53.5 million pounds of guacamole were eaten during the last Super Bowl. This is a staggering amount of guacamole – enough to fill a football field 20 feet deep! This popular party dip consists primarily of avocado, a fruit that is unmatched in nutritional value and healthy fats. Enjoying an avocado a day yields remarkable health benefits, and there are plenty of fantastic recipes so you will never get bored.

Let’s take a look at some of the nutritional facts of avocados (per 3.5 oz serving):

Vitamin B6 – 13% RDA
Vitamin C – 17% RDA
Vitamin E – 10% RDA
Vitamin K – 26% RDA
Folate – 20% RDA
Potassium – 14% RDA (more than a banana!)

A 3.5 oz. serving of avocado contains 160 calories, 2 grams of protein, 15 grams of heart healthy fats and 7 grams of fiber. By numbers alone, it’s apparent that this nutritional powerhouse packs a punch. Besides the number-crunching, here are four reasons you should be eating an avocado a day:

ROBUST ANTIOXIDANT PROFILE
Avocados provide the body with over 20 vitamins and minerals on their own, but they do far more than that! With the highest lipophilic profile among all other fruits and vegetables, avocados help the body absorb and utilize fat soluble nutrients. This can enhance the nutritional value of certain nutrients by as much as 15 times.

Known as the body’s master antioxidant, glutathione (GSH) is arguably the most beneficial antioxidant in the body. Found in every living cell and produced naturally by the body, glutathione plays a key role in our immune function and cellular health. Avocados are one of the few foods that provide the body with glutathione, improving our health and immunity.

AVOCADOS FOR WEIGHT LOSS
Don’t let the high fat content and rich buttery texture of avocado fool you. This miracle fruit will actually enhance weight loss efforts, providing the body with healthy Omega-3 and Omega-6 fatty acids that help to boost fat metabolism and yield numerous cognitive health benefits.

The high fiber and fat content of avocados help people feel fuller longer, leading to less snacking between meals without feeling deprived.

AVOCADOS AND CHOLESTEROL LEVELS
Heart disease is one of the leading causes of death worldwide, and improving cholesterol levels can help safeguard you from developing this fatal cardiac ailment. One way to help improve cholesterol levels is to eat more avocados.

Avocados have been proven to help reduce LDL cholesterol levels, also known as the “bad cholesterol” while improving HDL cholesterol levels or “the good cholesterol.” They can also reduce triglyceride levels, a profoundly beneficial characteristic of the avocado.

Improved cholesterol levels and reduced triglycerides can benefit a huge array of bodily systems and function. Especially important for individuals with diabetes. An avocado a day can help diabetics keep their blood glucose levels in check and avoid glycemic spikes.

NUTRITIOUS AND DELICIOUS
These are just a few of the health benefits you could enjoy from eating avocados regularly. Not to mention the great flavor profile and unique texture they can add to any number of your favorite recipes. Try adding avocado to your favorite smoothie or salad; it can even substitute butter in certain baked goods! Truly one of the most diverse and healthy foods we could all use more of in our diet.

FUN AVOCADO FACTS:
● Avocados are a fruit, not a vegetable.
● Mexico is the biggest producer of avocados globally, responsible for about one third of all avocado cultivation.
● Avocados have the highest protein content of any fruit.
● They are cholesterol-free.
● One avocado tree can produce up to 500 avocados each year.
● 75% of the fat found in avocados is unsaturated.
● The avocado is also known as the “alligator pear.”