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The Healthiest Part of the Avocado

  • August 23, 2017

Researchers from the University of Texas Rio Grande Valley studying the components of the avocado pit not only found 116 compounds in its oil, but 16 molecules which can treat several diseases. Calling it a “gold mine of medicinal compounds,” researchers told The Atlanta Journal-Constitution that “It could very well be that avocado seed husks, which most people consider as the waste of wastes, are actually the gem of gems because the medicinal compounds within them could eventually be used to treat cancer, heart disease and other conditions.”

We already knew that avocados are a true miracle food that contain high amounts of fiber, protein and healthy fats, as well as high amounts of several essential vitamins and minerals, including B vitamins, potassium, folate and vitamin K. Because of this groundswell of nutrition, eating avocados may help protect your heart and optimize cholesterol levels — and perhaps even stave off autoimmune diseases such as diabetes.

Even before the Texas researchers looked at the pits, another researcher, registered dietician Cynthia Sass, who has master's degrees in both nutrition science and public health, had already proclaimed that avocados are so good for you they are worthy of superfood status: They can effectively combat nearly every aspect of metabolic syndrome.

If you don't get any other concept about how avocados can literally change your health, this might move you: The high fat content in avocados is a good thing — it's not "bad" fat. In fact, it's good, necessary fat from oleic acid, which is the same monosaturated fatty acid contained in olive oil. Oleic acid is associated with decreased inflammation, which helps stave off such diseases as cancer.

Other interesting research on avocados shows that people who eat more of them generally weigh less and have smaller waistlines than people who don't, even if their overall caloric consumption is smaller.