Avocado - Advices

 What is an Avocado?

Hailing from Central America as far back as 5000 BCE (according to legend, at least), avocado is a stone fruit that grows on trees in warm climates. It features a ridge-like and easily peelable outer skin, with inner green flesh that’s both creamy and delicious when ripe. Botanically, avocado is considered a berry due to its pulpy textures and large single seed.
Types of Avocados
More popular than ever before, avocados are currently grown in assorted regions around the world. Accordingly, this tasty fruit now comes in various shapes, sizes, and types. Here are the most well-known types of avocados:
    Haas avocados – With its year-round growing season, Haas avocados account for approximately 80% of avocado consumption around the world. They tend to be small and dark green with somewhat thick skin.
    Choquette avocados – Generally large in size and bright green in colour, Choquette avocados hail from South Florida. They feature a firmer texture and buttery flavour when compared to Haas.
    Bacon avocados – This type tends to be oval-shaped with smooth green skin, yellow flesh, and a somewhat sweet taste.
    Fuerte avocados – Pear-shaped, green, easy-to-peel, and packed with flavour, Fuerte avocados are primarily grown in California. Many people say these are the best tasting.
    Tonnage avocados – This green and pear-shaped type originally hailed from Guatemala. It has a lower oil content and sweeter taste than standard Haas or Choquette avocados.
    Daily 11 avocados – A relative to the Haas, this type of California-grown avocado can reach weights of up to 5 pounds. Yum.
    Macarthur avocados – Large, hard, and green with creamy insides, this type of avocado is mostly harvested in California from August to November. When ripe, it imparts a buttery texture and nutty flavour.
    Shepard avocados – The second-most common variety grown here in Australia, Shepard avocados retain their sharp green colour even as they ripen. They tend to be longer in size than Haas and also nuttier in flavour.
Avocado Nutritional Facts & Values
Famously, the most predominant nutrient in avocado is fat. In fact, you can expect about 21 grams of fat from a single cup of avocado. However, avocado fat is mostly a mix of monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats, both of which deliver vital health benefits.
Does avocado have protein? Yes, but only in small amounts. And if you really must know how much protein is in avocado, the answer is about 1g per serving. However, don’t let that deter you from making this essential fruit part of your healthy diet.
Here’s what you get from a single 1.75 oz (50-gram) serving of avocado:
    80 calories
    1g saturated fat
    1g polyunsaturated fat
    5g monounsaturated fat
    4g carbohydrates
    1g protein
    3g dietary fibre
    11mcg vitamin K
    4mg vitamin C
    0.1mg vitamin B6
    1mg vitamin E
    0.3mg iron
    45mcg folate
    250mg potassium
    10mg calcium
    0.04mg thiamin
    0.1 riboflavin
    30mg phosphorous
    0.1mg copper
    15mg magnesium
    0.3mg zinc
    0.1mg manganese
    0.7mg pantothenic acid
Can Eating Avocados Help You Lose Weight?
Two servings of avocado deliver 160 calories and about 25% of your recommended daily fibre intake. Because fibre helps you feel full, you can theoretically lose weight by eating more avocado and less junk food. Meanwhile, avocado fat is mostly of the monosaturated variety, which is beneficial for a number of reasons.
All this and more means you can potentially lose weight by eating avocados every day. That said, calories are calories and if you’re eating more than you burn, you’re not going to lose weight. On the contrary, you just might put on a few pounds. As always, exercise is essential and moderation is key.
9 Benefits of Eating Avocado
And now for the main event! Here is a list of 9 health benefits of eating avocados:
1. Nutrient Profile
You need only check the list above to know all about wondrous avocado nutrition. In every serving, you get a full swath of essential vitamins, nutrients, and minerals, including vitamins C, E, K, and B-6, along with riboflavin, niacin, folate, pantothenic acid, and magnesium.
In addition to all that, avocados contain healthy lutein, beta-carotene, and omega-3 fatty acids. Oh, and did we mention that they’re higher in potassium (per ounce) than bananas? This fruit does it all!
Respectively and collectively, avocado’s nutrients can reportedly boost energy, heart health, bone health, cognitive function, and mood alike.
2. Fat Content
Remember, avocado fat is mostly “good” fat and by that, we mean monounsaturated oleic acid. This particular type of monounsaturated fat has been associated with heart health, reduced inflammation, and cancer-fighting properties.
3. Fibre Content
Another benefit of eating avocado is the rich fibre content, about 25% of which is soluble while the remaining 75% is insoluble. Not only does dietary fibre help you feel full, but it aids with digestion and overall metabolic health, and may even ward off certain diseases.
4. May Help Lower Cholesterol and Triglycerides Levels
According to a number of studies, eating avocados can significantly reduce total cholesterol levels, lowering LDL cholesterol by up to 20% and raising HDL (i.e. “good”) cholesterol by up to 11%. It may also reduce triglycerides—a potentially harmful type of fat found in your blood—by up to 20%.
5. Good for Your Eyes
Thanks to antioxidants like lutein and zeaxanthin, improved eye health is another one of avocado’s benefits. Typically found in the darker green areas of avocado flesh (closer to the peel), these carotenoids absorb light waves and help ward off macular degeneration.
6. Terrific Diet Food
As long as you don’t overdo it, you can safely make avocado part of your ongoing diet plan. The fibre will help you feel full while the vitamins, nutrients, and fat content will cover all sorts of nutritional bases. The fact that it’s delicious also helps!
7. May Prevent Cancer
Avocado contains healthy folate, which has been associated with reduced risks of certain cancers, including prostate cancer.
Furthermore, some research has determined that avocado’s phytochemicals can be extracted and then used to inhibit the growth of precancerous cells. These phytochemicals have also been shown to reduce the chromosomal damage caused by a specific chemotherapy drug called cyclophosphamide.
Like their avocado, one should take these reports with a grain of salt. Further research is needed before eating this fruit can be hailed as a cancer prevention method.
8. Good for Blood Sugar
With 0g of sugar and low amounts of carbohydrates, avocados can help reduce your chances of developing type 2 diabetes. Should you already have the condition, avocados are safe to eat.
9. Health Food Doesn’t Get Any Better
Pardon us while we insert a little subjective opinion. Next to dark chocolate, avocado is one of the few ubiquitous foods that suggests somebody up there might actually like us. It’s loaded with nutrition, supremely delicious, and effortlessly versatile.If and when possible, try to buy your avocado from an ethical source. Also, we suggest limiting your intake to no more than one avocado per day. Otherwise, enjoy the epic benefits of this truly amazing fruit!

Coffee - Health Benefits

1. Can Improve Energy Levels and Make You Smarter
Coffee can help people feel less tired and increase energy levels .
That’s because it contains a stimulant called caffeine — the most commonly consumed psychoactive substance in the world.

After you drink coffee, the caffeine is absorbed into your bloodstream. From there, it travels to your brain.
In the brain, caffeine blocks the inhibitory neurotransmitter adenosine.
When this happens, the amount of other neurotransmitters like norepinephrine and dopamine increases, leading to enhanced firing of neurons .
Many controlled studies in humans show that coffee improves various aspects of brain function — including memory, mood, vigilance, energy levels, reaction times and general mental function .
Caffeine blocks an inhibitory neurotransmitter in your brain, which causes a stimulant effect. This improves energy levels, mood and various aspects of brain function.
 2. Can Help You Burn Fat
Caffeine is found in almost every commercial fat-burning supplement — and for good reason. It’s one of the few natural substances proven to aid fat burning.
Several studies show that caffeine can boost your metabolic rate by 3–11% .
Other studies indicate that caffeine can specifically increase fat burning by as much as 10% in obese individuals and 29% in lean people .
However, it’s possible that these effects diminish in long-term coffee drinkers.
Several studies show that caffeine can increase fat burning and boost your metabolic rate.
 3. Can Drastically Improve Physical Performance
Caffeine stimulates your nervous system, signaling fat cells to break down body fat .
But it also increases epinephrine (adrenaline) levels in your blood .
This is the fight-or-flight hormone, which prepares your body for intense physical exertion.
Caffeine breaks down body fat, making free fatty acids available as fuel.
Given these effects, it’s unsurprising that caffeine can improve physical performance by 11–12%, on average.
Therefore, it makes sense to have a strong cup of coffee about half an hour before you head to the gym.
Caffeine can increase adrenaline levels and release fatty acids from your fat tissues. It also leads to significant improvements in physical performance.
 4. Contains Essential Nutrients
Many of the nutrients in coffee beans make their way into the finished brewed coffee.
A single cup of coffee contains :
    Riboflavin (vitamin B2): 11% of the Reference Daily Intake (RDI).
    Pantothenic acid (vitamin B5): 6% of the RDI.
    Manganese and potassium: 3% of the RDI.
    Magnesium and niacin (vitamin B3): 2% of the RDI.
Though this may not seem like a big deal, most people enjoy several cups per day — allowing these amounts to quickly add up.
Coffee contains several important nutrients, including riboflavin, pantothenic acid, manganese, potassium, magnesium and niacin.

 5. May Lower Your Risk of Type 2 Diabetes
Type 2 diabetes is a major health problem, currently affecting millions of people worldwide.
It’s characterized by elevated blood sugar levels caused by insulin resistance or a reduced ability to secrete insulin.
For some reason, coffee drinkers have a significantly reduced risk of type 2 diabetes.
Studies observe that people who drink the most coffee have a 23–50% lower risk of getting this disease. One study showed a reduction as high as 67% .
According to a large review of 18 studies in a total of 457,922 people, each daily cup of coffee was associated with a 7% reduced risk of type 2 diabetes.
Several observational studies show that coffee drinkers have a much lower risk of type 2 diabetes, a serious condition that affects millions of people worldwide.
 6. May Protect You From Alzheimer's Disease and Dementia
Alzheimer's disease is the most common neurodegenerative disease and the leading cause of dementia worldwide.
This condition usually affects people over 65, and there is no known cure.
However, there are several things you can do to prevent the disease from occurring in the first place.
This includes the usual suspects like eating healthy and exercising, but drinking coffee may be incredibly effective as well.
Several studies show that coffee drinkers have up to a 65% lower risk of Alzheimer's disease.
Coffee drinkers have a much lower risk of getting Alzheimer's disease, which is a leading cause of dementia worldwide.
 7. May Lower Your Risk of Parkinson's
Parkinson's disease is the second most common neurodegenerative condition, right behind Alzheimer's.
It’s caused by the death of dopamine-generating neurons in your brain.
As with Alzheimer's, there is no known cure, which makes it that much more important to focus on prevention.
Studies show that coffee drinkers have a much lower risk of Parkinson's disease, with a risk reduction ranging from 32–60%.
In this case, the caffeine itself appears to be beneficial, as people who drink decaf don't have a lower risk of Parkinson's.
Coffee drinkers have up to a 60% lower risk of getting Parkinson's disease, the second most common neurodegenerative disorder.
 8. May Protect Your Liver
Your liver is an amazing organ that carries out hundreds of important functions.
Several common diseases primarily affect the liver, including hepatitis, fatty liver disease and many others.
Many of these conditions can lead to cirrhosis, in which your liver is largely replaced by scar tissue.
Interestingly, coffee may protect against cirrhosis — people who drink 4 or more cups per day have up to an 80% lower risk.
Coffee drinkers have a much lower risk of cirrhosis, which can be caused by several diseases that affect the liver.
 9. Can Fight Depression and Make You Happier
Depression is a serious mental disorder that causes a significantly reduced quality of life.
It’s very common, as about 4.1% of people in the US currently meet the criteria for clinical depression.
In a Harvard study published in 2011, women who drank 4 or more cups of coffee per day had a 20% lower risk of becoming depressed.
Another study in 208,424 individuals found that those who drank 4 or more cups per day were 53% less likely to die by suicide.
Coffee appears to lower your risk of developing depression and may dramatically reduce suicide risk.
 10. May Lower Risk of Certain Types of Cancer
Cancer is one of the world's leading causes of death. It is characterized by uncontrolled cell growth in your body.
Coffee appears to be protective against two types of cancer: liver and colorectal cancer.
Liver cancer is the third leading cause of cancer death in the world, while colorectal cancer ranks fourth.
Studies show that coffee drinkers have up to a 40% lower risk of liver cancer .
Similarly, one study in 489,706 people found that those who drank 4–5 cups of coffee per day had a 15% lower risk of colorectal cancer.
Liver and colorectal cancer are the third and fourth leading causes of cancer death worldwide. Coffee drinkers have a lower risk of both.
 11. Doesn’t Cause Heart Disease and May Lower Stroke Risk
It’s often claimed that caffeine can increase your blood pressure.
This is true, but with a rise of only 3–4 mm/Hg, the effect is small and usually dissipates if you drink coffee regularly.
However, it may persist in some people, so keep that in mind if you have elevated blood pressure.
That being said, studies don’t support the idea that coffee raises your risk of heart disease.
On the contrary, there is some evidence that women who drink coffee have a reduced risk.
Some studies also show that coffee drinkers have a 20% lower risk of stroke.
Coffee may cause mild increases in blood pressure, which usually diminish over time. Coffee drinkers do not have an increased risk of heart disease and have a slightly lower risk of stroke.
 12. May Help You Live Longer
Given that coffee drinkers are less likely to get many diseases, it makes sense that coffee could help you live longer.
Several observational studies indicate that coffee drinkers have a lower risk of death.
In two very large studies, drinking coffee was associated with a 20% reduced risk of death in men and a 26% decreased risk of death in women, over 18–24 years.
This effect appears particularly strong in people with type 2 diabetes. In one 20-year study, individuals with diabetes who drank coffee had a 30% lower risk of death.
Several studies show that coffee drinkers live longer and have a lower risk of premature death.
 13. The Biggest Source of Antioxidants in the Western Diet
For people who eat a standard Western diet, coffee may be one of the healthiest aspects of their diet.
That's because coffee is quite high in antioxidants. Studies show that many people get more antioxidants from coffee than from fruits and vegetables combined.
In fact, coffee may be one of the healthiest beverages on the planet.
Coffee is rich in powerful antioxidants, and many people get more antioxidants from coffee than from fruits and veggies combined.