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Avocado Nutrition
the nutritional value of avocados and full avocado nutrition information...
Avocados are well known for their 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.
Avocados contain 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.
Avocados are 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, avocados 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.
Avocados contain 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)
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