Is avocado worth the calories ?

SuzMcH

I've got a real craving for avocado. I bought some yesterday and just checked the database for calorie content. I knew it was on the high side.

But I'm not sure I was prepared for approx 250 for a medium avocado. That bumped my lunch allocation up to nearly 500 cals which is a lot for me.

So are the benefits of the good oils and fats worth the calories ? S x

HealthyChanges2010

I give it a resounding YES. But I don't ever sit down and eat one whole, I put some chunks or slices on top of my salad or along with some veggies, that sort of thing. Between the protein and the wonderful healthy fats it contains, it's some good food for our bodies! But still a food to be eaten in moderation. '

You could make a pita pocket salad with some dark greens, such as baby spinach, hard boiled egg, sprouts, a few slices of avocado, a few raw sunflower seeds..stuff it full of whatever other veggies you enjoy and you've got an awesome lunch!

I imagine you'll get lots of ideas on this thread as more ppl see it. Always fun to see what others do with certain foods!

Enjoy!:flowerforyou:
Becca

KimmyBee

Id say yes as long as its eaten in moderation. Especially if its something you enjoy and s healthy, who cares if the calories are a little on the high side?

as long as you dont go scoffing 3 a day you should do fine

bjberry

Here is a really good article--and it is not from an avocado grower!
http://www.webmd.com/diet/features/avocado-advantage.

Page 2 of the article says a good serving is 2 tbsp of avocado (which = 55 calories and 5 grams fat). They suggested using avocado (which is monounsaturated fats) instead of butter or mayo (or other highly saturated fat condiments) on your sandwiches or bagels.

Hope that helps.

cmw72

I'd say definitely! If you have the calories to spare, you could do a lot worse!

First off, they are delicious!

Also, they are considered to be a "superfood". Besides being a great source of "good" fats, they have other benefits as well. When eaten with other healthy foods, the lipds in avocado help the body absorb and retain the nutrients contained in that other food.

http://jn.nutrition.org/cgi/content/abstract/135/3/431

I tend to go through 1-2 a week.

Lparault

Absolutely!! Just don't eat a whole one at once. Like everyone else says, just add it to a salad or sandwich and enjoy!!

mabear74

YES!!!!!

I like to take mine, and mash it up, then I use it as a spread on wraps......yummy!

leelu

1/4 of an avo spread over 2 slices of wholemeal toast and just a little pepper is my favourite lunch

allykat8

I 100% absolutely belive that avacdo is worth the calories and fat. It is high in both, but extremely good for you. Just have to eat in moderation and watch serving sizes. On sandwiches, it makes a great substitue for mayo!

selbyhutch

I'm on the avocado bandwagon too! I really like to use it in salads.

TropicalKitty

Avocado = A.M.A.Z.I.N.G.

I say it often, and I'll keep saying it, calories are important, but there's so much more than just the count. Same with the macronutrients. They're high in fat, but great fats. My simple rule, if it's natural, more than likely, it's worth it.

200 cals of McDonald's fries or 200 cals avocado.

Avocado baby.

Plus, you can make a really quick/easy guacamole that's not horrible. Just mush up some of the avocado, a lil salsa, a lil lime juice n cilantro. (I like spice so I'll add chili powder, jalepenos) Simple way to add some extra flavor too because I think avocado can be kinda bland.

XFitMojoMom

Yes yes yes... good for your heart fats. Great for your hair and nails and skin fats.

I ate a whole one for breakfast yesterday

sheltieroger

Absolutely. And I eat the whole one, which is why I pick them small, even if they are sold as a unit price. Unless I am sharing with hubby, then I get a bigger one. I have yet to find a fool-proof way of saving part of an avocado

rcatr

avocado instead of mayo or butter is ridiculously good and well worth it.

Soon2beskinny73

I say YES avocados are a great source of good fats and very healthy for you I eat them at least once a week but I eat them in moderation as others have said. And they are good as a replacement to mayo ...yummy!!! I much rather spend my calories in a good avocado than french fries or chips!!!

SuzMcH

Thanks for all the advice. I've brought an avocado and some salad with me to work today. I have plety calories in my allowance today but I'm only planning on eating half. x

IrishChik

I am highly addicted to avocado's. I smash a whole one with a splash of lime/lemon juice, salt and pepper for a fresh homemade guac treat. Recently a friend told me about mixing that avocado with some fat free nonfat plain yogurt. I think it was 1/2c per avocado. It turned out really well and instead of eating a whole one, I ate half. Still, a lot of calories, but I was able to feel full with the yogurt added instead of eating just the avocado. I used the baked tostitos scoups or Melba toast for a nice snack.

July24Lioness

I say yes to Avocado too. I don't calories or fat grams and the mainstay of my eating plan is FAT, all natural fats.

Saturated Animal fats and fats from Olive Oil, Avocado, Butter, Nuts (mostly macadamia nuts) = 60% of my eating plan each day.

It takes FAT to burn FAT from your body!!!

jurgitafit

Oh, I love love love avocado, and it's worth every single calorie to me! :happy: But ONLY when the avocado is just right-- is perfectly ripe, not the watery kind, and eaten slowly, enjoying each and every bite! Right now I didn't have an avocado for a few months, and it's not easy knowing how much I love this fruit-vegetable. But I'd rather wait for the perfect avocado than have whatever. :laugh:

July24Lioness

Oh, I love love love avocado, and it's worth every single calorie to me! :happy: But ONLY when the avocado is just right-- is perfectly ripe, not the watery kind, and eaten slowly, enjoying each and every bite! Right now I didn't have an avocado for a few months, and it's not easy knowing how much I love this fruit-vegetable. But I'd rather wait for the perfect avocado than have whatever. :laugh:

You want to hear something funny...............

I bought 5 of them and I tried one in my salad recently and i am hoooked!!!

I would never touch avocado's and would tell everyone of their health benefits, but I had never eaten one. Bought them several times and never ate them, they sat on the counter and went bad.

Dierberg's this past week had California Avocado's 10 for $10.00 (so 1.00 a piece)...........

questionablemethods

Also, if you have a kitchen scale, I would get your serving measurements in grams. It seems like most avocados are about the same size, but I feel like I've seen a big difference in the calories I get when I enter "1/4" of an avocado versus however many grams that quarter of the avocado really is. I tend to feel like the measurement by grams is more accurate (but maybe I'm being optimistic :laugh: )

In any case, YES, they are worth the calories. I have found that a little can go a long way. Just a few thin slices in a wrap make it super tasty, so you don't need to eat it all at once. (But you do need to eat it soon, because they do go bad quickly.)

cardswimmom

I tend to go through 1-2 a week.
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How do you store yours without them getting all brown and mushy? I love a few slices on my sandwiches but when I try to store the rest they don't tend to hold up!

questionablemethods

I tend to go through 1-2 a week.

How do you store yours without them getting all brown and mushy? I love a few slices on my sandwiches but when I try to store the rest they don't tend to hold up!
[/quote]

I've heard that keeping the pit with the avocado helps keep it from getting brown. I don't know the reasons why that would be, but I do it. I don't know how much it helps. I don't know if there is anything that will help all THAT much. They are just a fruit that goes bad quickly so your best bet is just buying them only one or two at a time and using them within a few days.

superstarcassie

Slice the avocado and use some fresh lime or lemon juice on it. It will help it keep from browning and keep longer. Plus the citrus helps make it even more delish!

tristan83

I LOVE avocado!!! I put mine on everything. Here's a few examples of what I use it for.

For a heavy lunch (weekends):
One avocado mashed to a thick cream with tomato chunks mixed in.
One slice provolone.
One lean hamburger patty.
One Sara Lee Hamburger bun.

For a lighter version:
One avocado mashed to a thick cream.
One tomato slice.
One slice provolone.
2 slices Oroweat 12 Grain Bread
6 slices Turkey.

Fruit on the side for both versions.

sblim

I'm not sure if they have them there, but here they sell these little avocados called "paltas dedo" or "avocado fingers". They are great, about the length of a finger and the width of maybe a thumb or two without a seed. It is about 40g of fruit after you peal it as opposed to an entire avocado. Maybe try a whole foods or central market and you don't have to waste any of it or have to eat it all.

As an aside, in Peru we eat a lot of avocados. If you cut one up and let it sit for a short period it starts to turn black. Now, I've been told that if you take the pit of the avocado and put it in water, the avocado won't turn black (or at least it will greatly prolong it). Anyone else ever heard this or even tried it?

lvfunandfit

Our entire family loves avocados! They are great diced in Chicken tortilla soup, on top of chili, as a veggie dip, in place of mayo on a sandwich, sliced on top of a salad or inside of a wrap, mixed into salsa, diced on top of an egg white omelet or just plain with pepper! My kids love them too!!

rmccully

I would say yes. They are yummy

Just two nights ago I cooked some quinoa and cut up a whole small avocado and mixed the two up with some hot spicies and yum!

A small avocado is 214

heathersmilez

Absolutely. And I eat the whole one, which is why I pick them small, even if they are sold as a unit price. Unless I am sharing with hubby, then I get a bigger one. I have yet to find a fool-proof way of saving part of an avocado

A good side note, anyone have ideas about preserving an avocado? When I buy one (which is rare b/c hard to eat w/o it going bad) I use 1/4 of it on a sandwich so it takes about a week for me to eat. By the end it is brown'ish so not pretty but still edible (stored in a glass Rubbermaid). My sister said keeping it attached to the pit may help preserve it - I haven't tried that yet.

Any ideas?

immacookie

Absolutely. And I eat the whole one, which is why I pick them small, even if they are sold as a unit price. Unless I am sharing with hubby, then I get a bigger one. I have yet to find a fool-proof way of saving part of an avocado

A good side note, anyone have ideas about preserving an avocado? When I buy one (which is rare b/c hard to eat w/o it going bad) I use 1/4 of it on a sandwich so it takes about a week for me to eat. By the end it is brown'ish so not pretty but still edible (stored in a glass Rubbermaid). My sister said keeping it attached to the pit may help preserve it - I haven't tried that yet.

Any ideas?

I've tried storing it with it's pit... lemon juice... lime juice... a combo of all 3... it still turns brown by the next day. I just sort of scrape off the soft brown stuff and eat away. :laugh:

lvfunandfit

I read that using ascorbic acid (vitamin C) and citric acid then freezing them works.