Persea Americana – Health Benefits, Uses, Side Effects and Nutritional Value of Avocado

Persea Americana – Health Benefits, Uses, Side Effects and Nutritional Value of Avocado / Persea Americana

Introduction

Fruits are very nutritious for our body. Fresh and dried fruits are good for the health of our body. These fruits are rich in many nutrients like Vitamins, Minerals and Antioxidants and also rich in nutrients. Avocado is one of the most nutritious fruits that is widely used for its health benefits.

What is Avocado/Persea Americana?

Persea Americana is one of the most nutritious fruits of the Lauraceae family. Persea Americana is called ‘Makkhan phal’ in Hindi. Avocados are mainly grown in the equatorial, tropical and subtropical regions. In 2019, Mexico became the top local producer of avocados, accounting for 32% of the world’s total supply. The most sought after variety of Persea Americana fruit is the creamy hatch avocado. The first men to use this highly profitable fruit were the settlers of ancient Central American and South American civilization. Avocados are native to Mexico, Guam and Central America. Evidence from 10,000 BC shows that avocado trees were first seen in eastern Mexico. Avocados, rich in about 20% minerals and vitamins, are the most nutritious fruit.

Plant description:

Avocado is a perennial plant whose nutritious fruit is the cause for its plantation. The Persea Americana grows to a height of 20 m (6 ft). The leaves are 12-25 cm long. The leaves have red pigmentation when they are wilted and turn green as they mature. Persea Americana trees produce large, fleshy, pear-shaped fruits with small, green-yellow flower clusters at the end of branches and a large seed. Depending on the variety, the fruits may be purple to green in color and have a smooth skin. Each fruit contains a large seed. Seedlings can take 4-6 years to bear fruit and on other hand, grafted plants can produce fruits within 1-2 years.

Various lingual names of Avocado/Persea Americana:

• English : Avocado
• Hindi : Makhan phal
• Tamil : Vennai pazham
• Kannada : Benne Hannu
• Marathi : Alpukat
• Punjabi : Avakado
• Gujarati : Evokado

Nutritional value per 100 gram of Avocado/Persea Americana:

• Energy : 670 KJ (160 Kcal)
• Carbohydrate : 8.53 gram
• Sugar : 0.66 gram
• Dietary fibre : 6.7 gram
• Fat : 14.66 gram
• Saturated : 2.13 gram
• Monounsaturated : 9.80 gram
• Polyunsaturated : 1.82 gram
• Protein : 2 gram

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Vitamins-

• Vitamin A equive : 7 micrograms
• Beta-carotene : 62 micrograms
• Lutein zeaxanthin : 271 milligram
• Thiamine (B1) : 0.067 milligram
• Riboflavin ((B2) : 0.13 miligram
• Niacin (B3) : 1.738 milligram
• Pantothenic acid (B5) : 1.389 milligram
• Vitamin (B6) : 0.257 milligram
• Folate(B9) : 81 micrograms
• Vitamin (C) : 10 milligram
• Vitamin (E) : 2.07 milligram
• Vitamin (K) : 21 micrograms

Minerals-

• Calcium : 12 milligram
• Iron : 0.55 milligram
• Magnesium : 29 milligram
• Manganese : 0.242 milligram
• Phosphorus : 52 milligram
• Potassium : 485 milligram
• Sodium :7 milligram
• Zinc : 0.64 milligram

Other constituents-

• Water : 73.23 gram
• Fluoride :7 micrograms
• Beta-sitosterol :76 milligram

Scientific classification of Avocado/ Persea Americana:

• Kingdom : Plantae
• Clade : Tracheophytes
• Clade : Angiosperms
• Clade : Magnoliids
• Order : Ledrales
• Family : Lauraceae
• Genus : Persea
• Species : P.americana
• Scientific name : Persea Americana

Benefits of Avocado/Persea Americana:

1. Aids weight loss:

Avocados are rich in fiber and low in sugar which helps in weight loss. Moreover, a study says, those who ate avocados felt 23% more satisfaction than the non-eaters. In contrast to non fruit eaters the people who eat could control their appetite better for at least 5 hours. Therefore, if we include avocados in our daily diet, we naturally consume less calories and lose weight.

2.  Protects eyesight:

Avocados are rich in powerful antioxidants and also help to absorb antioxidants from other foods. The two most important antioxidants for maintaining eye health are lutein and zeaxanthin, both of which are present in avocados. Therefore, eating this fruit reduces the risk of cataracts and macular degeneration in adults.

3.  Lowers the risk of heart disease and cholesterol:

Cardiovascular diseases are becoming more and more common these days. High Cholesterol, Blood Pressure, Stroke, Inadequate Triglycerides Levels, etc. have been reported to cause significant premature death. Avocados are known to reduce the risk of heart diseases like these. The fruit can significantly lower bad cholesterol, reduce blood triglycerides by up to 20%, increase high-density lipoproteins by 11%, and reduce HDL by 22%. A low-fat, vegetarian diet enhances its effectiveness.

4.  Avocados are high in fiber:

Fiber is essentially a hard to digest plant substance that contributes to improved digestion, blood sugar spikes, weight loss and weight loss. Avocados/Persea Americana contain both fiber (25%) and insoluble fiber (75%). The fiber absorbs water and converts it to gel while the insoluble fiber improves the movement of the substances during digestion. Avocados can benefit everyone with poor digestion or constipation.

5.  Avocados contain high levels of potassium:

Bananas may be rich in potassium but potassium content is higher in avocado. It helps in maintaining the electrical gradient of the body. In addition, high potassium intake reduces the risk of heart attack, high blood pressure and kidney failure.

6.  Prevents the growth of cancer:

The benefits of avocado/Persea Americana can be seen in the treatment of cancer, in fact it plays an important role here. Researchers have found that the phytochemicals extracted from this fruit can significantly control the growth of cancer cells and pre-cancerous cells. These help in the proliferation of cells of the immune system called lymphocytes. Eating avocados can limit the immunosuppression caused by the chemotherapy drug Cyclophosphamide.

7.  Prevents Osteoporosis:

Vitamin K is one of the most important nutrients for good bone health. About a quarter of the daily requirement of this vitamin can be obtained from avocado fruit. Eating a diet rich in vitamin D, calcium and vitamin K can maintain healthy bones as vitamin K helps in the absorption of calcium and also reduces the excretion of calcium in urine.

8.  Antimicrobial action:

Some bacterial activities, such as Escherichia coli; are a major cause of food poisoning. Avocados contain substances that have antimicrobial activity which can prevent infections and allergies.

9.  Maintains healthy skin:

Avocados contain carotenoids that reduce UV-induced inflammation in the skin. Its oil also fights against skin damage. Avocados contain high levels of beta-carotene. This helps in protecting the skin from various harmful effects of the sun.

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10. Improves oral health:

Regular consumption of Persea Americana fruit helps to prevent bad breath; the resulting indigestion can also be cured by Avocado. Also, the antioxidant flavonoids in this fruit can kill the bacteria that cause bad breath.

11. Boost brain health and memory:

Avocado fruit is rich in oleic acid, and omega-9 fatty acids which are associated with advanced knowledge. A 2009 study published in the American National Academy of Science in Prachiding found that this type of acid can improve memory.

12. Helps to prevent gum disease:

A study published in the Journal of Periodontology in 2006 found that the key ingredients in avocado may strengthen the protective shield against periodontal disease.

Uses of Avocado/ Persea Americana: 

We can eat fresh avocados as it is rich in nutrients. This fruit can be consumed mixing with a variety of other food items. Juice, drinks, ice-cream, soups can be prepared from this fruit. A variety of desserts can be made from this. We can use a variety of avocado fruit products and avocado leaves available in the market and in the supermarket to cure different types of diseases or health issues. 

Side effects: 

Following are some of the harmful side effects of Avocado –

• Excessive use of these can lead to migraine, which is one of the most common types of headaches. Some of the symptoms of migraine are nausea, vomiting and weak sensitivity. This is why you should avoid consuming this fruit if you are suffering from these conditions.
• If you are allergic to avocado fruit, you should avoid its consumption.
• There is no evidence supporting its beneficial or inconvenient sides for both pregnant and breastfeeding mothers. Therefore, it is suggested to seek a doctor’s advice before using this fruit as medicine in this health condition.

Considering the benefits of Avocado along with harmful sides, it should be used properly and regularly and with a specialist/doctor’s advice before using it as a remedy for any health condition.

Conclusion:

You must have come to know about Avocado/Persea Americana through this article till now. The article included uses, nutritional elements, different linguistic names, disadvantages and benefits of Persea Americana. We hope that the information contained in this article will help you in a variety of ways. Thank You!