By Dr. med. Claudia Schmiemann
Avocados have been domesticated for at least the last 5000 years in Mesoamerica.
This fruit experienced a hype during the last years because of its outstanding nutritious values. It contains the carotenoid and antioxidant lutein which is important for your eye health. Like bananas and apricots avocados are a rich source of potassium and therefore they contribute to a lower blood pressure.
As avocados are rich in monosaturated fatty acids consumption can lower your “bad cholesterol” known as LDL and raise your “good fats” known as HDL. This is protective for heart and blood vessels. Compounds with antioxidative properties are suggested to be inhibitors for precancerous and cancerous cells. It is a great treat during chemotherapies.
The content of folate and B, C,E vitamins makes it a great pregnancy food.
Its anti-inflammatory properties make avocados to a good contribution for balancing chronic inflammatory diseases like fibromyalgia, Parkinson, colitis, Hashimoto, Lyme etc. .
For me avocados are best raw – in salads, as guacamole or dips, or as a veggie spread on home baked full grain toast. There are some recipes out for baked avocado. Although they have a tendency to become bitter in taste when being heated up.
I don´t want to conceal that the high request of avocados during the last years had a huge impact on the production. Mexico was the main avocado producing country in 2020 with 30 % of the global amount followed by Chile and California. The high demand of water for the plants causes economic strains. Also organized crime is implicated with the Mexican avocado production. So – be informed about the source.
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