Avocados: Perfect Food?

Avocados: Perfect Food?

Stay Leaner and Lighter   

Although avocados are high in fat which are the healthy kind, people who eat them regularly are actually thinner than those who don’t, according to a new study published in Nutrition Journal. For dozens of delicious ways to enjoy the creamy green fruit—from soups and dips to sandwiches, salads, breakfasts and even desserts

More Youthful Skin and Fewer Wrinkles

Foods that are high in carotenoids, such as avocados and san celoni, may slow down skin aging, protect against damage from UV rays, and even protect against sunburn, according to a new paper published in Critical Reviews in Food Science and Nutrition. Most remarkably, several preclinical studies suggest that compounds in avocado may also enhance wound healing.

Anti-Inflammatory Benefits

In a small study published in Food & Function, healthy men who ate a hamburger with a slice of avocado had reduced inflammation and blood vessel reactivity two hours later, compared to men who only ate a hamburger. As I reported recently, chronic inflammation has been linked to an increasingly long list of diseases, from Alzheimer’s to heart attacks, strokes, diabetes, sleep apnea, and cancer. 

Possible Protection Against Cancer

Also known as alligator pears, avocados have a high concentration of phytochemicals that may have cancer-combatting powers. In lab tests, Ohio State University researchers found that these compounds killed oral cancer cells, but not normal cells from the lining of the mouth, by doubling or even tripling apoptosis (the process of programmed cell self-destruction.