The Wonder Fruit Avocado

Many people are prejudiced about the avocado. I'll be perfectly honest, I was too. Looked at the fat content in the fruit, and went! Nope! Then, as I read more about the type of fat in avocado, I realized the fat was actually healthy fat. Avocado is the only fruit which has monounsaturated fat. Why is this good? This monounsaturated fat provides the fat with the medium for the absorption and transport of fat soluble substances like alpha and beta carotenes and lutein. One medium avocado weighs about 5 oz and has 55 calories. Another interesting fact about avocados is that it is rich in many phytonutrients such as glutathione, beta-sitosterol and lutein. Incorporation of phytonutrients in our diet is important as they are considered to be an important factor in the prevention of chronic diseases.




Something that really caught my attention was the fact that avocados are richer in potassium than bananas. Why is that important? Potassium is a mineral required in small amounts by the human body for proper functioning. Normal daily requirement of potassium is 4.7 gms. Consumption of adequate potassium balances the effects of sodium, and helps reduce incidence of kidney stones and bone loss. Studies have shown that an increase in potassium and a decrease in sodium plays an effective role in the lowering of blood pressure in hypertensive patients. However, consumption of potassium supplements is not recommended. Instead fresh food rich in potassium should be incorporated into every day meals. Athletes also experience a deficiency of this mineral after rigorous exercise. Other reasons which may lead to a deficiency of potassium are severe diarrhoea, uncontrolled diabetes, low calorie diets (with intake of less than 800 calories er day), and chronic alcoholism. Deficiency of this vital mineral causes muscle cramps and heart irregularities. It is very easy to incorporate potassium in our diet. One of the easiest way was said to be the consumption of bananas or a cup of orange juice or a potato. A lot of us think of sports drinks as the ideal way to replace minerals lost during exercise. Though most drinks do replace many vitamins and minerals, most don't replace potassium. There has also been some speculation that potassium deficiency could be an important causative factor, or a factor worsening rheumatoid arthritis.
Some good sources of Potassium:

• Milk, yogurt
• spinach, parsnip, broccoli, Swiss chard, winter squash, sweet potatoes, potatoes
• dates, bananas, mangoes, grapefruit, orange juice, plantains, raisins, prunes, cantaloupes, dried apricots
• dried beans, peas, lentils

Coming back to Avocados, I wanted to share some very interesting recipes that I found with avocado as the main ingredient.

Chilled Avocado Soup:

Ingredients:
(Makes four servings)
Avocado: 2 ripe, peeled, pitted
Vegetable broth: 1.5 cups (can be substituted with water)
Serrano chilies: 3
Low fat milk: 1/2 cup
Lime juice: 1 tbsp
Fresh Ground Pepper: as per taste
Cilantro: for garnish

Method:
Blend avocado, broth, chilies, milk, salt and lime juice till smooth and creamy.
Chill the soup for 2 hours.
Serve garnished with fresh ground pepper and cilantro.
Use within 2 days.

Nutritional Information:
Per serving of 1/4 of recipe or 142 gms
Calories: 176
Calories from fat: 126
Total fat: 15 gms (23% of DV)
Saturated fat: 2 gms (12% of DV)
Monounsaturated fat: 5 gms
Polyunsaturated fat: 1 gm
Monounsaturated fat: 10 gms
Polyunsaturated fat: 2 gms
Cholesterol: 2 mg (1% of DV)
Sodium: 23 mg (1% of DV)
Potassium: 597 mg
Carbohydrate: 11 gms (4% of DV)
Dietary Fiber: 7 gms (28% of DV)
Sugars: 3 gms
Protein: 3 gms

Vitamin A: 5% of DV
Vitamin C: 29% of DV
Calcium: 5% of DV
Iron: 3% of DV

Percent daily values are based on a 2000 calorie diet. Values may change based on individual requirements.

Breakdown of calorific values:
Carbohydrates:21% Fats:72% Proteins:7%

Avocado Chile Salsa:

Can be served with any grilled seafood or poultry.
Makes 4 servings:
Ingredients:
Avocado: 1 ripe, cut into 1/4 inch chunks
Tomatoes: 2, cut into 1/2 inch chunks
Red onion: 1 cup, chopped finely
Jalapeno pepper: 1, chopped finely
Cilantro: 1/2 cup, minced
Lime juice: from one lemon
Kosher salt: 1/2 tsp

Combine all the ingredients in a large non-reactive bowl, like glass, steel or ceramic.
Mix gently with a spoon. Store covered, refrigerated for upto 2 days.

Nutritional Information:
Per serving: 1/4th of recipe, 170 gms
Calories: 113
Calories from fat: 63
Total fat: 8 gms (12% of DV)
Saturated fat: 1 gm (6% of DV)
Trans fat: 0 mg (0% of DV)
Cholesterol: 0 mg (0% of DV)
Sodium: 11 mg (0% of DV)
Potassium: 509 mg (15% of DV)
Carbohydrates: 12 gms (4% of DV)
Dietary Fiber: 5 gms (20% of DV)
Sugars: 4 gms
Proteins: 2 gms

Vitamin A: 15% of DV
Vitamin C: 39% of DV
Calcium: 2% of DV
Iron: 3% of DV

Percent daily values are based on a 2000 calorie diet and may vary based on individual requirements.

Breakdown of caloric information:
Carbohydrates: 39% Fats:56% Proteins:5%

Recipes for Avocado soup and Avocado salsa are modifications of recipes by Steve Petusevsky