Avocado Nutritional Information
The avocado doesn’t get by on taste alone. This little fruit is packed with nearly 20 vitamins and minerals. It’s also a great source of fiber (1/2 cup has 5 grams, or 18% of your daily requirement). And getting more fiber in your diet may help reduce your risk of heart disease.
Here’s what else you’ll get from the avocado...
Vitamins B6 (good for your immune system), C (good for teeth and bones), and E (an antioxidant)
60% more potassium per ounce than in bananas, which can help keep blood pressure at a healthy level
Magnesium (essential for your muscles)
Lutein, a natural antioxidant that can help keep eyes healthy
What you won’t be getting: Cholesterol and sodium—good news for anyone trying to reduce heart-disease risk factors. Plus, the avocado is a great source of monounsaturated fat—a fat that does not promote artery-clogging fatty deposits the way saturated fats do.
How do I know if it’s ripe?
Luckily, avocados are available year-round. Some varieties reach their peak season in late winter through spring. Here are some tips for choosing and using avocados:
If you’re not going to eat the avocado right away, get a firmer one and store it at room temperature until it’s ready to eat (2–5 days). Putting it in a paper bag will help it ripen faster.
Otherwise, go for the avocado that feels a little soft. (Color isn’t the best clue to ripeness.)
To eat, cut the avocado in half, slightly twist the two halves, separate, and remove the pit.
To keep it from browning, sprinkle with lemon or lime juice or white vinegar.
All that’s left to do is enjoy.
You can slice up an avocado and add it to salads, salsa, or soups. For sandwiches and toast, you can even use it as a spread instead of butter, mayo, or cheese—it’s much lower in calories and cholesterol.
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Fresh fruit facts Did you know that avocados were once a luxury food reserved for royalty? Consider yourself privileged when you eat one. |
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