California Avocado Society Yearbook 76 (1992): 123-135. Nutritious Value of Avocado

Abstract

Wrong ideas about the avocado are reducing its consumption. Avocados have high nutrient density-per calorie, they are rich in important human nutrients. This, with their giving a feeling of fullness, plus their palatability that reduces the urge to over- indulge in excess sugars and saturated fats, plus other suggested advantages, makes them useful in weight control. There is recently increasing recognition of our need for antioxidants for good health; the avocado is rich in three of the most important: vitamins E, C, and beta-carotene. It may help to prevent strokes; it is high in potassium and low in sodium. Among fruits, it is exceptional for the quantity and quality of its protein. It provides exceptional quantities of both types of dietary fiber. It makes a superior first solid food for babies. The avocado fat consists predominantly of monounsaturated oleic acid, which has been found to reduce harmful (LDL) cholesterol while maintaining beneficial cholesterol (HDL), performing better than the usual low-fat diet. Four current misconceptions about the avocado and human nutrition are noted. Nutrient Density It is now widely recognized that the number of calories per unit weight is not a very good measure of a food's status in human nutrition. Much more important is the food's contribution per calorie of essential human nutrients-particularly those that are likely to be deficient in typical diets. Unlike foods that are well described as providing mostly empty calories, the avocado is nutrition-rich. The detailed analyses of Stater et al. (1975) indicated that for no less than eight essential nutrients-vitamin A (beta-carotene), vitamin C, vitamin E, folacin, niacin, vitamin B6, iron, and magnesium-the avocado provides about twice as high a proportion of daily human needs as it does daily calorie needs. Moreover, for three additional essential nutrients for which there is no established United States Recommended Dietary Allowance- copper, potassium, and pantothenic acid-the avocado is also estimated to provide about twice as high a proportion as its calorie contribution. The avocado is remarkably nutritious per calorie. Survey results vary between countries, regions, and individuals; but even in prosperous advanced societies, significant deficiencies of these 11 avocado-supplied nutrients have been reported.