Avocado is an oily fruit, useful for men, women and children. What are its positive properties and what harm can an exotic fruit cause to the body?
Avocados are the fruit of an evergreen tree of the Laurel family. The motherland of an exotic product is Mexico, the second name is an alligator pear. Today grown in countries with Mediterranean and tropical climates. The taste of an immature product resembles an unripe pear with dense pulp and firm skin, and a ripe one - melted butter with a slight nutty aftertaste. What are the benefits and harm of avocado for the body?
Avocado composition
Exotic fruit is oval, spherical, pear-shaped. Length varies up to 20 cm, and weight - from 200 grams to 1.75 kg. The peel is dark green in color, and the flesh is light yellow and oily. Inside the fetus is a bone with a size of 3 cm. The benefits of the product lies in its unique chemical composition:
- trace elements: sodium, phosphorus, calcium, manganese, magnesium;
- vitamins: A, B, E, PP, C, D;
- carotenoids.
The caloric content of an exotic fruit in 100 grams is 250 Kcal. Avocado is a nutritional ingredient that does not contain harmful fats and sugars, which allows the product to be included in the diet of a person who adheres to a dietary diet.
The presence of oleic acid favorably affects the cardiovascular system, preventing the formation of cholesterol plaques. The exotic fruit contains active substances that help preserve youth and prevent the premature aging of the body. Especially popular among vegetarians, as its composition replaces meat, egg products.
Benefits and harm to the body
Due to the rich vitamin and mineral composition, the fruit has a positive effect on the human body. The main thing is to use it fresh, without subjecting it to heat treatment.
- It has an antioxidant effect, removing toxic compounds and heavy metals from the body.
- Increases resistance to age-related changes, the spread of viral and infectious diseases.
- Cleans the blood of harmful cholesterol, acts as a prophylactic.
- Increases mental alertness, improving memory.
- Reduces the risk of heart disease and the hematopoietic system. Strengthens the heart muscle due to the significant amount of potassium in the product.
- Leads to high pressure.
- Restores the central nervous system, eliminating increased irritation, drowsiness, fatigue.
- Increases performance.
- Prevents anemia.
- Strengthens immunity.
- Normalizes the gastrointestinal tract, eliminating constipation.
- Blocks the development of malignant cells.
- Regulates the water-salt balance in the body.
- Calcium, phosphorus strengthen the musculoskeletal system.
- Normalizes metabolism, activates fat metabolism, burning and splitting fats. The process involves the natural amino acid levocarnitine contained in the product.
For men
For members of the stronger sex avocado exhibits special healing properties.
Alligator pear has positive properties:
- increases sexual desire;
- improves the quality of germ cells, increasing their viability;
- treats infertility, impotence;
- the presence of protein helps build muscle mass.
For women
Avocados are a popular product for maintaining female beauty and health:
- restores hair structure;
- strengthens the bulbs, preventing excessive loss;
- curls become smooth, silky, shiny;
- it is long digested, therefore it is actively used in the diet as a snack to satisfy hunger.
For pregnant
Monounsaturated fatty acids and a vitamin complex in the early stages form the placenta, brain, nervous system, organs of vision in the baby. Vitamin B9 reduces the risk of congenital malformations, soothes the central nervous system of the expectant mother, prevents the development of toxicosis.
Minerals eliminate diseases of the heart, digestive system. To prevent the birth of a small baby and strengthen the immune system, pregnant women are advised to add avocados to food in small quantities. In addition to therapeutic properties, it is used to eliminate stretch marks on the chest, abdomen, thighs.
For kids
In the neonatal period (up to 6 months), the body of the crumbs does not perceive any other food, except mother's milk and its substitutes. The first lures are introduced from 5-6 months. Adding avocado to the diet is allowed for a child over 1 year old.
The oily consistency of the fetus is ideal for replenishing vitamins and microelements.
Tip! At the first use of the product by the child, it is recommended to mix it with milk in order to avoid problems with the digestive system.
The benefits of an alligator pear for children are as follows:
- Contains a huge amount of fatty acids necessary for full mental and physical development.
- The high calorie content of the product compensates for the lack of energy.
- Vitamin and mineral balance strengthens the immune system. Especially recommended to use the product after suffering infectious or viral diseases.
- Keratin and lutein prevent loss of visual function.
Contraindications
As such, the exotic fruit with proper use does not cause harm. But there are some limitations under which it is recommended to give up avocado:
- the manifestation of an allergic reaction to the product, latex;
- individual intolerance;
- disruption of the liver, pancreas.
If overused, adverse reactions may occur:
- nausea;
- vomiting;
- violation of the chair;
- pains in the gastrointestinal tract.
Avocado oil: benefit, harm and application in cosmetology
On the shelves in stores you can find 2 types of product:
- cold pressed unrefined, not deodorized, sold in dark glass bottles. It has a subtle nutty aftertaste. Keeps in its composition the maximum amount of active substances;
- Purified refined is considered the least useful, the color - pale yellow.
Used in cooking when cooking. In cosmetology, in the form of an additional ingredient in homemade beauty products. Medicinal properties are the same as for fresh fruit.
The oil product has the following beneficial properties:
- Fills the lack of moisture in the cells of the epidermis.
- Removes harmful and toxic compounds, giving the hair and skin a natural shine, radiance.
- Restores cells.
- Rejuvenates
- Accelerates the process of healing wounds, cuts, abrasions.
- Improves blood circulation in the skin.
- is antifungal, antiseptic.
- Strengthens hair follicles, prevents the cross section of the tips.
- Normalizes the production of elastin, collagen.
- Reduces the risk of excessive pigmentation.
- Slows down the aging process.
Avocado oil is well absorbed, quickly solving the problem of a cosmetic nature. Widely used in the preparation of: masks, lotions, scrubs. It is also allowed to add a natural product for the enrichment of finished cosmetics in a 1: 1 ratio.
Harm oil inflicts extremely rarely as an intolerance to the components. For this reason, it is recommended to test for allergies before external use. To do this, oil is applied to the delicate area of the skin. The result is evaluated during the day. In the absence of redness, itching, rash is allowed to use. Otherwise, it is worth stopping the application by taking an antihistamine pill.
Useful properties of bone
In the tropical fruit in the middle is a small bone. Its rich chemical composition allows to eliminate many health problems:
- amino acids reduce harmful cholesterol, protect against pathologies of the cardiovascular system;
- increases the body's resistance to parasites, fungi, viruses;
- fiber improves digestion, suppresses hunger. Effectively reduces obesity, normalizing metabolic processes;
- localizes foci of inflammation in the gastrointestinal tract, eliminates signs of diarrhea;
- removes overwork, fatigue;
- neutralizes pain in the joints, muscles;
- flavonol has an antitumor effect;
- prevents the development of epileptic seizures;
- cleanses the skin, reduces inflammation, removing irregularities (acne, black spots, acne);
- normalizes the thyroid gland;
- relieves asthma attacks.
Selection rules
To extract the maximum benefit from the product it is necessary to choose the right one. Consider the main criteria:
- Unripe - hard, heavy fruit. At room temperature matures within 3 days.
- Refrigerating is strictly prohibited.
- The surface of the peel is flat, without cracks, spots and other third-party damage. Their presence indicates a ripe fruit, unfit for consumption.
- Ripeness is determined by a slight touch. It should be mined, but not be loose.
- Natural size - no more than 10 cm.
- Fruit is stored no more than 5 days, after it starts to deteriorate.
Read also the article about healthy grape seed oil.
Here - all about walnut.
Learn all the properties of peach oil here.
Ways of use
The tropical fruit is consumed fresh, as it rarely undergoes cooking. For people prone to obesity, it is allowed to eat no more than 1 avocado, in the absence of health problems - up to 2 pieces, for children from 1 year old - 50 grams each.
Before taking, carefully washed, remove the peel and bone. Cut the cube, slice. In addition to the pulp, you can use a bone as food, but it is extremely accurate. First of all it is required to prepare it correctly:
- remove the upper skin;
- chop the inside and fry in a dry frying pan to a golden-red hue;
- cool;
- grind into a powder.
Use as an additive in food to salads, soups, main dishes. For ingestion is allowed to prepare a decoction. To do this, for 1 cup boiling water add 1 tsp. product. Brew for 20 minutes, then strain. Reception divided by 3 times.
It is important to remember that the avocado seed leads to constipation due to the content of tannins in its composition.
Use of avocado in cooking
Tropical fruit is used to create culinary masterpieces. In salads, cold appetizers or sandwiches the product goes well with other ingredients. As a dressing used freshly squeezed lemon juice, lime. Otherwise, avocado slices quickly oxidize when they come into contact with oxygen particles, losing a beautiful appearance.
The most popular snack is guacamole, which consists of: avocado in a puree form, lime juice, chopped cilantro greens, chili pepper, fine salt. In addition to the oil paste is prepared:
- baked tuna in its own juice;
- cheese platter;
- Baked Bacon
Vegetarians use the product to make rolls or sushi, replace meat in some second courses.
Avocado is a useful tropical fruit that allows you to compensate for the lack of vitamins and minerals in the body, as well as maintain beauty. It is required to include in the diet not only adults but also children.
