One of the sources of my inspiration for my blogs is to share with you things that I really like. Without doubt one of my absolute favorite things is avocados. The reason I want to bring it to your attention is because it gets a really bad rap. Well, I’m here to tell you, if you’re not incorporating this fruit into your diet, you’re missing out.

The avocado gets a bad rap because it’s primarily being judged by its fat content. It does have a high fat content, but 75% of the fat in avocados is unsaturated fat –the good fats you need for heart health. Unsaturated fats are needed to process the fat soluble vitamins A, E, D & K.

Aside from the fat content, I think many people don’t know how to buy them or how to use them. I can relate to that.  Before I began experimenting with it, I only used it for guacamole. I make the best guacamole. But there are so many more options for use, including salad dressing, sandwich spread, smoothies, etc.

Avocados are a staple in my house. I always have them on hand and I eat them almost every day. Not only for the taste. I also eat them for the nutritional value. To be fair, if you are counting calories, you do need to be careful of your consumption. They are higher in calories and fat than the typical fruit. I’ve learned to split it to avoid consuming the entire avocado at one time, unless it’s a small one.

For the past couple of weeks I have been consuming it almost every day as a part of my kale salad. The creamy buttery texture makes it a perfect complement to Kale. My recipe is simple: kale, olive oil, onion, tomatoes, avocado, lime juice, nutritional yeast and sea salt. Peel the avocado, chop it up into small pieces, mash it in the bowl, and add the remaining ingredients. Once they’re all in the bowl, toss it until everything is mixed together, then sprinkle in the nutritional yeast. Here’s a picture of my kale salad.

kale and avocado salad

Here are a few reasons you should be eating avocado:
  1. The nutrients in avocados help your body digest and metabolize food, turning it into the energy you need to move, work, and play.
  2. It acts as a “nutrient booster” by helping the body to better absorb nutrients from the foods that are eaten with the fruit.
  3. It’s good for diabetics. Researchers have found that a diet high in monounsaturated fats and low in low quality carbohydrates may improve insulin sensitivity.
  4. Monounsaturated fats also improve heart health; diabetics are at increased risk for heart disease and stroke.
  5. They have plenty of antioxidants, primarily carotenoids, which are found in the deep green part of the flesh, closest to the peel.

Finally, pay attention to how ripe they are when you buy them. If you don’t need them right away, it’s okay if they’re firm. But if you need to use them right away, they should be soft to touch. You should be able to easily press your thumb into it. If it’s mushy, then it’s too ripe and nearly rotten so you may not want to buy it.

So there you have it. Now you know why avocado is such an amazing fruit. I hope you will give it a try.

Question: Do you eat avocados? Will you consider giving it a try? Referral links: www.everydayhealth.com/Avocadohttp://www.huffingtonpost.com/dr-mercola/avocado-health_b_2678819.html]]>

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