An avocado is filled with great taste and great levels of nutrition. It is also extremely versatile and can be eaten in a number of ways. In most cases, however, it is eaten in its raw form, albeit in preparations that change its appearance quite a bit. Of course, in most cases, we eat only the ripe avocados, the kind that is soft enough to be scooped out with a spoon and turned into great guacamole or simply sliced to make avocado toast. However, sometimes, avocado is also cooked in a variety of preparations, and although the change in method brigs out a different flavor in the fruit, nothing is quite as nutritious as the raw avocado. In this article, therefore, we shall concentrate on the fruit in its purest form.
Full of nutrients
Avocadoes are extremely nutritious, containing about 20 different kinds of nutrients. These include, but are not limited to: magnesium, phosphorus, zinc, folic acid, potassium, vitamins A, B1, B5, B6, B2, B3, and E. They also contain a lot of healthy fats, while at the same time being very low in carbohydrates and containing no cholesterol and sodium at all, which help in reducing weight and remain heart healthy. However, it is to be noted that consumption of immoderate amounts of avocadoes will lead to unwanted weight gain. Therefore, while it is highly recommended that you include avocadoes in your regular diet, do not go overboard with your love for the fruit.
Heart healthy
It is always better to eat avocadoes raw because they are extremely heart healthy, and cooking them will cause them to lose some of those properties and maybe add some ingredients that are not so healthy, depending on the manner of cooking of course. Most of the fat content we find in an avocado is oleic acid, which is a heart healthy fat that actually fights the fat cells and boosts production of good cholesterol in the body. It has also been found that oleic acid helps reduce inflammation and control cancer causing genes. They also have a very low amount of sodium, and a very high level of potassium, and both these phenomena are linked to fewer incidences of heart diseases and renal failures.
How to eat
There are many ways of eating raw avocadoes. You can scoop the ripe ones out and turn them into delicious guacamole, or slice them and place them between whole wheat bread and low fat cheese to make some wholesome sandwiches. And if the avocadoes are not so ripe, you can pickle them or stir fry them along with other vegetables. Use ripe avocadoes in a salad or a smoothie with a generous sprinkling of nuts and seeds to make a healthy and filling snack pack on the go. As far as these versatile fruits are concerned, you can really let your imagination run wild!