Avocado: a healthy fat

A few days ago, during a dinner, one of the diners commented that he loved avocado, a pity that it is “so fattening”. Immediately afterwards, the lipid hypothesis came to my mind, a current born in the 1950s that concluded that fat consumption, in general, is directly related to obesity, as well as to the increased risk of coronary heart disease. Thus, most people associate fat consumption with health problems, but this conclusion is not correct. In the 1980s, the lipid hypothesis was discarded, and the theory that not all fats are harmful gained strength, quite the contrary: some fatty acids are basic structural forms (cell walls, hormones, etc.) and others are essential. Regarding the maintenance of body weight, the reality is that diets with 20-30% of calories coming from fats popularly known as “good” (i.e. mono-unsaturated fats) not only are not fattening contribute to weight loss. Indeed, the avocado is an atypical fruit because of its high fat content, although most of its fatty acids are monounsaturated (as opposed to the saturated fats of red meat).

Avocado and its properties:

a) Vitamins (E, A, B1, B2, B3, K). Especially emphasizing the contribution of vitamin E, liposoluble antioxidant. b) Essential fatty acids (mostly monounsaturated). c) Minerals such as iron, phosphorus, magnesium, potassium. d) Avocado consumption improves the absorption of other nutrients diluted in its fat, such as alpha and beta-carotene. e) Avocados are a good source of lutein, an antioxidant that has been shown to be concentrated in the macula of the eye. Therefore, this fruit, originally from Mexico, is a highly nutritious ingredient that should be included in our diet. So much so, that specialized sources have considered avocado as one of the seven essential foods for a balanced diet. In the following publication, the remaining six. J.M.Berrio