Do Avocados Make You Fat?

Avocado is considered a super food all over the world. There’s no doubt that avocado has a lot of health benefits, but it is also one of few foods that are rich in fat and calories. It is known that most fruits consist primarily of carbohydrates, while avocado is loaded with healthy fats. Many studies have shown that avocado consumption may be very beneficial for our health.

Also, some experts claim that avocados are a perfect food to lose weight, while others think that avocados will make you fat. Opinions are different and we will deal with avocados in this article. We will tell you if avocados will make you fat or you can safely eat them. If you love eating avocados, this article may be interesting and useful for you. First we will tell you a few words about avocados and then we will discuss their impact on weight loss.

More about Avocados

The avocado is a tree that is native to southern Mexico but today avocados are grown in tropical and Mediterranean climates all over the world. They are a member of the flowering plant family Lauraceae and the fruits of the avocado tree are also called avocados. Avocados are actually large berries that contain single seeds. Avocados have a green skinned body that is usually spherical, pear-shaped or egg-shaped.

Sometimes avocados are also called “alligator pears”.  The flesh of avocado is yellow-green in color and it is edible, but you should discard avocado skin and avocado seeds. Due to their great flavor and smooth texture, avocados are used in cuisines all around the world. Because of their high fat content, avocados are especially popular in vegetarian cuisine as a substitute for meat in sandwiches and salads.

However, the most famous recipe to use avocados is guacamole, a dip which is made from avocados, lime, garlic, salt, etc. Guacamole has been served in restaurants worldwide.

Health Benefits of Eating Avocados

Avocados are highly nutritious food and they can improve your overall health. They are a great source of potassium, niacin, vitamin B6, vitamin E and many other nutrients. Avocado contains even more potassium than banana, which is great for your health. It is proved that avocados contain 20 different vitamins and minerals.

Also, it is shown that avocados may lower cholesterol levels and reduce the risk of diabetes. Some studies have also shown that regular consumption of avocados can reduce the risk of certain types of cancer. Due to its high antioxidant content, avocados will also improve your eye health and reduce the risk of cataracts or macular degeneration. This fruit is also beneficial for your skin health. Some studies have also shown that avocado extract can reduce the symptoms of osteoarthritis as well. As you can see, avocados have a lot of health benefits and they should be a part of your diet.

As we have already mentioned above, although avocados are healthy, they are loaded with calories and fat. So, you must be wondering if avocado can make you fat? Continue reading this article and you will get the answer.

Can Avocado Make You Fat?

This is a common question among most people who love eating avocados. Well, the answer depends on how many avocados you eat. There is some evidence that avocados can help you in weight loss. It is true that avocados contain healthy fats that will give you energy, satisfy your stomach and provide you with nutrients. But, although avocado is very healthy, it can make you fat, if you eat it in large amounts. The number of calories of one avocado depends on its size and its type.

A medium-sized avocado has about 230 calories and it contains 21 grams of fat, which is pretty much. Because of that the recommended serving size of avocado is only one-fifth of this fruit. It is approximately 30 grams and it contains about 50 calories. This portion will not make you fat and it will give you energy and make you feel full for a longer period of time. It is known that Florida avocados are larger so they contain more calories. One medium-sized Florida avocado contains about 365 calories, which is pretty much for your daily intake.

Why Should You Eat Avocados?

As you can see, portion control is the key. It is very important how much of this fruit you eat. A small amount of avocado will not make you fat and avocado can also have positive effects on your body weight.

Actually, avocado contains monounsaturated fats that will reduce your appetite and you will not have hunger pangs throughout the day. It is known that saturated fats from animal products may increase bad cholesterol and cause type 2 diabetes. On the other hand, monounsaturated fats will prevent these conditions. We recommend you to use avocado as a replacement for some less-healthy fats. You can spread avocado on your sandwich instead of mayonnaise or you can add avocado to your favorite salad.

Also, you can spread avocado on your toast and serve it with spices. Avocado is much healthier option and it will not make you fat if you eat it in moderation. Remember that about 20-35% of your diet should be made of fats, so we recommend you to treat avocado as a fat source. Fat is necessary for your body because it will give you energy, improve your mental functions and also help in absorption of fat-soluble vitamins.

As long as you consume avocados in small amounts, it will not make you fat and you will stay healthy. There are also some other sources of healthy unsaturated fats, such as vegetable oils, seeds and nuts.

The best way to control your weight is to eat only as many calories as you burn. Not only are calories important, but also your total intake of fat. Remember that too much fat can cause many health issues. It is known that large amounts of fat may lead to high cholesterol level, heart disease, weight gain, etc. Now when you know that avocados are loaded with fat, you have to be careful. If you use avocados as your primary source of fat and if you have a calorie-balanced diet, you probably will not gain weight by eating avocados.

But, if you also use other fat sources, you may get extra pounds. You have to substitute avocado for some other fat source, in order to stay fit and healthy. Studies have shown that people who consume avocados are much healthier than people who don’t eat this fruit at all.

Also, it is shown that people who eat avocados lose weight more quickly. These are some of the reasons why you should include avocados in your diet. Also, don’t forget that avocados taste incredible.


Summary

Avocados are the fruits of the avocado tree and they are popular for their good flavor and high nutritional value.

As you have seen, avocados can be a healthy addition to your diet because they are rich in vitamins, minerals, dietary fiber and monounsaturated fats. There’s no doubt that avocados are very healthy and delicious fruits that will not make you fat if you eat them in moderation. They are rich in nutrients and they contain monounsaturated fats that can be very beneficial for you.

As we have already said, the trick is to eat avocados in moderation. This way you will be full of energy and you will not reach for some unhealthy snacks. Keep in mind that no food will lead to weight gain, unless you consume more calories than your body actually needs.

Also, remember that moderation is the key of good health. Eat avocados as an occasional snack and you will stay healthy and full of energy. We are sure that you will include avocados in your diet after reading this article. You just need to consume them in moderation.

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