Avocados are healthy because they contain heart-healthy monounsaturated fat, fiber, and an assortment of compounds that support gut health which helps you feel fuller longer and reduces blood cholesterol. Though we cannot digest fiber, our gut microbes can and the fiber helps to nourish them and keep them healthy to help us fight off infections. Fewer than 5% of Americans eat enough fiber.
Researchers from the University of Illinois found that those who regularly ate avocados excreted more fat in their stool. Even though avocados are high in fat, those who ate avocados were absorbing less energy (calories) from the foods that they ate. Eating avocados reduces bile acids, which are molecules our digestive system secretes that allow us to absorb the fat we eat. Fewer bile acids equal less fat absorbed. The researchers also found that avocado eaters had more gut microbes and a greater microbial diversity as compared to those who did not eat avocados. A medium avocado has 227 calories, 9 grams of fiber, 690 milligrams of potassium and is rich in monounsaturated fats, vitamin C, folate (a B vitamin), and vitamin K.
