Pure Food Life

Avocados Debunked: Why Avocados Are Not Fattening

There are many women who avoid avocados like the plague because they think that they are high in fat and will add to their waistline.  Ironically, they will often skip the guacamole and decide to indulge in a dairy based or protein option instead; thinking that they made the better choice because dairy and meat have lower fat contents.  This could not be more wrong, now let me explain why!  Not only is the avocado packed with 20 different types of minerals, vitamins and phytonutrients such as potassium and lutein, they are creamy and delicious. 

The point that I am getting at here is that when women embark on a more natural diet whether it be one of the great Natalia Rose plans, a vegan diet, raw diet, or some variation of those mentioned, they come with a “fear” of avocados.   Many women generally still see avocados as a fattening food that should be avoided at all costs.  I will admit that I was one of these women!  When I first met nutritionist Natalia Rose, who initiated me into the health world; she told me that I should begin my journey with the inclusion of one avocado-per-day.  I found the idea to be quite unsettling because I thought that they were fattening, and the idea of gaining weight was not one that I was a big fan of.   Although at the same time, Natalia continued to reassure me that the avocados would not add to my weight.   Sitting there I continued to think to myself, “If avocados are not fattening, then why is she insisting that I eat one per day?”  The answer to that question took me a long time to come to in a way that I could understand.  It was only after a year of eating avocados while watching my body grow tighter as time progressed that I realized: That avocados are not fattening, they are sustaining.  By this I mean that while avocados will not add weight to the body when eaten in reasonably ample quantities, but that they will keep your body satisfied and give it the energy it needs.   

Avocados provide the body with a more sustainable energy source than just vegetables alone without adding stress to the digestive system for a number of reasons.  These reasons include the following:  since avocados have a simple and uniform genetic makeup, they are easily broken down and eliminated by the body in their entirety.  In other words, avocados are a clean food that does not leave any residue in the body, adding to excess weight and the build-up of blockages in the colon.  Although avocados are fully expendable and easily digested they do take longer to move through the system than other foods that are just as clean, which include other vegetables and fruits in clean bodies.  Since it takes the body longer to process avocados and they are more nutrient/fat dense than vegetables, they sustain the body for a longer period of time.  This means that a salad with an avocado will keep you satisfied longer than a simple garden salad will.  I will not deny that there is a substantial amount of fat in avocados; since 80% of the avocado is derived from fat!  But I will say that the mono-saturated, plant based fat that makes up an avocado is fully recognizable by the body and can be broken down and expelled.  This is much different from other unnatural fat sources such as animal fats and dairy which are unfamiliar to the body and therefore leave a residue causing weight gain and intestinal blockage. 

So in conclusion, do not shy away from avocados.  They are a rich source of nutrition that will keep your body satisfied, making it easier for you to eat a healthier diet with less dissatisfaction.  Without adding to your weight, of course!