All About Avocados: Benefits and Recipes
Avocados – one of my favorite foods! They’re delicious and versatile, so the possibilities for cooking with them are nearly endless.
These fruits (technically a member of the Lauraceae plant family) are super popular in the health and wellness world, not only for their taste but also because they’re highly nutritious!
Through boosting vitamins and minerals and being rich in folate, fiber, monounsaturated fats, and vitamin E, avocados come with several health benefits, including the following:
Helps Regulate Appetite and Weight Management
You might think, “Avocados are high in calories; can they really help you lose weight?” The answer is yes because they’re also an excellent source of fiber, which is essential for boosting satiety and managing a healthy weight.
Also, healthy fats help slow stomach emptying, which keeps you full longer than usual and delays the return of hunger.
Read more about fiber and why it’s crucial for your health here!
Supports Heart Health
Like most other veggies and fruits, avocados are nutrient-dense.
Regularly consuming these vitamins, minerals, healthy fats, and fiber helps keep the cardiovascular system healthy and protects against heart disease.
Potassium and magnesium, both found in avocados, aid in regulating blood pressure, and help increase levels of heart-protective HDL cholesterol and decrease levels of oxidized LDL cholesterol (the “bad” kind).
Helps Maintain Eye Health
Some studies show that regularly eating avocados can protect your eyes through slowing sight loss conditions, such as retinitis pigmentosa and macular degeneration.
Avocados contain lutein, zeaxanthin, and antioxidants for the eyes, and they could be an effective dietary strategy for cognitive health and eye health in the aging population.
Anti-Inflammatory & Antioxidant
B6 is a nutrient that helps reduce inflammation and protect against oxidative damage, and half an avocado provides about 15% of your daily B6 needs.
They’re also full of anti-inflammatory compounds like vitamins C and E and provide significant antioxidant effects.
Promotes Healthy Digestion
Finally, avocados are great for gut health! All the aforementioned vitamins and minerals, particularly fiber, are essential for supporting a healthy digestive system. Some studies suggest the regular consumption of this favorite fruit promotes the growth of healthy bacteria, which positively impacts the gut microbiome.
For more on the importance of gut health, check out this post!
As you can see, there are multiple reasons to enjoy avocados! Thankfully, we have a ton of delicious avocado recipes here at CleanFoodCrush.
Here are 22 of them:
1. Green Goddess Avocado Toast
Avocado toast is a classic breakfast meal; this is my favorite way to enjoy it! It’s simple, delicious, sneaks in some important veggies into your diet, and can also be a snack or lunch.
2. Rachel’s FAVORITE Summer Steak Salad
I adore this ultra-satisfying combination! We have crunchy cucumber, creamy avocado, and fresh sweet corn cut from the cob. While it’s a favorite for the Summer, you’ll love it year-round!
3. Avocado Pina Colada Mocktails
It might seem weird, but this mocktail recipe is surprisingly delicious. The avocado creates a much creamier drink, and the pineapple is packed with nutrients, antioxidants, and other helpful compounds, such as enzymes that can help with digestion and fight inflammation!
4. Air-Fryer Crunchy Avocado Wedges
Thanks to that crispy coating and the avocado’s healthy fat, they are super satisfying! Add in the tasty homemade dip, and you have a top-tier snack!
5. Avocado Green Salsa
This salsa is great to make ahead of time and store in the fridge, making entertaining much easier. In addition to being a great dip, the salsa works as a sauce to pour over chicken, salmon, shrimp, steak, eggs, tacos, and more.
6. Melty Avocado + Shrimp Boats
Everything about this recipe is perfect in my food world. I could eat these avocado shrimp boats several times each month because they are soooo satisfying, thanks to all the flavorful, fresh ingredients + high protein, + healthy fat.
7. Thai-Inspired Avocado Salad
This salad is crunchy, tangy, creamy, and zesty—perfect! Plus, cabbage is low in calories and high in nutrients and fiber.
8. Breakfast Avocado Egg Cups
These are fairly easy to make and come together quickly. They’re also really fun and creative, a great way to start your day!
9. Rachel’s Creamy Avocado Dip
This dip is perfect for guacamole lovers! It’s creamier and has a bit of a tangy kick. Pair it with your favorite veggie sticks or chips, and watch it disappear.
10. Avocado Chicken Lettuce Wraps
Here’s a great, bright, fresh-tasting lunch idea full of protein and healthy fats that make it incredibly satisfying. Your whole family will love it!
11. Taco Stuffed Avocado
Get creative this taco Tuesday with some unique avocado boats! Have your kids help you in the kitchen because you’ll have loads of fun making them.
12. Tangy Cucumber Avocado Salad
The crisp fresh cucumbers, combined with creamy, rich avocado pieces, drizzled in a tangy, flavorful homemade dressing… the best thing you could make tonight! It’s simple, yet it’s also one of the tastiest combos I’ve recently eaten.
13. Spicy Shrimp Guacamole Crisps
Here’s an appetizer perfect for any party or gathering that will impress all your friends and family! You might want to double the recipe because the crisps will disappear fast.
14. Guacamole, Egg + Sweet Potato Breakfast Bowls
Here’s a nourishing and flavor-packed breakfast you’ll love waking up to! Just look how bright and beautiful the bowls are.
15. Grilled Salmon + Avocado Salsa
This is one of my all-time favorite ways to enjoy salmon—dripping with tangy-limey avocado salsa and hot off the grill! And did you know that wild-caught salmon has more vitamins, minerals, and anti-inflammatory benefits?
16. Steak + Avocado Salad Bowls
Steak and avocado are just screaming to be paired! These salad bowls are simple and can be a perfect lunch or dinner. You’ll definitely want to add them to your weekly menu!
17. Quick & Easy Strawberry Avocado Toast
I had to add one more avocado toast to the list! Strawberries are in season from late February through early May, so now is the perfect time to try this breakfast.
18. Avocado Caprese Salad
This salad isn’t just a beautiful presentation. It’s also bursting with flavor that will have your mouth watering on sight.
19. Chipotle Tuna Salad Stuffed Avocados
A final boat recipe for you because they’re just so much fun. These are total crowd-pleasers, and every time I make a batch, they go way too quickly!
20. Quick + Easy Avocado Hummus
This combination turned out crazy delicious and will appear often through the next few months with a big stack of crunchy vegetables to dip. Perfect for barbecues, parties, and a normal weekday snack!
21. Creamy Avocado Corn Salad
You’ll want to save this salad for future use because it’s perfect to take to Summer BBQs. Just be ready to share the recipe because everyone will be asking for it!
22. Pineapple + Avocado Salad
Although fresh pineapple is available year-round in most of the US, this island fruit peaks from March through July, so the salad will be perfect for the next few weeks! Bright, fresh, fruity, all around, perfect for the warmer months coming.
As you may have guessed, avocados are one of my favorite foods, and I love finding new ways to enjoy them!
Hopefully, this list gave you some ideas for creative, fresh meals to enjoy this creamy green fruit.
Let me know your favorite avocado recipe in the comments below!
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