5 Reasons Avocados are Amazing

Avocados are amazing. Everyone knows it, and those who don't just don't want to admit it. They do amazing things for you body, they're a great replacement for butter on bread, they're an easy addition to sandwiches, salads, breakfasts and toast... The list is almost endless to what they can do and how they can be used! But why are they so good for you?

1. They Contain ALL the Vitamins!

As you can see from the huge list below, avocados contain A LOT of different vitamins and minerals. 100g of avocado contains:

• Vitamin K: 26% of your recommended daily intake (RDI) - necessary to help blood to clot (in a good way)
• Folate: 20% RDI - very important during pregnancy
• Vitamin C: 17% RDI - used for repair and growth of body tissue
• Potassium: 14% RDI - helps the kidneys, heart and other organs to function normally
• Vitamin B5: 14% RDI - helps break down carbs and protein
• Vitamin B6: 13% RDI - for healthy brain function
• Vitamin E: 10% RDI - used to help prevent diseases in the heart and arteries
• As well as small amounts of Magnesium, Manganese, Copper, Iron, Zinc, Phosphorous, Vitamin A, BA (Thiamine), B2 (Riboflavin) and B3 (Niacin).

The most important thing to take away from this? Avocados include a lot of good things, which do a lot of good things for our bodies!

2. Avocados Contain Good Fats

Avocados are also loaded with monounsaturated fatty acids. There are many different types of fats (have a look at our previous blog post on saturated fats here), some of which are bad and some good. Monounsaturated fats have been proven to have health benefits including improving blood cholesterol levels and lowering the risk of heart disease. Like anything, monounsaturated fat should still be consumed in moderation, but they are a much better choice than saturated fats.

3. They Provide Excellent Skin Care

There are also many skin benefits from avocados! They contain antioxidant carotenoids (big words - I know!) which have been shown to improve skin tone and general appearance (butternut pumpkins have also been shown to do this!). The Vitamin C in avocados also helps to create elastin and collagen, which helps to maintain firmness and structure. The Vitamin E that avocados contain also helps to reduce the effects of UV radiation - which is very helpful here in Australia!

Have a look at these avocado face mask recipes - just be sure not to eat it before you use it! ;)

4. Helps with Arthritis

This is an ongoing study - but so far it has been found that oils in avocado aid in the slowing down and even regeneration of cartilage. A combination of avocado and soybean (known as Avocado Soybean Unsaponifiables) is being trialled and researched. It has exciting prospects for those suffering from joint pain and arthritis in the future.

5. It's Super Easy to Use and Enjoy!

Not only does avocado taste great, it has a creamy texture that's great as a replacement for margarine or butter. Make a sandwich, piece of toast or salad that much better by adding some avo!

Looking for some different ways to use your Protein Bread Mix or Protein Pancake Mix? Check out our recipe page