The world is in love with Avocados and eating them more than ever…with good reason. Avocados are one of the healthiest fats you can add to your diet, not to mention their fiber content, and how delicious they are. However, you may be missing out on the amazing benefits of avocado seeds.
In the US alone more than 1.9 billion lbs were consumed last year (around 4.25 billion avocados) that is more than double the amount in 2005 says the Hass Avocado Board and this article.
The benefits of eating avocados are mainly due to their high concentration of healthy fats, nutritional profile and natural fiber. Not to mention, how good they are to maintain a healthy heart. However, did you know that that most of the nutrients and fiber can actually be found in the flesh and the avocado seed?
Most researchers agree that the high levels of monounsaturated fat in avocado—especially oleic acid—play a role in these heart-related benefits. Nearly 15 out of the 22 grams of fat (68%) found in one cup of avocado come from monounsaturated fat. (And by contrast, less than 3 grams come from the category of polyunsaturated fat, which includes both omega-6s and omega-3s.)
This high level of monounsaturates puts avocado in a similar category with olives, which provide about 14 grams of fat per cup and approximately 73% of those grams as monounsaturates. [1]
Here’s Are The Health Benefits of Eating Avocado Seeds:
1. Full of Antioxidants in Avocado Seeds
Avocado pits are packed with natural antioxidants much like fresh fruit. Antioxidants minimize the risk of cell oxidation and enhance the immune system. Moreover, the pit contains essential fatty acids, in this instance “healthy” fats which boost your metabolism, as well as sterols.
2. Prevents Cardiovascular Disease
Plant sterols appear like cholesterol in your body. Once they travel through the gastrointestinal system they “block” the real cholesterol away from being made available to your bloodstream. That triggers the cholesterol eliminated from the body via our own waste. Soluble fiber attaches to fat and large quantities of cholesterol. In simple terms, the advantages of the avocado seed include: lowering cholesterol, preventing heart disease, and reducing arterial pressure.
3. Anti-Tumor Properties
According to the “Encyclopedia of Common Natural Ingredients Used in Food, Drugs, and Cosmetics,” avocado seeds possess a condensed flavonol that is responsible for this property.
4.Antioxidant Properties
A 2003 study at the National University of Singapore concluded that avocado seed, among other fruit seeds including mango, tamarind, and jackfruit, has an even greater level of antioxidant activity than the more commonly eaten parts of the fruits. The seeds may contain more than 70% of the antioxidants found in the entire fruit. [2]
5.Digestive Issues
Avocado seeds were also used in traditional American Indian medicine. Dysentery is a disorder of the digestive tract that results in both colon and intestinal inflammation. It often causes diarrhea and more serious problems. American Indians used the avocado seed to treat both dysentery and diarrhea. This is a possible health benefit of the seed. [2]
More Reasons To Use The Avocado Seed
I recently learned something new and I had to share it with you. Turns out that the avocado pit holds tremendous health benefits that we’ve been literally- throwing away.
World’s Healthiest foods article What’s New and Beneficial About Avocados further emphasize the nutritional benefits of consuming the avocado pit:
PFAs are a group of fat-related compounds more commonly found in sea plants than in land plants, making the avocado tree unusual in this regard. However, the studies that we have seen on PFAs and avocado have extracted these PFAs from the seed (or pit) of the fruit, rather than the pulp. Since we typically do not consume this part of the avocado, the practical role of these PFAs from a dietary standpoint is less clear than the role of monounsaturates and phytosterols described above.
In addition to its high percentage of monounsaturated fat, however, avocado offers some other unique fat qualities. It provides us with phytosterols including beta-sitosterol, campesterol, and stigmasterol.
This special group of fats has been shown to provide important anti-inflammatory benefits to our body systems, including our cardiovascular system. Not as clear from a dietary standpoint are the polyhydroxylated fatty alcohols, or PFAs, found in avocado.
In the video below Jeff Primack of Qi Revolution, states that “The flesh of the Avocado has 3 grams of Soluble Fiber, which is a lot, but the big seed has the greatest artery scrubbing, cholesterol-lowering power and contains the most soluble fiber of any food on earth.”
As most of us know soluble fiber is one of the best ways to lower cholesterol, keep your digestive tracks moving. Oatmeal, carrots and other fibrous fruits and vegetables contain this soluble fiber.
Jeff further emphasizes~ Soluble fiber removes plaque from arteries and this big seed, along with other key foods helps lots of my patients and clients reverse the so-called irreversible, hardening of the arteries get a heart attack-type of dis-ease. Remember this is not a drive-up window recipe cure but a lifestyle change that incorporates HEALING RX Vitamix smoothie recipes into your diet.
Blending The Avocado Pit = Scrubbing Your Arteries
Question: What do you do with the avocado seed? After what you’ve learned will you use it and if so how? I’d love to hear your experiences in the comments below.
References & Other Sources
20 Ways to Use Avocado Seeds
http://www.whfoods.com/genpage.php?tname=foodspice&dbid=5 [1]
http://www.livestrong.com/article/254258-health-benefits-of-avocado-seed/ [2]
Image source Seemann
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