Awesome Avocados!

At Private Home Care, avocados hold a special place in our pantry because they are a great choice for older adults! In addition to many nutritional benefits, they are easy to eat, which is ideal for those who may have difficulties swallowing. Sometimes older adults have digestive issues due to medications, and the high levels of fiber found in avocados helps with healthy digestion.

Avocados also aid with weight gain for seniors and can be incorporated into many different types of foods, including salads, smoothies, on toast, and more! Avocados are a wonderfully versatile food, and can be used to savory or sweet dishes, or be eaten as is!

Avocados are a superfood and have many health benefits! More reasons why we love avocados:

Filled with nutrients:

Vitamin K: 26% of the daily value (DV)

Folate: 20% of the DV

Vitamin C: 17% of the DV

Potassium: 14% of the DV

Vitamin B5: 14% of the DV

Vitamin B6: 13% of the DV

Vitamin E: 10% of the DV

Avocados also contain small amounts of magnesium, manganese, copper, iron, zinc, phosphorous and vitamins A, B1 (thiamine), B2 (riboflavin) and B3 (niacin).

Avocados have more potassium than bananas! Potassium is important for supporting healthy blood pressure levels!

Plenty of good-for-you fats: The majority of the fat in avocado is oleic acid — a monounsaturated fatty acid that is also the major component of olive oil. Oleic acid has been associated with reduced inflammation and shown to have beneficial effects on genes linked to cancer.

Loaded with fiber: Avocados have higher levels of fiber, which benefits digestion and can contribute to weight loss, reduce blood sugar spikes and is strongly linked to a lower risk of many diseases.

Lowers cholesterol: Eating avocado can improve heart disease risk factors like total, “bad” LDL and “good” HDL cholesterol, as well as blood triglycerides.

Avocados are high in antioxidants, including lutein and zeaxanthin. These nutrients are very important for eye health and lower your risk of macular degeneration and cataracts.

May help prevent cancer: Some test-tube studies have shown that nutrients in avocados may have benefits in preventing prostate cancer and lowering side effects of chemotherapy.