The incredible benefits of avocado for women - myth or reality?

Until a few years ago, avocados could only be tasted in exotic countries or restaurants. However, now this fruit (botanically it is more of a berry, but in everyday life it can also be called a fruit) is often found on store shelves and is gradually entering the diet of Russians, especially women of all ages. We will tell you about the composition of avocado, its benefits for the female body at different stages of life and its use for cosmetic purposes.

The chemical composition and properties of avocado

Avocado (oil fruit, alligator pear) has a rich composition that has a beneficial effect on the human body.

Most of the daily value in the pulp of a fruit weighing 200 g contains:

• vitamin K - 52%;
• folic acid - 40%;
• vitamin C - 34%;
• vitamin B5 - 28%;
• vitamin B6 - 26%;
• vitamin E - 20%;
• potassium - 28%

It also contains copper, magnesium, phosphorus, iron, zinc, omega-6, pantothenic and oleic acids. 100 g of pulp contains 27% of the daily value of fiber.

Calorie content and BZHU

Calorie content and BJU avocado depend on the variety. On average, 100 g of fresh product contains from 160 to 220 kcal, 20 g of fat, 2 g of protein and 6 g of carbohydrates.

The benefits and harms of avocado for women

Doctors and nutritionists unanimously recommend avocados for the prevention of many diseases. The nutritional value and rich in vitamins and microelements composition of the fruits allow the use of avocados at any age and in any health condition.

Medicinal properties for various diseases

Thanks to the components that make up the avocado, it has a healing effect on the body for various diseases:

1. Vitamin K helps to normalize the functioning of the kidneys and liver, participating in cleansing the body of toxins. In addition, it is responsible for platelet synthesis, maintaining blood clotting at a normal level. Avocados are the basis of the diet for hemophilia.
2. Folic acid helps to get rid of nervous tension, strengthen immunity and prevent the development of bacterial and viral diseases. Normalizes the functioning of the digestive system and lungs, helping to transport oxygen to the organs. Reduces the risk of blood clots and helps you achieve results when losing weight, accelerating metabolism.
3. Potassium strengthens the walls of blood vessels and controls the work of the cardiovascular system. According to the World Health Organization, regular consumption of avocados reduces the risk of heart attacks and strokes by 25%.
4. Polyunsaturated fat, magnesium and saponins have a beneficial effect on bones, cartilage and joints. This is due to the strengthening of bone tissue and the normalization of metabolic processes in it. According to Brazilian scientists, this effect is long-term.
5. Avocado is used to treat skin conditions - it restores the natural lipid barrier of the epidermis.
6. High iron content suitable for the treatment and prevention of anemia.
7. Suitable for the nutrition of people with diabetes, since it normalizes blood sugar levels.

Benefits for different ages

Avocado is an ideal product for women's health of all ages. The greatest value is a large amount of folic acid, which affects many of the life processes of a woman's body. Avocado is involved in the prevention of osteoporosis, which develops during premenopause and menopause. The fruit slows down skin aging, wrinkles and hair loss.

By maintaining sufficient oxygen levels in the blood and internal organs, avocados help minimize the effects of stress during menopause, improve overall health and improve performance.

Contraindications

The list of contraindications for use is small:

• individual intolerance;
• the child's age under 2 years (can provoke an upset stomach);
• chronic or acute liver disease;
• allergy to citrus fruits, birch pollen, as well as latex (this is due to the similarity of allergenic proteins of avocado and rubber from which latex is made);
• a tendency to diarrhea and other disorders of the gastrointestinal tract.

Possible allergic reaction

Avocado bone and peel can harm the human body - you can't eat them. They contain toxic substances that can cause poisoning and gastrointestinal problems.

In what form and quantity is there for maximum benefit

So that the avocado does not lose its beneficial properties, nutritionists and doctors recommend eating it fresh, for example, making a paste for sandwiches or adding it to a salad. However, you should not get carried away.

The optimal dose for an adult is one medium-sized ripe fruit daily or every other day. In this case, the body will receive the maximum benefit and will be able to assimilate all trace elements and vitamins.

Avocado for women during pregnancy

During pregnancy, regular consumption of avocados will provide the woman's body with the necessary trace elements and vitamins:

1. The high folate content will help prevent fetal defects. It also reduces the risk of developing pyelonephritis and maintains the normal tone of the uterus, the strengthening of which becomes a frequent cause of miscarriage, especially in the early stages.
2. Monounsaturated fats will help the placenta, brain and visual apparatus of the fetus to form properly.
3. Potassium normalizes the work of the heart of the pregnant woman and the fetus.
4. Due to the load on the body, pregnant women experience visual impairment. The carotenoids in the oily fruit will keep your visual acuity at the same level.

The optimal dose for a pregnant woman is half the average fetus every other day.

When breastfeeding

Pediatricians recommend introducing avocado into the diet of a nursing woman two months after giving birth. Avocado improves bowel function, and due to its high iron content, prevents the development of anemia. At the same time, he will not harm the baby, on the contrary, it will alleviate the symptoms of colic in a newborn.

Beauty benefits

Avocado benefits not only the internal organs. Its positive effect is noticeable on the appearance of a woman.

For hair

Vitamins and microelements in the "alligator pear" strengthen the follicles, reducing hair loss and premature thinning. The roots receive more nutrients, which has a beneficial effect on hair growth and density.

For skin

Vitamin K, folic acid and B vitamins make the skin firm and hydrated. Expression and age wrinkles are smoothed out, the natural oily skin is normalized.

Important! Eating an avocado is not enough for a long-lasting and effective result. You should pay attention to cosmetics, for example, shampoos and masks, with squeezed avocado.

Slimming

Despite its not low calorie content, it can and should be consumed during a diet. The high content of L-carnitine activates the synthesis of fats, which is actively involved in lipid metabolism, which is responsible for energy. That is, the substance acts as a conductor, accelerating the movement of fatty acids in the metabolic process. Penetrating into cellular mitochondria, acids are burned and converted into energy reserves.

Avocado promotes rapid protein digestion, thereby reducing the burden on the kidneys. It also neutralizes bad cholesterol and promotes the production of natural insulin, normalizing metabolism. And due to its nutritional value, the fruit allows for a smaller serving size.

Application in cosmetology

The rich composition of avocado has become the reason for the widespread use of its oil and pulp in modern cosmetology. An extract from it is added to shampoos, masks and creams.

Reference. Avocado fatty acids have a similar composition to those that make up the lipid membrane of human skin.

Such "affinity" with the help of a mask allows you to keep the skin in good shape, restoring its elasticity and youth.

The components that make up the pulp also play a huge role:

• vitamin A triggers active cell regeneration;
• fatty acids "repair" gaps in the lipid barrier of the epidermis;
• linoleic acid (omega-6) regulates the natural oiliness of the skin;
• vitamin E, a natural antioxidant, protects the skin from phyto-aging and smoothes wrinkles;
• vitamin C, niacin and riboflavin inhibit natural aging by nourishing and moisturizing cells, vitamin C also lightens age spots.

You can test the cosmetic power of an avocado with a simple mask. For her, you need to grind a little avocado pulp and half a ripe banana in a blender. Apply the resulting homogeneous puree to previously cleansed face skin, keep for 20 minutes, and then rinse with warm water. This mask is suitable for all skin types and has a softening, nourishing and moisturizing effect.

To restore hair follicles, saturate them with useful substances, give hair a natural shine and smoothness, you can prepare a homemade conditioning balm. Half an avocado is chopped in a blender and mixed in plain yogurt until the consistency of thick sour cream. The resulting mass is applied to the roots and distributed along the entire length of the hair with gentle massage movements. The balm is kept for 30-40 minutes, and then washed off with shampoo. To improve the healing effect, the hair can be wrapped with foil and a towel.

How to choose and store correctly

When choosing an avocado, be guided by the color of the skin and the softness of the fruit. The bright green color of the peel indicates immaturity, choose dark green fruits, without traces of mechanical damage or black spots (typical when overripe). When choosing an avocado, press lightly on it. A suitable fruit should be squeezed a little, while maintaining elasticity. Overripe avocados have pockets of air between the flesh and the skin, the so-called "air pockets".

Store ripe avocado should be kept in the refrigerator for 3-5 days. To increase this period by 2-3 days, wrap the fruits in plastic or paper. However, at the first appearance of dark spots, the avocado must be consumed so that it does not have time to deteriorate.

Sliced ​​avocado quickly oxidizes in air and darkens. Place the unused half in a container with a lid or cover with cling film. In this form, the product is stored for no more than a day.

Attention! If you bought an unripe fruit, put it in a paper bag with a banana or apple and store it in a dark place. Check your avocado regularly. Once it has softened, it can be eaten. In this case, the refrigerator is prohibited, since the low temperature will slow down the ripening process.

Overripe fruit can be saved using the freezer. Grind the pulp in a blender and place in a container or bag. In this form, avocados can be stored for up to six months by adding mashed potatoes to smoothies or homemade sauces.

Conclusion

Although avocado has recently appeared on Russian shelves, it has already firmly established itself on the podium.A correctly selected fruit will delight you not only with taste, but also with benefits. The rich chemical composition has a beneficial effect on the woman's body, normalizing the work of many systems - the digestive, cardiovascular, nervous, endocrine, etc.

The usefulness of the product during pregnancy is due to the high content of folic acid, which is responsible for the proper development of the fetus and the maintenance of the mother's body.