26 Best Avocado Benefits and Side Effects for Health, Skin and Hair

Have you heard of avocados? Avocado is a unique fruit high in carbs and healthy fats and is quickly gaining its place in most people's breakfast, an almost trending option. The benefits of avocado are far greater than just carbs and fats. Scientifically called Persea Americana, Avocado originates in Columbia and Southern Mexico. Among the 80 varieties of Avocados available, Hass Avocado is the one that is the most popular. According to the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, avocados are among the few foods without a glycemic index. Let us go through this article to know the Avocado fruit benefits more thoroughly. Best Benefits Of Eating Avocado For Skin, Hair & Health: Here is a list of some of the beneficial effects of including Avocados in your diet. Health Benefits Of Avocados: 1. Nutritious: Avocados are filled with nutrients like vitamins C, E, K, B6, riboflavin, niacin, folate, pantothenic acid, magnesium, potassium, lutein, omega-3 fatty acids, and beta-carotene (1). Although avocados contain calories, these nutrients make them a healthy option that will make you feel satiated. Consuming healthy fats available in avocados may boost your immune system and helps your body absorb fat-soluble vitamins, minerals, and other nutrients. One serving of an avocado consists of the following nutrients: Calories – 64. Fat – almost 6 grams. Carbohydrates – 3.4 grams. Sugar – less than a gram. Fiber – almost 3 grams. 2. Avocado Good for Weight Loss: Avocado is one of those low in the caloric count but has high amounts of healthy fats and fiber. The fiber present in this wonderous fruit takes a long time to digest, making you feel complete for an extended period. It will prevent the binge-eating, which is one of the reasons for weight gain. Avocados also promote weight loss since they have a meager carb count. Read: Best Homemade Avocado Facial Masks 3. Avocado Benefits Brain: Avocados promote cognitive function since monounsaturated fats and vitamin C are attributed to the fruits' cognition-enhancing effects. This fruit reduces mental decay in the elderly since it has reasonable amounts of antioxidant nutrients (2) Avocados may play an essential role in protecting against Alzheimer's disease with the most significant antioxidant, vitamin E (3). 4. Protect your Eyes: Avocado boosts eye health by enhancing the absorption of carotenoids such as lutein and zeaxanthin (4). These carotenoids help prevent the different forms of eye diseases such as age-related macular degeneration, cataracts. This wondrous fruit is good for eye health since it is a rich vitamin E source, an essential antioxidant. 5. Avocado Benefits for Heart Health: Consumption of Avocado has a positive impact on heart health, increasing serum levels of HDL cholesterol, although more long-term research is needed. According to some reports, the monounsaturated fats in this fruit can lower the LDL levels, reducing cardiovascular disease risk (5). The potassium present in Avocado improves heart health by regulating blood pressure levels. Ripe avocados are better, according to studies, since they have high levels of oleic acids and decrease fat content (6). 6. Fertility Booster: Avocado is beneficial in improving the uterus' lining since it is a rich vitamin E source, making them one of the best foods to boost fertility (7). This fruit helps your body absorb other vitamins efficiently since it has reasonable amounts of potassium, folate, and vitamin K. It is linked to the success of IVF treatment and gives you a better chance at conception by boosting fertility. 7. High Blood Pressure: Avocados have low amounts of sodium and high potassium amounts, keeping your blood pressure stable, thereby reducing cardiovascular issues. It also works wonders on soaring blood pressures since the oil expressed from Avocado is packed with oleic acid (8). It also reduces the levels of cholesterol in your body. 8. Prevent Cancer: Avocados might helps fight leukemia stem cells that may cause a rare form of cancer because of a specific lipid called avocation B. According to another study, the monounsaturated fats in Avocado and other phytochemicals inhibit cancer cells' growth (9). This fruit inhibits cancer cell growth and induces apoptosis in precancerous and cancer cell lines since they contain phytochemicals (10). 9. Helps for Pregnant Woman: Folate is one of the B-vitamins that play an essential role in maintaining a healthy pregnancy. Avocado reduces the risk of neural tube defects and miscarriage when taken in adequate amounts. Unless it is advised to avoid, you can consume Avocado moderately. Read: Benefits of Eating Avocado During Pregnancy 10. Strengthen Bones: Raw Avocados enhance calcium absorption and are beneficial for bones since they contain a mineral called boron (11). This fruit also offers osteoprotective benefits and boosts bone formation since it is a rich vitamin K source (12). The anti-inflammatory potential of the monounsaturated fats present in Avocado helps treat arthritis efficiently. 11. Avocado for Cholesterol Reduction: Avocado is a fruit with a good amount of unsaturated fat that is considered healthy for your body, and it has few calories. It is regarded as a heart-healthy food since this fruit helps lower blood cholesterol levels because of polyunsaturated and monounsaturated fats. 12. Better Digestion: Avocados are high in fiber, potassium that promotes healthy digestion and less likely to cause stomach gas since it is low in fructose. It is also effective in combating diarrhea by replenishing the lost electrolytes with the help of potassium. In diarrhea, you can sprinkle some salt over avocados giving your body a dash of additional sodium. 13. Controls Diabetes: The creamy and delicious Avocados are packed with fiber, vitamins, and nutrients to maintain a healthy body. It is an excellent option for blood sugar stability with its low-carb, high-fiber ratio. Avocado helps use insulin more effectively, preventing further complications from diabetes like heart attack and stroke. According to multiple studies, Avocados' dietary fiber can lower the fasting blood sugar levels in diabetics (13). Everybody is different and may have a different impact on diabetic patients; therefore, make sure you contact your doctor before adding it to your diet. 14. Contains More Potassium: Potassium plays a vital role in the performance of many functions in our body, and Avocado is a rich source of this mineral (14). According to studies, a high potassium intake is linked to reduced blood pressure, preventing many other health issues, and Avocado is a rich potassium source (15). 15. Rich in Fiber: Compared to other fruits, Avocado tends to be rich in fiber, about 7% of its weight. It has both soluble and insoluble fiber, 25% and 75%, respectively, that plays an essential role in maintaining your body (16). You can get 7 grams of fiber in 3.5 ounce serving of Avocado, which is critical in your body's optimal functioning. 16. It May Help to Relieve Arthritis Symptoms: Arthritis is a growing concern for many people, irrespective of age and gender, for many reasons. Avocado and soyabean unsaponifiables are extracts available in avocado and soyabean oil that can reduce the effect of osteoarthritis in your body (17)(18). There is a need for further research to determine the impact of Avocado on arthritis. Avocado Benefits for Skin: Here is the list of some of the benefits of Avocado for your skin: 17. Manage Acne: Avocado's antibacterial, antiviral, and anti-inflammatory properties help naturally reduce acne and the scars associated with it, although more research is needed. Avocado oil has antimicrobial properties that cleanse your face and prevent breakouts in the future. It also makes your skin moisturised and supple by cleansing your face (19). 18. Anti-aging: Avocado is a rich source of vitamins E, F, and antioxidants like lutein and zeaxanthin that slow down the formation of wrinkles giving your face a youthful glow. According to animal studies, Avocados' oil boosts the collagen metabolism in the body (20). 19. Help to Prevent Dry Skin: Biotin is a part of the B complex vitamins and is available abundantly in Avocado. Biotin, when applied topically, tends to prevent dry skin efficiently (21). 20. For Smooth and Supple Skin: B-carotene, lecithin, and linoleic acid are available abundantly in avocado pulp and avocado oil. These nutrients nourish dehydrated, chapped, and flaky skin, giving you a smooth and supple surface. 21. Natural Sunscreen: Environmental factors and UV rays create many problems for your skin damaging it in the process. Avocado is a rich source of Polyhydroxylated fatty alcohols that protect your skin from inflammation and sun damage acting as a natural sunscreen (22). It also protects your skin from oxidative damage caused by the skin due to vitamins C and E. Benefits Of Avocados for Hair: Here is the list of some of the benefits Avocado offers for the Maintainance of hair health: 22. Improves Scalp Health: Avocados have compounds essential in maintaining scalp health, such as vitamins, proteins, amino acids, etc. You can also use Avocado oil to moisturize and rejuvenate your scalp, resulting in healthy hair and scalp. It makes your hair lustrous and full of life by providing nourishment. 23. May Helps Healthy Hair and Nails Growth: Avocados have high amounts of vitamin E that not only promote hair growth but may strengthen hair naturally. It also leads to decelerated hair growth since vitamin E repairs scalp damage. Although more research is needed to show the relationship between the effect of Avocado on hair growth, hair growth is possible with vitamin E supplementation (23). Read: Ways to Use Avocado Oil for Hair Growth 24. Help Hair Look Smooth and Shiny: Avocado pulp promotes hair growth by rejuvenating and adequately moisturizing your scalp. It nourishes your scalp from the roots giving your hair a smooth and shiny finish. 25. Prevent Hair Breakage: The presence of biotin helps healthy hair growth, and this B-complex vitamin is abundantly available in Avocado. The oil extracted from Avocados prevent your hair from breaking and makes it smooth and shiny by sealing the cuticle cells. This process is possible because of the potassium and magnesium present in Avocado oil. 26. May Help Prevents Hair Loss: Vitamins B and E protect and strengthen your hair at the cellular level, which is available abundantly in Avocados. Vitamin E may repair scalp damage that may prevent your hair from growing, and Vitamin B boosts hair growth naturally. How Avocadoes Incorporate into your Diets: Here is a list of some of the quick ad easy Avocado recipes you can try. 1. Avocado Smoothie: Ingredients: One ripe Avocado. Two cups of fresh spinach. One banana. ¾ cup of coconut milk. Three tbsp of lime juice. ½ tbsp of lime zest. A pinch of salt. One tbsp of maple syrup. Eight ice cubes. Preparation: Place all the ingredients in a blender. Blend until the consistency of the ingredients is creamy. You can adjust the sweetness by either increasing or decreasing the amount of maple syrup as per your choice. Add a little more coconut milk if you find the consistency of the smoothie a little thick. 2. Watermelon and Avocado Salad: Ingredients: Dressing: Two tbsp of extra virgin olive oil. Three tbsp of lime juice. ½ minced garlic. ¼ tbsp of sea salt. Salad: Five cups of cubed watermelon. One cubed Avocado. One cup of diced cucumber. 1/3 cup of feta cheese(crumbled). ¼ cup of thinly sliced red onions. 1/3 cup of mint leaves (torn). Pepper. Sea salt. Preparation: Take a small bowl, whisk all the ingredients of the dressing, and keep it aside. Place the watermelon, onions, cucumber in a large bowl and mix them. Pour half the dressing all over the bowl evenly. Now top the bowl with pepper, mint, Avocado, and then lastly feta cheese. Finish it off with aaa drizzle of the remaining dressing. You can season the salad as per your taste. 3. Avocado Toast: Ingredients: One ripe Avocado. Two slices of bread. Two halves of a garlic clove. Pepper and salt. Two tbsp of extra virgin olive oil. Finely chopped cilantro. Preparation: Slice the Avacado in half and remove the seed. Toast the choice of your bread. Use the cut side of garlic to rub the hot side of the toast lightly. Scoop the avocado flesh using a spoon. Mash the avocado and spread it on the toast. Sprinkle pepper and salt as per your choice. Spread some lemon juice, olive oil, and chopped up cilantro. Serve immediately. 4. Avocado Pudding: Ingredients: Two Avocados (ripe). 2/3 cup of almond milk. Three tbsp of sugar. One tbsp of lemon juice. A pinch of salt. Preparation: Place all the ingredients in a blender and blend it well. Make sure there are no lumps and the consistency is creamy. Refrigerate it for an hour and then enjoy. Side Effects Of Avocadoes: Although there are several benefits in consuming Avocado, consuming even a good thing in excess amounts may cause some adverse effects on your body. Some of the side effects are: Avocados may reduce milk production in feeding mothers and should be avoided by breastfeeding and pregnant women. Although Avocado is filled with healthy fats, it is full of calories making it a cause for weight gain. It may cause liver damage due to the presence of components called anethole and estragole. There may be interference with anti-inflammatory medications if you consume Avocado in excess amounts. If you are allergic to Avocado, consuming it may cause itching, hives, swollen skin, and eczema. Avoid Avocado if you have latex intolerance. It reduces the HDL cholesterol in your body. Avocados may cause blood thinning, especially if you are using certain types of medications. Avocado is one popular fruit that adds instant taste up-gradation to any simple recipe with its taste and several benefits. Although Avocados have high-fat content, they are all good fats and powerful antioxidants beneficial naturally for health, skin, and hair. We hope the information provided in this article has given you a detailed picture of its benefits. Don't forget to let us know if it was helpful! Disclaimer: This article's contents are only informational and not a replacement for professional advice. The website is not responsible for any effects it may have on your body. It is better to consult a professional before you start using anything new. FAQ: 1. Is it safe to consume avocados on an empty stomach? Ans. Avocado's fiber content is high and might tax your digestive system if you consume it on an empty stomach. Try to include this remarkable fruit in your meal. However, more research is needed to justify this claim. 2. How many Avocados can you consume a day without any side effects? Ans. There are 29 grams of fat and 322 calories in an average Avocado. Depending upon your daily calorie intake, consuming one-half to two Avocados per day will be acceptable. 3. How can you preserve avocados and prevent them from browning? Ans. Avocados last 1 to 3 days at room temperature and 3 to 5 days when kept in the refrigerator. To prevent oxidation and thereby to brown Avocado, you can coat it with olive oil and chill it in an airtight container.