The Amazing Avocado

The avocado -- you either love it or hate it. Believe it or not, I didn’t have my first avocado until I was 25 years old. Growing up on the East Coast I never really came across avocados, and when I did, I quickly ran the other way. However, upon moving to California, not only did I fall in love with this amazing fruit (yes, it’s a fruit), I became mildly obsessed. I added them to my sandwiches (instead of mayo), on top of salads and, of course, on chips in the form of guacamole.

Besides the fact that they taste amazing, avocados are a great source of vitamin K, dietary fiber, vitamin B6, vitamin C, folate and potassium. Believe it or not they are higher in potassium than a medium banana! Avocados do have a high fat content (between 71 to 88% of their total calories - about 20 times the average of other fruits) however, these are mono- and polyunsaturated fats (the good fats that help lower cholesterol!)

There are also a ton of other health benefits the avocado offers -- just remember, the key to any nutrition plan is moderation. It is possible to have too much of a good thing … avocados included.