Nutritional Profile

Avocado provide 160 calories per 100g; 15gm of fat, 9g of carbohydrate, 7mg of sodium, 485mg of potassium and 2g of protein.

Interesting facts

• The word “avocado" comes from the Spanish word aguacate, which is from the the Nahuatl word ahuacatl. It's also sometimes called the alligator pear due to the shape and rough green skin (cut it open and it looks like an alligator eye, too).

• The fruit is an Aztec symbol of love and fertility, and it also grows in pairs on trees.

• Avocados are ripe when they feel heavy for their size, yield to light pressure and are dark in colour. You can speed up this process by putting them in a brown paper bag for 2-4 days along with a banana or apple.

Health Benefits

• Avocados have the highest fibre content of any fruit and contain vitamin B6, vitamin C, vitamin E, potassium, magnesium, and folate.

• Avocados also have the highest protein content among fruits.

• These are a nutrient-dense fruit loaded with healthy omega-3 fatty acids. They are also among the best foods to help fight stress due to their abundance of B vitamins.

Study

The majority of the fat in avocado is oleic acid – a monounsaturated fatty acid that has been associated with reduced inflammation and shown to have beneficial effects on genes linked to cancer.