Nutritional Value
Avocados have diverse fats. For a typical avocado:
- About 75% of an avocado's calories come from fat, most of which is monounsaturated fat.
- On a 100 g basis, avocados have 35% more potassium (485 mg) than bananas (358 mg). They are rich in B vitamins, as well as vitamin E and vitamin K.
- Avocados have a high fiber content of 75% insoluble and 25% soluble fiber.
High avocado intake was shown in one preliminary study to lower blood cholesterol levels. Specifically, after a seven-day diet rich in avocados, mild hypercholesterolemia patients showed a 17% decrease in total serum cholesterol levels. These subjects also showed a 22% decrease in both LDL (harmful cholesterol) and triglyceride levels and 11% increase in HDL (helpful cholesterol) levels. Additionally a Japanese team synthesised the four chiral components, and identified (2R, 4R)-16-heptadecene-1, 2, 4-triol as a natural antibacterial component.
Due to a combination of specific aliphatic acetogenins, avocado is under preliminary research for potential anti-cancer activity.
Extracts of P. americana have been used in laboratory research to study potential use for treating hypertension or diabetes mellitus.
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