Avocado is called ‘Pear’ or ‘Alligator Pear’ by many Jamaicans, due to its shape and green skin. Native to south-central Mexico, immediately beneath the avocado skin is a thin layer of soft, bright-green flesh. Generally, the flesh is entirely pale to rich-yellow, buttery and bland or nut-like in flavour. It is of a creamy texture and grows best in a warm climate.
This fruit has multiple uses at the dining table. It can be used as a dip, a desert, spreads, and may also be eaten raw. It is classified as fat, consisting mainly of monounsaturated fat – 3 g and 0.5 g of polyunsaturated fatty acids, with 16 per cent accounting for saturated fatty acids (SFA). However, as the fruit ripens the saturated fat decreases and the monounsaturated oleic acid increases. This type of fat is considered to be oil and not solid fat. Avocado Pear is labelled as a fruit and has no cholesterol or sodium.
Monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fat are otherwise called “good fat”, while the saturated fat and trans fat are called “bad fat.” According to the Recommended Dietary Daily Allowance by The Caribbean Food and Nutrition Institute, fats, including unsaturated fats, of which avocado is a source, should be 30 per cent or less of the daily intake, while saturated fats (example fatty meat and butter) should be consumed in moderation.
According to Patricia Thompson, MSc, a registered nutritionist, “Sources of fat that are often mislabelled are the Jamaican ackee and the avocado pear. Neither has any cholesterol and the fat is monounsaturated — the same type of fat that we pay so much for in olive oil.”
What are the Properties of this fruit that contributes to its health benefits?
The avocado pear has 25 mg per ounce of natural plant sterol, which is called the ‘beta sitosterol’. When consumed along with other plant sterols, it has proven to help maintain a healthy cholesterol level. It can be considered a heart-healthy fruit.
Cardio Protective- Avocado pear has been proven to lower bad cholesterol, but they may also increase levels of good cholesterol. In a randomised controlled trial study, published by Wang, Bordi, et al (2014), looking at the effect of moderate fat diet with and without avocado pear, results showed that patients with mild hypercholesterolemia who incorporated avocados into their diet for one week had a 22 per cent decrease in bad cholesterol and triglycerides, and an 11 per cent increase in good cholesterol. Avocados can help in this way because of their high amount of the beta-sitosterol compound, which is associated with lowering cholesterol.
Also, the avocado has beneficial effects on cardiometabolic risk factors and reduces the risk of metabolic syndrome. The metabolic syndrome puts you at risk of heart attack, coronary artery disease, and diabetes.
Anticancer properties- The avocado pear has a high concentration of folate, which has been shown to be protective against colon cancer, stomach, pancreatic and cervical cancer, given it protects against an undesirable mutation in the RNA and DNA during cell division.
Numerous researches show that the avocado has a high content of phytochemicals. These phytochemicals, extracted from the avocado selectively, induces apoptosis in cancer cells. It also has carotenoids, which has shown to possess breast cancer-protective biological activities, including antioxidant activity, induction of apoptosis and inhibition of mammary cell proliferation. In a study looking at the chemo-preventative characteristic of avocado fruit by Ding and Chin (2007), phytochemicals extracted from the avocado fruit selectively induces cell cycle arrest, inhibit growth, and induces apoptosis in precancerous and cancer cell lines.
Vision- May protect vision due to its antioxidant properties that can minimise damage from ultraviolet light. This is due to the presence of lutein and zeaxanthin, which are two phytochemicals found in the tissues in the eye and are selectively taken up by the macula of the eye when consumed in one’s diet. Given the monounsaturated property, it also supports the absorption of other beneficial fat-soluble antioxidants, hence it may help to reduce macular degeneration in the eyes.
Antioxidant- Avocado has been proven to protect against osteoporosis, as it provides 25 per cent of the daily recommended vitamin K which may support bone health by increasing calcium absorption and reducing urinary excretion of calcium. The phytochemicals also decrease the risk of the cartilage defect and hence helps to reduce the risk of osteoarthritis.
To continue reading, purchase Vol.8 #6, 2016 Issue.
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Avocado is called ‘Pear’ or ‘Alligator Pear’ by many Jamaicans, due to its shape and green skin. Native to south-central Mexico, immediately beneath the avocado skin is a thin layer of soft, bright-green flesh. Generally, the flesh is entirely pale to rich-yellow, buttery and bland or nut-like in flavour. It is of a creamy texture and grows best in a warm climate.
This fruit has multiple uses at the dining table. It can be used as a dip, a desert, spreads, and may also be eaten raw. It is classified as fat, consisting mainly of monounsaturated fat – 3 g and 0.5 g of polyunsaturated fatty acids, with 16 per cent accounting for saturated fatty acids (SFA). However, as the fruit ripens the saturated fat decreases and the monounsaturated oleic acid increases. This type of fat is considered to be oil and not solid fat. Avocado Pear is labelled as a fruit and has no cholesterol or sodium.
Monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fat are otherwise called “good fat”, while the saturated fat and trans fat are called “bad fat.” According to the Recommended Dietary Daily Allowance by The Caribbean Food and Nutrition Institute, fats, including unsaturated fats, of which avocado is a source, should be 30 per cent or less of the daily intake, while saturated fats (example fatty meat and butter) should be consumed in moderation.
According to Patricia Thompson, MSc, a registered nutritionist, “Sources of fat that are often mislabelled are the Jamaican ackee and the avocado pear. Neither has any cholesterol and the fat is monounsaturated — the same type of fat that we pay so much for in olive oil.”
What are the Properties of this fruit that contributes to its health benefits?
The avocado pear has 25 mg per ounce of natural plant sterol, which is called the ‘beta sitosterol’. When consumed along with other plant sterols, it has proven to help maintain a healthy cholesterol level. It can be considered a heart-healthy fruit.
Cardio Protective- Avocado pear has been proven to lower bad cholesterol, but they may also increase levels of good cholesterol. In a randomised controlled trial study, published by Wang, Bordi, et al (2014), looking at the effect of moderate fat diet with and without avocado pear, results showed that patients with mild hypercholesterolemia who incorporated avocados into their diet for one week had a 22 per cent decrease in bad cholesterol and triglycerides, and an 11 per cent increase in good cholesterol. Avocados can help in this way because of their high amount of the beta-sitosterol compound, which is associated with lowering cholesterol.
Also, the avocado has beneficial effects on cardiometabolic risk factors and reduces the risk of metabolic syndrome. The metabolic syndrome puts you at risk of heart attack, coronary artery disease, and diabetes.
Anticancer properties- The avocado pear has a high concentration of folate, which has been shown to be protective against colon cancer, stomach, pancreatic and cervical cancer, given it protects against an undesirable mutation in the RNA and DNA during cell division.
Numerous researches show that the avocado has a high content of phytochemicals. These phytochemicals, extracted from the avocado selectively, induces apoptosis in cancer cells. It also has carotenoids, which has shown to possess breast cancer-protective biological activities, including antioxidant activity, induction of apoptosis and inhibition of mammary cell proliferation. In a study looking at the chemo-preventative characteristic of avocado fruit by Ding and Chin (2007), phytochemicals extracted from the avocado fruit selectively induces cell cycle arrest, inhibit growth, and induces apoptosis in precancerous and cancer cell lines.
Vision- May protect vision due to its antioxidant properties that can minimise damage from ultraviolet light. This is due to the presence of lutein and zeaxanthin, which are two phytochemicals found in the tissues in the eye and are selectively taken up by the macula of the eye when consumed in one’s diet. Given the monounsaturated property, it also supports the absorption of other beneficial fat-soluble antioxidants, hence it may help to reduce macular degeneration in the eyes.
Antioxidant- Avocado has been proven to protect against osteoporosis, as it provides 25 per cent of the daily recommended vitamin K which may support bone health by increasing calcium absorption and reducing urinary excretion of calcium. The phytochemicals also decrease the risk of the cartilage defect and hence helps to reduce the risk of osteoarthritis.
To continue reading, purchase Vol.8 #6, 2016 Issue.
Read: An honest attempt to grow my own avocado tree
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