Happy Cinco de Mayo + An Ode to Avocados

Good Afternoon and Happy Cinco de Mayo a day early!

The thought of Cinco de Mayo brought up my love for mexican food and particularly AVOCADOS!  I am a huge fan of avocados but used to avoid them like the plague , back in my fat-free diet days.  I was told to think of avocados as ‘green butter’ and to consume with extreme caution.

Now after years of study, I have come full circle on my beliefs about avocados and literally don’t think I go a day without eating some avocado.  I love them and want to share that love with you today.

More Reasons to Love Avocados 

1. Avocados provide and alphabet of vitamins.  One avocado provides your body with vitamins A, C, E, K and B6, along with an enormous amount of potassium and “healthy” fat. Perhaps the biggest health benefit of avocados is that by adding avocado to certain foods, you can improve your absorption of nutrients. This means that when you combine other fat burning foods with avocado, you can improve your nutrient absorption up to 400%.  That is awesome!   Try adding 1/2 an avocado to your dark leafy green salad with bell peppers and cucumbers for a simple fat-burning meal.
2. Avocados are a great source of protein.  They provide all 18 essential amino acids necessary for the body to form a complete protein. Unlike the protein in animal meat, which can be difficult for some people to digest, avocado protein is readily absorbed by the body, because avocados also contain fiber. If you are trying to cut down on animal sources of protein in your diet, or if you are a vegetarian or vegan seeking more protein, avocados are a great nutritional ally to include not merely as an occasional treat, but as a regular part of your diet. They contain the highest protein content of any fruit (yes, avocados are a fruit).
3.  Avocados are a great substitute for mayo on sandwiches. Avocado has nearly half the calories of mayonnaise and is lower in saturated fat.  It  is made up of “heart-healthy” monounsaturated fat. This kind of fat lowers cholesterol, decreases stomach fat, and actually helps your heart. 
4. Avocados are a great for your skin. The antioxidants in avocados help to get rid of toxins that promote premature aging and wrinkling of the skin. A lot of the toxins on your facial skin are the residue of makeup. Applying 1 mashed avocado as a facial mask and leaving it on for about 20 minutes before rinsing will help to remove these toxins and soften the skin.
5. Avocados make your hair shiny.  One avocado mashed and mixed together with 1 egg and your favorite essential oil (I love doTerra Frankincense) is great for conditioning your hair.  The healthy oils in the avocado help to moisturize and soften dry and brittle hair, and the vitamin E helps to restore a natural shine to your hair. To obtain these benefits simply massage the avocado and egg mixture into your hair and scalp and leave in for about 20 minutes. Then wash and condition with your favorite shampoo and conditioner.

I also love the versatility of avocados.  You can not only enjoy them in salads, omelets and tacos, you can add them to smoothies for an extra creamy morning concoction.  But my most favorite way to eat them is simply mashed and spread on a slice of toasted Ezekiel bread, sprinkled with pink Himalayan sea salt and red pepper flakes.  Simple, yet nutritious and delicious!

So since it is Cinco de Mayo tomorrow, I thought I would share my Guacamole recipe that has an added Superfood in it!

Abby’s Superfood Guacamole Recipe

Serve with chopped veggies, corn tortilla chips or flax chips.

Happy Cinco De Mayo Everyone!