Avocado Nutrition Facts, Risks, Medicinal and Health Benefits

It is a highly valued Philippine Fruit because of the health benefits and medical uses of avocado. Bodybuilding experts recommends avocado in the diet. Those patients who want to manage their cholesterol level were also advised to include avocado in their diet plan. The tree abundantly cultivated in the Philippines for the purpose of commercialization or for personal consumption. 

The Season of Avocados in the Philippines

The season of avocado in the Philippines is between the months of May to September. When avocado is abundant in the market, vendors offered it at a price of PhP 15.00 to PhP 25.00 per kilo. When avocado is few, the price per kilo will play between Php 30.00 to Php 40.00 pesos. Two varieties of avocado are present in the Philippines, the green and the purple skin colored fruit. Filipino consumers prefer to buy the purple variety.

The nutritional component of this renowned Philippine fruit is practically beneficial to those who want to manage their calorie intake. High cholesterol level has a tendency of exposing yourself to the danger of cardiovascular diseases such as heart diseases and high blood pressure. The edible portion of a 30g avocado offers 50 to 70 calories. It is rich in lipid and amino acid component. A study was conducted evaluating the health benefit of avocado on sixteen patients with high cholesterol issues. They were given half to 1 ½  avocados per day and then submitted for lipid profile examination after 1 week. Laboratory result showed a notable decrease on their cholesterol level without a change in their weight in their weight.

There are wide available varieties of recipe preparations for avocado. It may be eaten as a dessert or maybe combined with shrimp, crab or lobster as main dish course.  Avocado is preferably served fresh without passing through cooking procedure because it will have a bitter taste if cooked due to its tannin substance. Diced avocado can be used as toppings or garnishing to hot foods.

Avocados may also be used to relish seafood dish or maybe combined with other vegetable in a vegetable salad dish or it may be consumed alone with sugar.

Avocado Nutrition Facts
Medicinal and Health Benefits

The medical uses and health benefits of avocado is widely encompassing. Avocado has a sufficient amount of oleic and linoleic acid that effectively decreases the level of LDL cholesterol (bad cholesterol) in the blood. The fruits’ skin peeling and the juice from its pounded leaves is used as anti-bacterial and also used as a cure for dysentery. Avocado leaves are chewed to remedy gum disease called pyorrhea. The water from the boiled seed and leaves is taken to remedy diarrhea, excessive bleeding and sore throat. It is believed that liquid from the boiled leaf and seed will cure problems of dysmenorrhea and will improve irregular menstruation.

The pulverized roasted avocado seed is mixed with little water and taken orally to relieve diarrhea and dysentery. If you have toothache, a piece of the chopped avocado seed will relieve the tooth pain if placed it into the cavity of the affected tooth. Aside from the outstanding medicinal uses of avocado, this Philippine fruit is also used for cosmetic purposes to give redness to the checks. To achieve this purpose, the ointment from the pulverized seed is rubbed onto the cheeks to get the desired objective.

Safety Precautions and Recommended Daily Intake

Avocado is best consumed as a fruit. If you are planning to use it for medicinal purposes, you should exercise some precautionary measures. Liquid from the boiled avocado leaves or its skin peeling or the newly spouted shoots of the purple variety avocado may induce abortion or miscarriage. Like the usual standard for eating and drinking it is essential to use this fruit in moderation to establish safety.

Source: www.medicalhealthguide.com; Morton, J. 1987. Avocado. p. 91–102. In: Fruits of warm climates. Julia F. Morton, Miami, FL.

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