Avocado benefits for women have a lot. Avocados are nutrient-dense with folate (folic acid), healthy monounsaturated fats, vitamin C, K, additional B vitamins, potassium, and other minerals and fiber. Healthy fat (monounsaturated and omega-3 and low omega-6 polyunsaturated fats) plays a role in estrogen production and reproductive hormonal balance. Here we are going to discuss the benefits of avocado for women’s health.
Avocado Benefits for Women
It can help you slim down
A study from Nutrition Journal found that eating half an avocado for lunch helps keep you fuller in the afternoon than if you don’t have one.
It may make a healthier body
Avocado lovers are basically synonymous with health lovers. Seriously! A study of 17, 567 adults conducted by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention found that people who ate half an avocado per day were healthier overall than those who didn’t.
They reported diets containing more fiber, vitamins, minerals, and good-for-you fats. What’s more, they also weighed less and had lower BMIs, smaller waists, and healthier cholesterol levels. Keep in mind, that the results were correlational—meaning that avocados didn’t necessarily cause these things.
But the authors believe that avocado consumers are more health-conscious overall than non-avocado consumers, meaning it can’t hurt to hop on nature’s butter train.
It is great for your skin
You are what you eat—quite literally. The monounsaturated fats in avocados help to nourish your skin, hair, and nails. And avocados also contain lutein, which helps improve your eyes.
It may lower your blood pressure
Avocados are very high in potassium, which helps lower blood pressure. And even though most people think bananas are the go-to potassium source, avocados actually have way more. Half an avocado contains 487 milligrams, whereas a medium banana only has 422 milligrams.
It can help prevent injuries
The reason avocados can help keep you injury-free is that they contain lots of good-for-you monounsaturated fats. And a University of Buffalo study actually found that competitive female runners whose diets were made up of less than 20 percent fat were more likely to suffer injuries than those who consumed at least 31 percent. Incorporating more healthy fats into your diet may help your body better fend off injury.
Avocado benefits sexually
Avocados are rich in vitamin B6, potassium, and monounsaturated fats. These help to promote good circulation and a healthy heart, both a necessity for great sex life. The natural benefits of avocados help to prevent artery damage too. Erectile dysfunction is twice as likely in men who have heart disease.
Avocado benefits for hair
Avocado is a great source of biotin, and adding this B-complex vitamin back into the diet may help hair to grow more healthily. A 2015 study found that minerals in avocado oil, including potassium and magnesium, may seal cuticle cells, which can help hair look smooth and shiny and prevent it from breaking.
Avocado benefits for pregnancy
Avocados are full of healthy fat
Fat is very important during pregnancy; extra calories are necessary for the growth of the fetus, and healthy fats are a good way of gaining those calories.
Healthy fats – in this case, monounsaturated fats – will help you up to your fat intake without all the ‘bad stuff’ that comes with it. Avocados also include omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids – both of which are incredibly beneficial for you and your unborn child.
They can aid digestion
It isn’t uncommon to find yourself with stomach illnesses and constipation during pregnancy. The rich fiber and magnesium content that is found in avocados will actually help this, as it aids digestion and eases bowel movements.
Avocados can help with morning sickness
Morning sickness can be debilitating in the early stages of pregnancy, leaving you totally fatigued throughout the first trimester. Avocados are full of vitamin C and vitamin B6, which can alleviate the symptoms of morning sickness and help your body better absorb the vitamins found in fruit and vegetables.
They are rich in antioxidants
Antioxidants are necessary compounds to protect us against cellular damage. Avocados are particularly rich in the antioxidant carotenoid lutein, a source for eye development and brain function in the fetus.
These antioxidants are also found in breast milk, and their levels are directly linked to the mother’s intake. Therefore, by eating more avocados beyond pregnancy and into the phase of breastfeeding, you can also increase the carotenoid level of your breast milk; a key component of a baby’s growth and development.
They can treat anemia
Pregnant women can become iron deficient, which can lead to anemia. Avocados contain high levels of iron; the amount necessary to maintain healthy iron levels during pregnancy.
Avocados can relieve leg cramps
You may be surprised to learn that avocados contain more potassium than bananas. Potassium (and calcium) can help ease cramping; something which is common during pregnancy. Leg cramps in particular are a common system, and avocados provide much-needed relief from this uncomfortable, often painful ache.
They can boost fetal brain development
A growing fetus needs fat to develop its brain in a healthy way – a single cup of avocado contains 22mg of choline, the necessary amount needed for fetal brain and nerve development. Plus, iron (found in avocados) is also vital for proper brain, neurological and red blood cell development.
Avocados lower the risk of excessive weight gain
Avocados are high in dietary fiber, and this means they can actually lower the chances of unwanted weight gain. Their high fiber, healthy fat, and nutrient content can also create feelings of fullness, enabling you to stay energized throughout the day while maintaining a healthy weight (for you and your baby).
They can reduce the risk of gestational diabetes
Again, the high fiber content in avocados can have enormous health benefits, including reducing your risk of gestational diabetes. Half an avocado contains 6-7 grams of fiber, which scientists have linked to a significantly lower risk of diabetes and its complications.
Avocados are easy to incorporate into your diet
The last thing you want when you’re growing a baby is to spend hours and hours in the kitchen or the grocery store meticulously planning out a baby-friendly diet.
The good news is that avocados are super versatile – you can add them to just about anything. Whether you want a healthy snack or a full-blown meal, there is an abundance of ways you can bring avocado into your pregnancy diet.
68 g Avocado Nutrition
- Calories 114
- Dietary fiber 6 g
- Total sugar 0.2 g
- Potassium 345 milligrams (mg)
- Sodium 5.5 mg
- Magnesium 19.5 mg
- Vitamin A 43 micrograms (μg)
- Vitamin E 1.3 mg
- Vitamin K 14 μg
- Vitamin B-6 0.2 mg
- Monounsaturated fatty acids 6.7 g
Overall, avocados contain quite a bit of potassium, dietary fiber, and fats. Avocado oil alone is almost two-thirds (71 percent) of monounsaturated fatty acids — aka the “good fats” shown to lower LDL, or “bad,” cholesterol and increase HDL, or “good,” cholesterol, according to the Dairy Council of California. These important contents add to a number of health benefits, notes the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s MyPlate guidelines.
Avocado side effects for women
Not good for pregnant and breastfeeding women
Avocados may seem like it’s good for every situation, but the truth is that they should be avoided by pregnant and breastfeeding women. Avocado reduces milk production and has even been known to damage the mammary gland. Not to mention that babies’ stomachs are too sensitive to ingest avocado or its remnants.
Liver
Avocado contains two components called estragole and anethole, which can cause damage to your liver.
Medication interactions
If you eat large quantities of avocado, it can actually interfere with the effectiveness of any anti-inflammatory medications that you’re taking. This is a big potential danger because let’s face it if you eat an avocado, chances are you’ll eat a lot!
Allergies
There are very unfortunate people who may even experience an allergic reaction to the wonder that is avocado. If they do, they are likely to have symptoms like hives, swollen skin, eczema, and itching.
Latex intolerance
If you have latex intolerance, then you should avoid avocados. Avocado is known to increase the level of serum IgE, which will heighten your sensitivity to avocado.
Lowers HDL cholesterol
Although it is one of the good fats, avocado actually works against you when it comes to avocado. It lowers levels of HDL cholesterol, which is the good type that your body needs.
