Why Your Brain Loves Avocados!

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It was some considerable time ago that avocados leapt into the superfoods chart thanks to the impressive levels of a group of monounsaturated fats that have been shown to provide important anti-inflammatory benefits to our body systems - particularly the cardiovascular system. All manner of new and exciting superfoods have hit the charts since then (goji berries, macqui berries, watermelon seeds, chia seeds, chaga mushrooms - the list goes on) but research into the health benefits of the now-perhaps-overly-familiar avocado continues and this is extremely good news!

A recent study conducted at Tufts University found that the consumption of fresh avocado is an effective way to increase lutein levels in the eyes and brain. Lutein is an anti-inflammatory and antioxidant plant chemical which is found in fruits and vegetables and avocados are a rich source. Researchers found that one medium avocado per day increased lutein levels by 25% in the eyes and progressive improvement on tests that evaluated memory, processing speed and attention levels in the control group (40 healthy adults over the age of 50) leading to a meaningful proposal that the consumption of fresh avocado daily may lead to increased macular pigment density and improved cognitive function in healthy older adults. This study also revealed that lutein levels in the eye more than doubled in subjects that consumed fresh avocados compared to those that took a supplement.

I find myself getting somewhat distressed when people shy away from eating avocados on a regular basis believing them to be fattening because they are rich in fats - nothing could be further from the truth! Not only are they an excellent source of health-enhancing monounsaturated fats and anti-inflammatory and protective plant chemicals, they are also rich in soluble fibre which helps stabilise blood sugar levels, facilitate good digestion and bowel regularity and aid weight control, they are a good source of energy-generating B vitamins and immune-boosting vitamin C, they are rich in essential minerals like magnesium, potassium, iron and copper and they offer a worthy supply of folate for pregnant women which is crucial in the prevention of birth defects. They also have the highest protein levels and lowest sugar content of any fruit and the richness of fat makes them a filling, delicious and nutritious part of a meal or simply as a fast and fabulous snack.

Here are the links to a few of my tasty avocado recipes that offer their unique combination of nutrients and a great deal more:

Stuffed Avocado

Lemon Ginger Chicken

Soft Boiled Eggs with Sweet Potato and Avocado

Crab, Salmon, Avocado, Fennel and Apple Salad

Bare All with Confidence - smart snacking

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best ever snacks for fat loss!

If snack attacks are your elephant in the room and you find you can’t get through the morning, the afternoon or that very dangerous early-evening-before-dinner slot without a snack, here are a few humdingers that curb sugar cravings, balance blood sugar levels in record time and encourage a bit of fat burning!

I know it has been said before - repeatedly by me and others - but fat really is your friend for fat loss, particularly when it comes to snacks. Why? Because healthy fats fill you up fast and you don’t need much to take the edge off an all-consuming bout of hunger or beat a sugar craving - and if you are trying to lose weight, this is crucial!

try some of these...

Nut butters (particularly almond and cashew) and seed butters (particularly pumpkin seed and sesame seed - tahini) are the serial snacker's saviour. The added bonus here is that nut and seed butters have a rather lovely habit of sticking to your teeth for a while so the snack lasts much longer than you might imagine! Slather them onto a couple of mini oatcakes or rye crackers or dip celery sticks or sliced apple into the jar.

Hummus is hard to beat when you need a snack, again because of its richness in health-enhancing and filling fats and is great with a bunch of crunchy raw vegetable sticks - but ring the changes from time to time and use it to top some chunky cucumber, tomato and/or raw courgette slices, sprinkle some smoked paprika powder over the lot and you have some rather sophisticated-looking and tasty canapés! Another great snack involving chickpeas is 2 or 3 falafel balls dipped into natural yoghurt - tasty, herby, filling and fast.

Breads made with vegetables and fruits also make a great, filling and largely-devoid-of-sugar snack (the vegetables and fruits provide most of the sweetness). I worked on my Apple, Carrot and Courgette Bread for some time before I was happy with the result but I have to say that a couple of slices (toasted in particular) with a cup of tea or milky coffee make for a really filling and splendidly-nourishing snack mid morning or mid afternoon.  

Avocados are bursting with fats but not fattening! One fairly extensive survey found that "eating half a medium-sized avocado on a daily basis was highly correlated with improved overall diet quality and a 50 percent reduced risk of metabolic syndrome…not only did the avocado eaters report a lower body mass index and smaller waist circumference, they also consumed significantly more fruits and vegetables, and fiber and vitamin K - nutrients associated with weight loss". Avocado, egg and prawns make particularly good bedfellows so for a super-quick and super-nourishing snack, fill one stoned half of this magic fruit with a mix of chopped boiled egg, fresh prawns, natural yoghurt and give the whole lot a good few grindings of black pepper or just throw a few leaves into a small bowl, top with teaspoon scoops of avocado flesh, a dash of lemon juice and a decent glug of avocado oil, season well and devour.

Mackerel, river or lake trout, herring, sardines, albacore tuna and wild alaskan salmon top the charts for their richness in Omega 3 fatty acids. These fats are now legend for their health-enhancing and disease-defying properties - but - if you don’t like oily fish, flaxseeds or walnuts, I would strongly recommend you take a daily supplement providing 1000mg. However, if you do like oily fish, the ready-cooked varieties of these swimmers make for a splendidly-satisfying and flavoursome snack, particularly when mashed onto a rye crisp bread and topped with a few crunchy, toasted walnuts. Try some of my other Crisp Bread Toppings - all are nutritionally great and seriously take the edge off hunger.

Fruit, cheese and nuts are possibly the quickest snack you can throw together. Sheep’s milk is generally richer than cow's in medium chain fatty acids (MCTs) which can benefit weight control by promoting fullness (so a little goes a long way), breaking down fat deposits, increasing energy expenditure and being more easily metabolised so head for varieties such as manchego, ossau-iraty and pecorino and either shave them, cube them or graze on a decent-sized chunk along with a juicy, fresh piece of fruit and a handful of toasted nuts.

 

View all my Bare All This Summer Top Tips here.

Bare All with Confidence - healthy nails

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Eat Avocado for Great Nails

In addition to being crazy-rich in heart, nerve and brain-friendly fats, avocados are an excellent source of biotin, one of the B vitamins which is really important for both attaining and maintaining healthy nails.

Studies indicate that this was first discovered when biotin was given to horses to repair brittle and cracked hooves and showed excellent results (supplemental biotin was used in this case as I don’t think horses are too keen on avocados!)

Aim to have half an avocado per day and fill it with crab meat, tuna or cottage cheese, add it to salads, mash it on rye crisp breads, add it to smoothies, make guacamole - the options are endless!

OR… and I have tried this… get yourself a bottle of extra virgin avocado oil and as well as cooking with it and using it for salad dressings, soak your nails (toenails as well if you have time) in a bowl of the oil, lightly warmed through, for 5-10 minutes once a week. Result? Super soft and healthy cuticles and great-looking, strong nails!