Avocados are a Super Bowl staple but are they truly a miracle food?

"Most American adults today didn't grow up with avocados, but we've certainly developed a hearty appetite for them. In 1990, the United States imported 38m pounds of avocados; by 2023, that number was 2,789m, mostly from Mexico. On average, each of us eats about 20 avocados, or 9lbs of the fruit, a year a sixfold increase from 1998. Super Bowl guacamole alone fuels a staggering demand for the fruit; in the lead-up to this Sunday's game, Americans are expected to devour nearly 280m pounds of avocados, a historical record."

"One medium Hass avocado contains about 320 calories and 30g of heart-healthy, monounsaturated fat. A serving of avocado is about 50g, or a third of a medium fruit, but portion size is flexible: a whole fruit can fit into your daily diet depending on your overall calorie needs (a person consuming 2,000 calories a day requires about 44 78g of total fat). Not only does monounsaturated fat help lower cholesterol, thereby our risk of heart disease, but it can carry the vitamins in avocado, like vitamins A, D and folate, making them easier for our bodies to absorb through the gut and into our bloodstream, says Dalina Soto, a Philadelphia-based registered dietician."

"Avocado's fiber contributes to its status as a nutritional powerhouse: one fruit contains 14g of fiber roughly half your daily needs. Avocados provide both soluble fiber, which helps support gut bacteria, slows digestion, and can help with blood sugar regulation, and insoluble fiber, which supports regular digestion and gut motility, Soto explains. We need both for gut and metabolic health."

Avocado consumption and imports in the United States have risen sharply since 1990, with per-capita intake growing to about 20 avocados annually and imports reaching billions of pounds by 2023. Super Bowl guacamole significantly spikes short-term demand, with hundreds of millions of pounds consumed around the game. Nutritionally, a medium Hass avocado contains roughly 320 calories and about 30g of monounsaturated fat, which supports cholesterol reduction and vitamin absorption. Avocados are fiber-rich—one fruit provides about 14g of fiber, offering both soluble and insoluble types that support gut bacteria, digestion, blood sugar regulation, and metabolic health.

Read at www.theguardian.com