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What are superfoods avocados and where do they come from? It grows all year round on a tree that has its origins in Mexico and South America. Today, avocados are grown around the world, for example in Chile, New Zealand, Spain and Israel.
Fruit or vegetable – which is right? Since avocado is mostly used in rather hearty dishes, it is often mistaken for a vegetable. But this is wrong, because what many people do not know: The avocado is a berry fruit and belongs to the laurel family.
But there is not just “the one” avocado, but many different varieties. In our country you can usually find the “hate” avocado, which is characterized by a brown, wrinkled skin. But you can also buy fruits with a green skin, longish avocados or varieties without pits.
The avocado belongs to the so-called climacteric fruits. This means that it falls or is harvested from the tree when unripe and then ripens within the next ten days. Since avocados have to be transported to the USA first, they are often already ripe when they are bought or only need one or two days to ripen. How you can tell if an avocado is ripe is explained below in our “Tips & Tricks”.
Ingredients of the avocado: That’s what’s in the Superfood
The avocado is known for its valuable ingredients. Even though the fruit has a high fat content, it is one of the healthiest foods there is. This is because it contains unsaturated fatty acids, the “good” fats. These can – in contrast to saturated fats – strengthen the cardiovascular system and thus prevent diseases such as heart attacks. In addition to the fatty acids, the avocado also convinces with all kinds of vitamins, minerals and antioxidants, which make the fruit a real superfood.
100 grams of avocado contain about…
- Calorific value: 210 kcal
- Protein: 1,8g
- Carbohydrates: 2g
- thereof sugar: 1g
- fat: 21,5g
- dietary fibre: 5,5g
The fruit is healthy because it is a real stress killer
Job, family, leisure time: Somehow we are constantly stressed out. Instead of chocolate, you should try wholemeal bread with avocado or guacamole. The avocado is healthy and perfect for stress because it contains various B vitamins that are good for the brain.
The avocado is healthy because it contains a lot of folic acid
Folic acid is a totally underestimated vitamin and is especially important for pregnant women, as it helps to close the neural tube of the embryo in the first weeks. If the expectant mother is not sufficiently supplied with folic acid, the child can be born with a so-called open back, a malformation of the spine.
100 g of avocado contains 30 micrograms of folic acid, which makes it so healthy for pregnant women.
The avocado is healthy because it is supposed to lower cholesterol
Not all fat is the same: this is especially true of avocado.
The fat it contains is purely vegetable and contains a large proportion of monounsaturated fatty acids. These fatty acids are good for the body and have some health effects. According to a study mentioned in the medical journal, they are said to lower the cholesterol level and thus reduce the risk of heart disease.
The fruit is healthy because it makes skin and hair shine
Another advantage of avocados: they contain large amounts of vitamins A and E, which are great for skin and hair. Especially the core is a real beauty booster. Pulverize it, mix it with water and apply it to the skin as a mask for a few minutes. Afterwards the complexion glows, impurities are prevented. If you combine the powder of the avocado seed with coconut oil, you also have a great cure for dry, stressed hair.
The avocado is a superfood because it contains a lot of fibre
Dietary fibres are filling and good for the digestion and health of our colon. Avocados are good sources of fibre, especially the seeds, which you can actually eat! Grate or crush it and sprinkle it over muesli, salad or put it in a smoothie.
The avocado is healthy because it is supposed to help you lose weight
Fat and calories do not really fit into a diet. Nevertheless: the avocado is not only healthy, it is also said to help you lose weight. It contains many unsaturated fatty acids, which are supposed to accelerate the breakdown of fat in the body.