Hey ladies! There’s a delicious green superfood that has everyone talking… any guesses for what it is? Avocados! Here at Her Campus Northeastern, we are dedicating the month of March to avocados! Get out some pens and paper and start taking notes, because every lady should incorporate this superfood into their diet.
So, what’s in avocados that make them so healthy? These big green berries (yes, berries) are full of happy fats and oils. The fats inside are monounsaturated fats, which are very beneficial to your body. Avocados are also full of vitamins like B6, K, E, A and C and vitamins are what our bodies crave! Don’t bother with pill vitamins anymore, avocados are the perfect way to get your intake. They’re also great for vegetarians and vegans because they’re full of protein. Avocados provide amino acids, which build protein. Compared to meat, vegetable protein is much easier to digest.
Now that we know we have all these vitamins, fats and amino acids in our bodies, the question is simple: how are they helpful? The monounsaturated fats help with keeping your skin and hair healthy. Another really beneficial aspect is that they keep your LDL, or bad cholesterol, down. Each vitamin has a special job. Vitamin A is great for eyesight. B6 has antibodies to keep the germs away. It also promotes normal nerve function and keeps blood sugar stable (good for fighting off pesky cravings). Vitamin E contains beta carotene, which is beneficial for your eyes. Vitamin C is great for your skin, hair, eyes and overall immune system. Last, but not least, is vitamin K. This is extremely beneficial for blood clotting, bone health and getting rid of those inevitable dark circles under your eyes.
We know that protein is important for growing our muscles, but it is also great for weight loss. Protein-rich diets make you feel fuller and provide almost 20% of the body’s energy. What makes this even better is that plant-based protein is digested better.
Now, how to become one with the avocado? The obvious way is to eat it. There’s the classic guacamole, slicing it up to put in salads, or mashing it up and topping it on sandwiches. In Indonesia, they even put avocados in milkshakes! If you throw ice, avocado, milk, agave and chocolate syrup into a blender, there’s your own an Indonesian milkshake!
Another great thing about avocados is that you don’t have to eat it to see it’s benefits. If you’re a victim of dry hair or skin, all those fats and oils inside the avocado make for a great hair or face mask. Try these links below for great avocado recipes!
– http://www.ehow.com/how_2194352_avocado-mask-hair.html
– http://www.ehow.com/how_8350515_make-avocado-oatmeal-mask.html