...the nutritional value of avocados and full avocado nutrition information...
Avocado nutrition - well known for the monounsaturated fat content which are the "good fats". The avocado fruit contains around 20 vitamins, minerals and phytonutrients, and is a healthful food item to add to your diet.
The avocado is virtually the only fruit that contains monounsaturated fat. Monounsaturated fats are
healthy fats
which are said to help reduce the risk of heart disease. This type of fat is found in olive and canola oils plus the avocado fruit.
Avocado nutrition contains 76 milligrams of beta sitosterol in a 3 oz serving. Beta sitosterol is a natural plant sterol, which may help maintain healthy
cholesterol
levels.
Although avocados are fruits, they do have a high fat
content of between 71 - 88% of their total calories - about 20 times the average for other fruits. A typical avocado contains 30 grams of fat, but 20 of these fat grams are health promoting monounsaturated fats.
Avocado nutrition contains an excellent source of vitamin K which helps in blood clotting and protects the bones from fractures. Vitamin K also helps prevent postmenopausal bone loss and may protect against liver and prostate cancer.
Avocados contain high amounts of potassium which is a mineral that helps regulate blood pressure. Avocados are higher in potassium than a medium banana. Adequate intake of potassium can help to guard against circulatory diseases, like high blood pressure, heart disease or stroke.
Containing good fibre content, avocado nutrition can help with bowel regularity, thereby helping to prevent bowel cancer. Fibre can also maintain normal cholesterol and blood sugar levels.
Avocados also contain good amounts of vitamin B6 which helps in the breakdown of sugars and starches. Vitamin B6 also helps in the prevention of homocysteine build up in the blood.
Avocado nutrition contains good amounts of folate which supports red blood cell production and helps to prevent anemia. Folate also helps prevent homocysteine build up in the blood and helps to prevent osteoporosis related bone fractures as well as helping to prevent Alzheimers disease.
Avocados provide us with a good amount of dietary copper which helps our bodies to utilise dietary iron and reduce tissue damage caused by free radicals. Copper also plays a part in thyroid function.
One cup of avocado has 23% of the Daily Value for folate, a nutrient important for heart health.
Not only are avocados a rich source of monounsaturated fatty acids including oleic acid, which has recently been shown to offer significant protection against breast cancer, but it is also a very concentrated dietary source of the carotenoid "lutein". Avocados are a good way to get more lutein in the diet. Lutein is a natural antioxidant that may help maintain eye health as we get older.
Avocados also contains measurable amounts of related carotenoids (zeaxanthin, alpha-carotene and beta-carotene) plus significant quantities of tocopherols (vitamin E). Carotenoids are antioxidants which may reduce the risk of developing cancers.
An averaged sized avocado pear contains around 322 calories.
THE FULL NUTRITIONAL VALUE OF AVOCADOS:
Avocados, raw
Refuse: 26% (Seed and skin) Scientific Name: Persea americana NDB No: 09037 (Nutrient values and weights are for edible portion)
Nutrient
Units
1.00 X 1 avocado, NS as to Florida or California ------- 201g
Proximates
Water
g
147.19
Energy
kcal
322
Energy
kJ
1347
Protein
g
4.02
Total lipid (fat)
g
29.47
Ash
g
3.18
Carbohydrate, by difference
g
17.15
Fiber, total dietary
g
13.5
Sugars, total
g
1.33
Sucrose
g
0.12
Glucose (dextrose)
g
0.74
Fructose
g
0.24
Lactose
g
0.00
Maltose
g
0.00
Galactose
g
0.20
Starch
g
0.22
Minerals
Calcium, Ca
mg
24
Iron, Fe
mg
1.11
Magnesium, Mg
mg
58
Phosphorus, P
mg
105
Potassium, K
mg
975
Sodium, Na
mg
14
Zinc, Zn
mg
1.29
Copper, Cu
mg
0.382
Manganese, Mn
mg
0.285
Fluoride, F
mcg
14.1
Selenium, Se
mcg
0.8
Vitamins
Vitamin C, total ascorbic acid
mg
20.1
Thiamin
mg
0.135
Riboflavin
mg
0.261
Niacin
mg
3.493
Pantothenic acid
mg
2.792
Vitamin B-6
mg
0.517
Folate, total
mcg
163
Folic acid
mcg
0
Folate, food
mcg
163
Folate, DFE
mcg_DFE
163
Choline, total
mg
28.5
Betaine
mg
1.4
Vitamin B-12
mcg
0.00
Vitamin B-12, added
mcg
0.00
Vitamin A, RAE
mcg_RAE
14
Retinol
mcg
0
Carotene, beta
mcg
125
Carotene, alpha
mcg
48
Cryptoxanthin, beta
mcg
56
Vitamin A, IU
IU
293
Lycopene
mcg
0
Lutein + zeaxanthin
mcg
545
Vitamin E (alpha-tocopherol)
mg
4.16
Vitamin E, added
mg
0.00
Tocopherol, beta
mg
0.10
Tocopherol, gamma
mg
0.66
Tocopherol, delta
mg
0.04
Vitamin D (D2 + D3)
mcg
0.0
Vitamin D
IU
0
Vitamin K (phylloquinone)
mcg
42.2
Lipids
Fatty acids, total saturated
g
4.273
4:0
g
0.000
6:0
g
0.000
8:0
g
0.002
10:0
g
0.000
12:0
g
0.000
14:0
g
0.000
15:0
g
0.000
16:0
g
4.171
17:0
g
0.000
18:0
g
0.098
20:0
g
0.000
22:0
g
0.000
24:0
g
0.000
Fatty acids, total monounsaturated
g
19.696
14:1
g
0.000
15:1
g
0.000
16:1 undifferentiated
g
1.403
17:1
g
0.020
18:1 undifferentiated
g
18.223
20:1
g
0.050
22:1 undifferentiated
g
0.000
Fatty acids, total polyunsaturated
g
3.650
18:2 undifferentiated
g
3.365
18:3 undifferentiated
g
0.251
18:3 n-3 c,c,c (ALA)
g
0.223
18:3 n-6 c,c,c
g
0.030
18:4
g
0.000
20:2 n-6 c,c
g
0.000
20:3 undifferentiated
g
0.032
20:4 undifferentiated
g
0.000
20:5 n-3 (EPA)
g
0.000
22:5 n-3 (DPA)
g
0.000
22:6 n-3 (DHA)
g
0.000
Cholesterol
mg
0
Stigmasterol
mg
4
Campesterol
mg
10
Beta-sitosterol
mg
153
Amino acids
Tryptophan
g
0.050
Threonine
g
0.147
Isoleucine
g
0.169
Leucine
g
0.287
Lysine
g
0.265
Methionine
g
0.076
Cystine
g
0.054
Phenylalanine
g
0.466
Tyrosine
g
0.098
Valine
g
0.215
Arginine
g
0.177
Histidine
g
0.098
Alanine
g
0.219
Aspartic acid
g
0.474
Glutamic acid
g
0.577
Glycine
g
0.209
Proline
g
0.197
Serine
g
0.229
Other
Alcohol, ethyl
g
0.0
Caffeine
mg
0
Theobromine
mg
0
Footnotes:
Based on 86% California and 14% Florida varieties.
USDA National Nutrient Database for Standard Reference, Release 22 (2009)
Avocado nutrition - well known for the monounsaturated fat content which are the "good fats". The avocado fruit contains around 20 vitamins, minerals and phytonutrients, and is a healthful food item to add to your diet.
