12 Amazing Healthy Avocado Benefits Africans Should Know
By Jennifer Amarachi Maduwuba. Freelance Health Writer and DLHA Volunteer. Medically reviewed by the DLHA Team.
Mixed ripe and unripe avocado fruit with the seed. Source: Freepik
The touted benefits of avocado have made them a highly valued food worldwide, including in Africa. They are a nutrient-rich super food with lots of versatility and health benefits. This creamy fruit is a favourite among people in Africa.
Packed with healthy fats, fibre, vitamins, and minerals, avocados are a powerhouse of nutrition that supports overall well-being. Beyond their use in foods, these fruits and their oils are also commonly used in the cosmetic and health industries, contributing to the care of skin and hair.
This article outlines twelve essential benefits of avocados that every African should know for a healthy lifestyle. Read on to learn more.
Table 1 showing diverse nutrient values in half a cut of avocado (68 g). Click on image to enlarge. Source.
According to a study, avocado is rich in numerous essential nutrients that are good for your health and general well-being as shown in Table 1.
The oil contained in avocado consists of 71% monounsaturated fatty acids (MUFA), 13% polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA), and 16% saturated fatty acids (SFA). It helps to promote healthy blood lipid profiles and enhance the availability of fat soluble vitamins and phytochemicals from diverse sources that are naturally low in fat, which are consumed with avocados.
The nutrient and oils contained in avocado is makes it a versatile fruit used in various industries across food, beauty, and health.
Image showing half cut avocado with a simulation of the oil gotten from it. Image Credit: Vecteezy
Avocados contain high levels of healthy, beneficial fats. It is a great source of monounsaturated fatty acid as earlier detailed and has additional benefits with cholesterol-lowering effects. [1]
The findings of a study showed that individuals who followed an avocado diet experienced reduced total cholesterol levels compared to those who followed a habitual diet or a low-fat diet.
Hence, incorporating avocados into your diet can be a beneficial dietary approach for lowering of cholesterol levels and achieving a healthy fat level.
Avocado is high in dietary fibre.
Avocado fruit is composed of about 80% dietary fibre, of which 70% is insoluble and 30% is soluble fibre. [2]
Fibre helps keep your digestive system healthy; it also promotes the growth of healthy bacteria and prevents constipation by adding to the bulk of stool.
The fibre content reduces weight gain due to various mechanisms of improving satiety and inhibition of fat absorption [3].
Avocado lowers bad cholesterol level and aids cardiovascular health. Image credit.
High level of especially blood cholesterol is one of the major causes of various cardiovascular diseases.
Avocado contains monounsaturated fats instead of unsaturated fats, and this keeps your heart healthy and pumping.
They are also super rich in vitamin B6, and potassium. These nutrients help your heart function better too.
As poor heart health is known to be a severe risk factor for erectile dysfunction, the nutrients found in avocados can help reduce this and increase sex drive.
Avocados promotes cognition and brain health generally
Avocado is rich in vitamin B, and optimal B-vitamin status is associated with better cognitive health in aging. [4]
A growing body of evidence suggests that folate and the metabolically related B-vitamins are essential for brain health across all age groups, especially for their role in production of neurotransmitters. [4]
Also, poor folate and vitamin B12 status are associated with increased risk of cognitive impairment, depression, Alzheimer's disease, and stroke among older adults and increased risk of neural tube defects among children born to mothers with low folate status. [5]
Avocados aid eye health
Avocado contains lutein, a type of carotenoids that is rich in antioxidants, which also functions as a light filter, protecting your eye tissues from damaging effects of UV lights.
Lutein and zeaxanthin are dietary carotenoids selectively taken up into the macula of the eye (the portion of the eye where light is focused on the lens). [2]
Studies show that lutein may increase age-related eye dysfunction. [2]
Avocados are good for bone health
Avocados contain vitamin K, and vitamin K has been shown to have a considerable effect on calcium metabolism.
Osteocalcin is one of the most common proteins found in bones. It needs vitamin K to work properly and support bone health. This would make vitamin K essential in bone remodelling, hence very necessary for your bone health. [6]
Also, studies have reported that fruits and vegetables rich in lutein and zeaxanthin (the primary carotenoids in avocados) are associated with decreased risk of cartilage defects. [2]
Avocado supports muscle function and repair during and post-exercise.
Avocados are rich in potassium, a mineral that is important for muscle function and recovery. Eating avocado after a day of exercise can help replenish potassium levels and support muscle repair.
Image showing the glowing skin of a black woman. Source: The Yuri Arcurs Collection from Freepik
Avocados contain omega-3 fatty acids as well as vitamin E, which helps your skin repair damage caused by acne, eczema, pimples, or scrapes.
Also, avocado oil promotes healthy skin growth, and applying it to your skin can give you a more even skin tone.
In fact, topical application or consumption of some fruits and vegetables or their extracts, such as avocado, has been recommended for skin health. [2]
Avocado oil promotes hair health
Avocado contains many beneficial vitamins and minerals that boost overall health, including hair health. They play a large role in the growth and repair of damaged hair.
The monounsaturated oils in avocado are better able to penetrate the hair than polyunsaturated fats, thereby helping to detangle it.
Avocado consumption aids weight control. Image credit: Freepik
Short-term, well-controlled clinical trials suggest that regular avocado consumption favourably affects body weight, visceral adiposity, and satiety. [7]
Satiety stops consumption, hence preventing excess eating. It also assists gut hormones, which regulate calorie intake and assist with weight management. [3]
Several preliminary clinical studies also suggest that avocados can support weight control. [2]
Smiley and healthy looking black lady. Image credit: Freepik
Avocado contains antioxidants that destroy free radicals in the body, which can lead to cell death and ageing. Hence it can keep your body strong all the time. Free radicals are chemicals produced in the body during metabolism and from external sources like pollution, radiation, and medication.
Avocado contains beta-carotene and other carotenoids that help reduce this free radical damage in your body.
Avocados also provide nutrients that are essential for the health of the immune system, including vitamins C, B6, and E.
Avocados add lots of health benefits to many aspects of your being: from heart health to weight management and skin care. It is an ideal food selection for Africans who desire a healthy life due to its rich nutrient profile, high fibre content, and abundance of healthy fats.
Don’t miss out on the goodies of avocados, add it to your plate regularly!
With their adaptability, from smoothies to baked goods, it can find its place within traditional and modern diets. By allowing the avocado into one's everyday life, it can unleash a cascade of health benefits that accompany the richness in taste and versatility of this fruit.
1. Okobi OE, Odoma VA, Okunromade O, Louise-Oluwasanmi O, Itua B, Ndubuisi C, Ogbeifun OE, Nwatamole BC, Elimihele TA, Adekunle JO, Adekunle AA, Obi CB, Evbayekha EO. Effect of Avocado Consumption on Risk Factors of Cardiovascular Diseases: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis. Cureus. 2023 Jun 30;15(6):e41189. doi: 10.7759/cureus.41189. Erratum in: Cureus. 2024 Feb 13;16(2):c160. doi: 10.7759/cureus.c160. Available from here.
2. Dreher ML, Davenport AJ. Hass avocado composition and potential health effects. Crit Rev Food Sci Nutr. 2013;53(7):738-50. doi: 10.1080/10408398.2011.556759. Available from here.
3. Heskey C, Oda K, Sabaté J. Avocado Intake, and Longitudinal Weight and Body Mass Index Changes in an Adult Cohort. Nutrients. 2019; 11(3):691. doi: 10.3390/nu11030691. Available from here.
4. McGarel C, Pentieva K, Strain JJ, McNulty H. Emerging roles for folate and related B-vitamins in brain health across the lifecycle. Proc Nutr Soc. 2015 Feb;74(1):46-55. doi: 10.1017/S0029665114001554. Available from here.
5. Troen AM. Folate and vitamin B12: function and importance in cognitive development. Nestle Nutr Inst Workshop Ser. 2012;70:161-71. doi: 10.1159/000337684. Available from here.
6. Khalil Z, Alam B, Akbari AR, Sharma H. The Medical Benefits of Vitamin K2 on Calcium-Related Disorders. Nutrients. 2021 Feb 21;13(2):691. doi: 10.3390/nu13020691. Available from here.
7. Lichtenstein AH, Kris-Etherton PM, Petersen KS, Matthan NR, Barnes S, Vitolins MZ, Li Z, Sabaté J, Rajaram S, Chowdhury S, Davis KM, Galluccio J, Gilhooly CH, Legro RS, Li J, Lovato L, Perdue LH, Petty G, Rasmussen AM, Segovia-Siapco G, Sirirat R, Sun A, Reboussin DM. Effect of Incorporating 1 Avocado Per Day Versus Habitual Diet on Visceral Adiposity: A Randomized Trial. J Am Heart Assoc. 2022 Jul 19;11(14):e025657. doi: 10.1161/JAHA.122.025657. Available from here.
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Published: January 25, 2025
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