The Amazing Avocado

BY SUSAN SCHABACKER

Happy National Avocado Day! Enjoy all the health and beauty benefits of the amazing avocado and celebrate National Avocado Day on Tuesday, July 31st!

Wait! An Avocado is Actually . . .  a Fruit?

Yes, the amazing avocado is actually a fruit, more specifically it is a single-seeded berry, a pear-shaped fruit from the avocado tree, and this nutrient-dense superfood is brimming with the “good” kind of fat that can help lower your “bad” LDL cholesterol!

Can an Avocado a Day Keep the Doctor Away?

Well known for its beneficial impact on health and beauty, the avocado packs a punch in the nutrition department. A great source of energy, an avocado is chock full of fiber, antioxidants, healthy fats and other nutrients.

One avocado has nearly twice as much potassium as a banana and those high levels of potassium can help combat hypertension and reduce the risk of clotting, heart attacks and strokes.With four grams of protein, plus nearly 20 vitamins and minerals and 18 important amino acids, the avocado is a nutritious powerhouse.

Eating an avocado a day, like the old adage of eating an apple a day, can be a healthy option. Avocados have been called the world’s most perfect food for a good reason. Health benefits include better digestion and reduced risk of depression, and the potent anti-oxidants are even said to help improve arthritis, protect against cancer, and lower cholesterol.

Want to lose weight? Avocados can help! New research has disproven the old myth that eating fat makes you fat. While a medium sized avocado has around 227 calories, most of those calories come from healthy fats that are used for slow burning energy rather than being stored as fat. The rich taste of avocados is satisfying and keeps you feeling full for a long time.Avocados are low-carb, keto friendly and canhelp with weight loss and a lowered BMI.

Add Avocados to Your Beauty Routine, Too!

In addition to your nutritional health, avocados are moisturizing and anti-aging. They give skin and hair a healthier, more youthful glow, fight free radical damage and give all skin types a moisturizing boost so skin feels well hydrated and supple.

Quick and Simple Recipe for Glowing Skin

Tone and balance. Nourish and moisturize. Give your complexion a restorative boost and radiant glow with an avocado facial mask! With just three ingredients that you can probably find in your kitchen, mash together a soothing, DIY spa-like facial mask for your weekly skincare routine. Mix, apply, let sit, rinse off and get naturally glowing in just five to ten minutes!

  • 1/4 ripe mashed avocado
  • 1 teaspoon honey
  • 1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar

How to Eat an Avocado

Cut it in half and sprinkle with lemon juice. What could be simpler! But when you want to kick it up a notch, thousands of options are possible. With its rich and creamy texture, avocados blend well with everything from soups to chili to burgers.

Try adding avocado to salads and sandwiches, or enjoy endless variations of guacamole and avocado dips. The more adventuresome among us can even substitute avocado for butter in cookies, brownies, and banana bread for vegan friendly fare.

Guacamole is everyone’s favorite and summeris the perfect time of year to combine your own fresh herbs and avocado for a super fast, nutritious snack. The basic recipe is completely customizable, so make it your own, whip it up in five minutes flat, get out the chips and start sharing it with others!

Simply Summer Guacamole Recipe

  • 3 ripe avocados
  • 1/4 cup salsa
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons lemon juice

Mash the avocados, add salsa and lemon juice, and then customize the basic recipe with spices and herbs. You can make guacamole plain and mild, but if you want a kick, add some garlic and onion. To turn up the heat, add cayenne or jalapeno. Personalize your guacamole with fresh garden herbs like chives, basil, oregano, thyme, and cilantro.

Avocados are delicious and nutritious any time of the year, not just on National Avocado Day, so find your favorite recipes and enjoy the many benefits!

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