7 Awesome Health Benefits of Avocado for elders you never knew!

Avocado (Persea Americana) is a simple and single-seeded, fruit that grows in every region globally.

Concurrently, this fruit contains vast essential nutrients to the senior health even beyond every one imagination and that’s probably why some people hail it as “super-food”!

Only a quarter to a half portion of avocado can enhance your immunity, memory, vision, and skin certainly. Not only improving health but also minimizing risks of heart diseases, blood pressure, and management of diabetes as well.

A large number of people worldwide consume avocados based on different drivers of their preferences such as tastes, texture, appearance, quality, ripeness, peel color rather than their health benefits.

These fruits are only eaten when ripened as they usually take 4-6 days in the ripening room to be ready for consumption.

1. Avocado helps in the prevention of heart diseases

As avocados fats content are largely healthy fats (unsaturated) namely Mono Unsaturated Fatty Acids (MU-FA) Saturated Fatty Acid and Poly Unsaturated Fatty Acid (PU-FA) which occupy 71%, 16%  , and 13% respectively.

Unsaturated fats reduce bad cholesterol (Low-Density Lipo-protein, LDL), an increase of good cholesterol (High-Density Lipo-protein, HDL) in the blood.

Recent studies reveal that avocados consumption as a substitute of other fatty food such as margarine, cheese and butter reduce 25% of the risks of Coronary Heart Diseases in elders without affecting the solubility of Vitamins.

2. Helps in the minimization of anemia in elders

Based on the fact that avocado is a rich source of Folic acid (Vitamin B₉ complex) which plays a great role in red blood cell formation, it proves how indispensable it is in anemia prevention.

On the other hand, this vitamin in older adults who take different medications daily tends to be deficient as B complex vitamins are not stored longer in the body.

For a healthier reason, an avocado portion should be eaten at least daily to compensate for the lost vitamins and minerals. 

3. Improve the memory of elders and mental agility

Yes, you have read it clearly! A piece of avocado can enhance the working of your memory and also problem-solving!

This is because three-quarters of fats in this fruit are occupied by Omega-3-fatty acids which inhibit and slow Alzheimer's in the elderly.

Additionally, Alzheimer's disease is likely to affect old people by impairing their mental agility and memory.

It is suggested that apart from other medications the avocado should be their daily remedy to think and remember appropriately once again. 

4. Enhancement of sight and prevention of cataract

Avocados are also a rich source where an individual should get Lutein and zeaxanthin.

These are compounds in the eyes that protect them from harmful high-energy light such as ultraviolet rays in sunlight.

Harmful light gradually leads to eye damage and finally cataract.

However, better vision in seniors should be worth eye protection from these light rays, and also avocado consumption matters as well. 

5. Facilitate digestion and minimize constipation

Proper digestion through Gastrointestinal Tract (GIT) is aided by dietary fibers.

These are found in various types of fruits to which avocado belongs as well.

When you are eating avocado you are facilitating your digestive process through the provision of fibers that speed up the process and hence reduce constipation risks.

The absorption of fat-soluble vitamins in the intestines is also supported by fats from avocado intake.  

6. Avocado helps in diabetes and weight management

Healthy fats are thought to be originated from plants and they are preferred the most because of their lower risks of heart diseases and obesity compared to other types.

The unsaturated fats from avocados tend to limit the absorption of unhealthy fats and bad cholesterol that contribute to the increment of weight instantly. 

A Meal with avocado is better for elders with diabetes because its fats tend to enhance insulin sensitivity. 

7. Improve skin softness and delay its aging

In elders, the skin tends to become more fragile as a result of reduced collagen and elastin proteins that eventually cause the skin to hang loose.

Luckily, avocados have squalene. This compound balances the oil production in the skin and hence maintains its moisture.

Furthermore, this compound also contains antioxidants that fight skin damage and free radicals that both tend to speed up the aging process.

Anti-inflammatory benefits that help the skin to prevent acne and eczema and other diseases can also be benefited from eating avocado so as to improve your skin in aging.

Summary 

Avocado is a nutritious fruit with wonderful flavor and different health benefits in human life.

Like other fruits, it is very crucial to the seniors’ health for managing different health problems such as folate deficiency, cardiovascular diseases, arthritis, diabetes, constipation, cancer, and many others.

Further, there are different occasions in which it can be consumed such as with meals, snacks, and even alone.

the elderly is a great time to be vigilant in terms of what to eat in a thorough way.

They should anticipate thinking about avocado as their first source of fats and limiting other sources from trans-fats and animal fats for the sake of their lives.

Sources 

1. Chaves, M. A., & Borges, C. D. (2016). ‘Avocado: characteristics, health benefits and uses’, pp. 747–754.
2. Dreher, M. L., & Davenport, A. J. (2013). Hass Avocado Composition and Potential Health Effects. Critical Reviews in Food Science and Nutrition, 53:7, 738-750
3. Munhuweyi, K., Mpai, S. and Sivakumar, D. (2020) "Extension of Avocado Fruit Postharvest Quality Using Non-Chemical Treatments".
4. https://www.organicfacts.net/health-benefits/fruits-of-avocado.html. Accessed on 19^th June 2020.

 

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