Most of the avocado’s monounsaturated fats are oleic acid and that’s the same sort of fatty acids found in olive oil and olives, which is very healthy.
According to the American Heart Association,
“Monounsaturated fats can help reduce bad cholesterol levels in your blood which can lower your risk of heart disease and stroke. They also provide nutrients to help develop and maintain your body’s cells.”
Several studies have also shown that the oleic acid from the monounsaturated fats come with many health benefits. These include lowering the risk of developing heart diseases and decreased inflammation.
Further studies show that by replacing some of the saturated fats in your diet with these monounsaturated fats, you’re going to enjoy a lot of health benefits including better blood sugar control, increased sensitivity to insulin, and lowered level of bad LDL cholesterol.
Related reading: How a Low Carb High Fat Diet Affects your Cholesterol
Avocado Benefits for Weight Loss
It’s clear by now that the avocado is a truly healthy fruit that comes with many health benefits and that includes helping you to lose weight. But how do avocados help you in losing weight? Here are some of the avocados benefits for weight loss:
• Decrease belly fat – researchers say that replacing your cooking oil with varieties of avocado oil may help to reduce abdominal fat. As mentioned, avocados are rich in monounsaturated fats and most of these are oleic fatty acids. According to a study, oils that are high in oleic acid may help to lessen abdominal fats.
• Appetite suppressant – eating avocados have been shown to help suppress hunger. In a study that was published in the Nutrition Journal, it was found that participants who ate fresh avocado with their lunch have shown a 40% decrease in their desire to eat afterward.
• Help you stay within ketosis – if you’re following a low-carb ketogenic diet, then you know that you need to have plenty of healthy fats in order to stay in ketosis and make your body burn fats for energy. Avocados are super low in carbs and contain a good amount of healthy fats, which is why followers of the ketogenic lifestyle love this fruit a lot.
• Boost metabolism and improve endurance – according to some researchers, eating avocados may help to offer the same energy boost as that of pre-workout supplements and improve your endurance for exercise.
In a study published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, it compared the effects of a 3-week diet that’s high in saturated fats to a diet high in monounsaturated fats. It was found that those participants who had the monounsaturated diet had increased their physical activity by 13.5%.
• Satiety – adding avocados to your meal has been shown to make you feel more satiated. So, your desire to overeat can be minimized, which makes this fruit a great addition to your weight loss diet.
Adding Avocados to your Diet
As you see, there are indeed plenty of avocados benefits for weight loss. So if you’re in the process of losing weight, it’s time to incorporate avocados in your diet. Whether you’re following a low carb diet like the keto diet, or other healthy diet plans, there are many ways in which you can add this fruit to your diet.
Related reading: Keto Diet Versus Low Fat Diet For Weight Loss
You can perhaps have it for breakfast by making it into smoothies, such as this Low Carb Chocolate Avocado Protein Smoothie. It’s also possible to enjoy the fruit on its own and season it with your favorite seasonings or just a pinch of salt and pepper.
Avocados can also be added to your favorite salads, such as the Kale Caesar Salad For Low Carb Diets. You can make it into guacamole or use as a healthy substitute for mayonnaise in your low carb sandwich.
