I love avocados. So when I found out it was National Avocado Day today, I wanted to dish about the health and beauty benefits of the fatty green fruit (yep – it’s a fruit!). I love the way it tastes in salads and on toast and mostly, in guacamole. I wanted to dig a little deeper and discuss the beauty benefits of avocado. I know its oil is great for your skin and hair – in fact, I even read about how someone ate 2 avocados a day for two weeks to improve their hair.
PHOTOGRAPHY // Erica Simmons
While I won’t be committing to eating a surplus of avocados for the validation of this post, I will be posting why you should eat more of them to be more healthy, more beautiful and even more happy.
BECAUSE IT BOOSTS YOUR MOOD
Because avocados are high in folate, it naturally boosts your mood. Avocados are high in monounsaturated fats which have been shown to reduce depression because balancing your intake of fat helps keep it under control. And avocados contribute to boosting your brain’s feel good chemicals like dopamine and serotonin because they are so high in folate.
BECAUSE IT’S GOOD FOR YOUR HAIR AND SKIN
In breaking news – avocados are loaded with biotin which is like the holy grail for hair, skin and nails. It’s like the multivitamin you can eat. And if you’re looking to get some more moisture to your skin and hair from within, the vitamin B and E in avocados will do just the trick. Missed the perfect time to eat your avocado and it’s now too ripe? Mash it up in a bowl and put in on your hair as a mask/deep conditioner. Works wonders.
BECAUSE IT HELPS WITH WEIGHT LOSS
Until I did the research for this post, I did not know that avocados were high fiber. Which is great because fiber keeps you regular while also feeding our good bacteria which are both great for digestion. Avocados are also rich in healthy fats – 21 grams of fat to be exact. But it’s the good kind. The two types of fats avocados contain are monounsaturated fats and polyunsaturated fats. Oleic acid which is the primary monounsaturated fat in avocados tells your brain that you’re full and helps reduce cravings. When eaten in moderation, avocados help keep your belly flat and lower your BMI.
BECAUSE IT’S GREAT FOR BRAIN HEALTH
If you’re looking for a food that helps you focus, avocados are the answer. The fruit is great for brain health because of the healthy fats they contain. Turns out, our brains are fatty – 60% fat to be exact – need fat to operate at an optimal level. Avocados help balance your blood sugar because of the fiber and fat which help you stay focused throughout the day.
BECAUSE IT MAKES YOU HEALTHIER
Overall, when you eat avocados you tend to be the healthier version of yourself. Studies have shown that people who eat avocados have a lower BMI, less belly fat and have a high level of good cholesterol. And because it helps you absorb antioxidants better, avocado eaters tend to have a higher amount of nutrients than the average person. Sounds like a solid trade off.
Avocados have become quite the rave in the last couple of years. Are you into avocados? How do you like to eat them?
