***Avocados are widely known for their nutty, flavourful and buttery (creamy) taste. Research has shown that when you consider equal weights of avocado to other fruits, they top the chart for key nutrients such as potassium, folate, fiber, vitamin E and magnesium (Adda, 2017; Medical News Today). Now, let’s digress a little; apart from knowing that avocado is pear-shaped in appearance, have you ever critically examined how related the shape of an avocado pear is to that of a female uterus (womb)?
AVOCADO FRUIT AND ITS RESEMBLANCE TO THE FEMALE REPRODUCTIVE ORGAN
***Take any avocado fruit, divide it into two equal halves from top to the bottom and you would see that avocado truly have the shape of a womb (uterus) with its neck also closely similar to the neck of a womb (cervix) as illustrated in the picture below. The resemblance didn’t just stop at that! Just the way a woman’s womb can comfortably carry a baby, an avocado also bears a big seed seated just right in its “false womb” just like a pregnant woman! Now, to create an amazing finish to this uniqueness, it would also surprise you to know that just as it takes a 9 months period for a human baby to fully develop in the womb, avocado also takes an exact 9 months to develop from blossom to a ripened fruit! This is really amazing! But come to think of it, is this only a mere coincidence? Or is nature trying to tell us something beyond the mere physical resemblance? Nutrition wise, its more than a coincidence, let’s see why!
NUTRITIONAL BENEFITS OF AVOCADO IN FEMALE FERTILITY
*** Avocado fruit has been shown by researches to be highly beneficial in improving menstrual flow (in irregular menstruation problems) and also important for disease reductions even in pregnant and lactating (breastfeeding) women (NLM, 2016). Also, it was noted for its ability to increase sexual desire. No wonder the Aztecs men (in ancient Mexico) usually consume avocado as a sex stimulant or aphrodisiac based on how it usually appears on the tree looking like two testicles! Funny indeed!
*** According to the US National Library of Medicine and National Institute of Health (2016), Maternal (a woman’s) nutrition plays a crucial role in influencing fertility, foetal (baby) development, birth outcomes from the time of conception through the initiation of complementary feeding because the nutrition of the mother is the nutrition of the offspring (baby) and a mother’s choice can affect both the early health status and lifelong disease risk of the offspring.
*** Avocados are important for fertility as they are packed with rich nutrients that are usually under-consumed in maternal diets. An example is Folate. Avocado has a whooping value of 89mcg of folate per 100g of its fruit. This nutrient is very important for all moms-to-be because they help prevent birth defects like spina bifida and neural tube defects. They are also higher in potassium (507mg/100g) compared to banana, high in magnesium (29mg/100g), iron (0.61mg/100g), vitamin C (8.80mg/100g), vitamin A (7mcg RAE/100g), niacin (1.91mg/100g), pantothenic acid (1.46mg/100g), phosphorous (54mg/100g). All these nutrients have been indicated for being very important for reproductive health! They are also rich in fiber, antioxidants nutrients such as lutein, glutathione, polyphenols and many good enzymes which aids digestion and promote fertility!
*** Now, let’s talk about the fats in avocados. Yes avocados are high in fat but you need not be afraid of it because they have the good kinds of fats that helps promote fertility! Avocado is the only fruit that provides a substantial amount of a healthy fat called the Mono-unsaturated Fatty Acids (MUFAs). Out of its 56% FA, 63% is the MUFAs. This is important to help balance reproductive hormones in the body and prevent against cervical cancer! So you see that avocados are very essential with both long and short term benefits for mother and child!
Other benefits of Avocado apart from fertility are:
*anti-inflammatory agent against arthritis and osteoarthritis
*lowering of cholesterol and decreasing hunger especially in a weight loss regimen
*They are low in sugars and thus regulate blood sugar especially in diabetics
*They are very good in improving vision and immune system
*they have 0mg of sodium and are thus good for hypertension
And the list continues!!!
HOW MUCH OF AVOCADO SHOULD YOU EAT?
***It’s necessary to know the serving size of avocado to eat so as not to overdo it. It’s advised to take at least 1/5th or not more than 1/3rd of a medium size avocado. A medium size avocado is about 170g. Let’s see the nutrient breakdown of avocado fruit from the USDA National Nutrient Database!
Whole (170g) 1/3rd (60g) 1/5th (30g)
Calories(g) 322 106 64
Fat (g) 29 9.7 5.9
Protein (g) 4 1.3 0.8
CHO (g) 17 5.6 3.4
Fibre (g) 14 4.4 2.7
DIFFERENT WAYS YOU CAN TAKE AVOCADO FRUIT
Apart from just chewing the fruit whole, other ways of consuming it are:
• Spreading it on your sandwich (or bread)
• Adding it to your smoothie for a creamy taste
• Instead of using a mayonnaise on your salad, why don’t you give avocado a try instead?
• You can mash it into your baby’s food before feeding
• In preparing ice cream, avocado can be used for a creamy taste more especially for vegans
• Generally, you can use it to replace anything creamy in your meal
So tell us, which other way of consumption do you know? For a more comprehensive diet plan, please reach out to us!!!
Tag an Avocado fruit lover!
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