Avacados

Islandgirl74
Islandgirl74 Posts: 170 Member
in Food and Nutrition
I LOVE Avacados. I could peel and eat two a day. BUT, my goodness, they are HIGH in calories and fat. BUT, they do have tons of potassium. Even if I were to eat say 1/2 of one a day, that's a lot of calories I'm "wasting", and I don't think its worth it. Should I just have say a 1/4 of one a day, which is like 70 calories for just a sliver, but roughly 190 g of potassium? Aren't avacados a good source of healthy fat? I dont know...HELP!
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Replies

  • UCSMiami
    UCSMiami Posts: 97 Member
    AVOCADOS are a good source of healthy fats.
  • Naomi0504
    Naomi0504 Posts: 964 Member
    I eat them all the time, they are a good fat :-) I think I make really good food choices so a good fat like avocado I will keep in my diet.
  • reddaddie
    reddaddie Posts: 121 Member
    Yummy Yummy Avo. Avocados are not BAD food and can be worked into your eating plan I think half an avocado is a good trade for a piece of toast.
  • Wenchiness
    Wenchiness Posts: 126 Member
    I was raised on an avocado ranch and absolutely love them. I don't like bananas at all, which most people use for potassium intake. My Dr. freaked when I said I eat an avocado daily and said I should keep it to 1 or 2 a week, but even though I am heavy I have always had superb cholesterol (thanks avocados). The fats in avocados are healthy. I still eat several a week, but tend to use them now more as fat substitutes, like using them for butter, or instead of mayo in egg salad. (Mmm, green egg salad). In the end though, as long as you are record your food properly, and you have the calories, keep yourself happy and continue to eat healthy.
  • aliciap412
    aliciap412 Posts: 170 Member
    if I could down a whole avocado everyday without tiring of them, I would.
  • Deipneus
    Deipneus Posts: 1,861 Member
    My wife and I split an avocado every day. She weighs 110 and I weigh 170 and I ate them on the way to losing 40+ pounds.

    I even eat the seeds. I grind them and put it in smoothies because the pit is mildly bitter. They're nutritious too.
  • mareeee1234
    mareeee1234 Posts: 674 Member
    Avocados are literally the MOST nutritious fruit!! So their calories are probably worth it! If you wanna fit it in, fit it in !!? The fat should keep you full tooo...
  • chris2267
    chris2267 Posts: 57 Member
    I usually eat a whole avocado 3x a week. My fat intake is usually 40-60% of calories a day. That and lots of protein keeps my cravings at bay and I find that I can skip a meal every 2-3 days.
  • FoxyLifter
    FoxyLifter Posts: 965 Member
    My lunch during the work week is a protein shake and an avocado. :smile:
  • aliciap412
    aliciap412 Posts: 170 Member
    My wife and I split an avocado every day. She weighs 110 and I weigh 170 and I ate them on the way to losing 40+ pounds.

    I even eat the seeds. I grind them and put it in smoothies because the pit is mildly bitter. They're nutritious too.

    you can eat the seed?! news to me
  • SpleenlessGal
    SpleenlessGal Posts: 24 Member
    An avocado is not THAT high in calories. I mean, even with 1200 calories to work with in a day, an avocado can easily be worked in to your diet. I just find that I can't use a whole avocado in one meal, because in a salad or wrap, it just kind of takes it over if you use the whole one. Half seems to be a good balance with the other flavours. Then I use the other half later on that day for something else.

    I find I'm not really able to store half of an avocado very well when I want to save it for the next day though. :(
  • singer201
    singer201 Posts: 563 Member
    I use about 1/4 to 1/3 of an avocado daily in my dinner salad. I've had good luck putting the empty peel back over the cut portion of the avocado and storing in a small ziplock baggie in the refrig. Keeps decently until I get it used up.
  • nidiaclarke
    nidiaclarke Posts: 1
    I eat one half for lunch and the other for dinner. :)
  • aliciap412
    aliciap412 Posts: 170 Member


    I find I'm not really able to store half of an avocado very well when I want to save it for the next day though. :(

    try wrapping it very tightly in plastic wrap before putting it in the fridge
  • NordicAlien
    NordicAlien Posts: 110 Member
    They're fantastic things. A sliver is OK if you're having it with something - I quite like them on Ryvita crackers with low-fat cream cheese; my stepmama puts them in all her green salads - but I think it's also fine to eat a whole one if that's your meal. MFP logs them as 250 calories in a medium avocado, which is about right for a meal for me. (Mom scared me off them my whole life, saying they're a thousand calories each - I was so happy to find out she's wrong!) I have them for lunch several times a week. I'd probably eat them more often, but they're not cheap and I have no car so I have to lug the darn things on the bus twice a week. They're heavy, LOL.

    They do have a lot of fat, but you need fat. Most of the sources I've checked out recently say anything less than 27g daily (for an average person) is considered a deficiency, and I was horrified to find out recently that I do, in fact, suffer from a deficiency in dietary fats, despite my weight. (Symptoms of a diet that's too low in fat can include poor temperature regulation, skin that's dry and flaky or painful and chapped, blood that doesn't clot properly, malfunctioning nerves that lead to poor muscle control, depression, brittle bones, brain fog, fatigue, poor night vision, irregular or heavy periods, muscle pain, increased bruising...ALL of which I've suffered from in the last year and was astonished when my doctor said they can all be caused by fat deficiency. He made me eat nuts and avocados, and almost all those problems have lessened or gone away over the last few months.)

    So yeah, you need fats, and it's much better to get them from something like nuts or avocados than from fast food or something.
  • DancingMoosie
    DancingMoosie Posts: 8,619 Member
    I eat avocado almost daily. 1/4-1/2 of a small hass in my lunch salad. I don't use dressing, so I can fit in the calories easily.
  • MB_Positif
    MB_Positif Posts: 8,897 Member
    Don't stress over the calories of an avocado. They're great for you. If I wasn't poor I might eat more than one per day.
  • LaLa482
    LaLa482 Posts: 82 Member


    I find I'm not really able to store half of an avocado very well when I want to save it for the next day though. :(

    try wrapping it very tightly in plastic wrap before putting it in the fridge

    I do this after covering it with a bit of lemon juice.

    Sometimes if I have half of one in the evening, I pour a little lemon juice on it, throw it in a sandwich bag, and freeze it. Great for smoothies!
  • spirit2nd
    spirit2nd Posts: 9 Member
    Rub lemon, lime or any acidic juice over the cut areas to prevent them turning dark during storage.
  • aliciap412
    aliciap412 Posts: 170 Member
    awesome! I'll try putting a little lemon or lime on them next time. thanks you two
  • diadia1
    diadia1 Posts: 223 Member
    avocado is a good food. Yes it is high in calories mostly because of its fat contents. But it full of GOOD fat,fiber, vitamines and as you say POTASSIUM (i did not know that before-thanks for the info). And it does wonder for your face skin.

    i used to eat an avocado a day EVERYDAY because i do like the smooth/creamy texture and the taste. Now i eat it 2-3 times a week especially on days where i do workout.

    As others ppers said earlier,use avocado as a spread insted of butter on sandwich or mayonnaise. You will not regret put it in your foodd iary.It is worth it.
  • ihateyoga
    ihateyoga Posts: 111
    I LOVE avocados, too. I put it in my salad. Recipe: one tomato; 1/2 avocado; 1/2 corn; 1/4 cup of cilantro; lemon wedge; salt; paper. That's my lunch! high nitration, low fat, and the most importantly, delicious!
  • egh1974
    egh1974 Posts: 147
    ***To keep avocado fresh***

    ONLY cut with plastic knife. Store WITH the seed, and cover with the skin of the other portion you ate. Wrap tightly in plastic. :drinker:
  • aliciap412
    aliciap412 Posts: 170 Member
    ***To keep avocado fresh***

    ONLY cut with plastic knife. Store WITH the seed, and cover with the skin of the other portion you ate. Wrap tightly in plastic. :drinker:

    just imagine if I do this and sprinkle lemon on it. woo! freshest leftover avocado in all of the land hehe :happy:
  • SpleenlessGal
    SpleenlessGal Posts: 24 Member
    Rub lemon, lime or any acidic juice over the cut areas to prevent them turning dark during storage.

    I actually do this each time, it usually doesn't work very well for me though.
    I'll try the avocado peel thing though... anything to try to save my other half!
  • Islandgirl74
    Islandgirl74 Posts: 170 Member
    Thanks for the input! I think I am going to go with having a whole one, 3 times a week. It's pretty much what I have been doing, but the calorie count was making me nervous.

    I love to mix it with canned tuna and stuff it into a whole wheat pita. Sooo good and filling! Tonight I had a quarter left over from dividing one over my meals today, added it to 2 cups of fresh spinach and a steamed catfish fillet, a sprinkle of parmasean chese, and fat free honey dijon dressing. Gotta say, it was one of my best meals this week!! And, I am still soooo full.
  • XxAngry_Pixi
    XxAngry_Pixi Posts: 236 Member
    Rub lemon, lime or any acidic juice over the cut areas to prevent them turning dark during storage.

    I actually do this each time, it usually doesn't work very well for me though.
    I'll try the avocado peel thing though... anything to try to save my other half!

    I dont use lemon juice or plastic wrap, I just leave the seed in and cover with the skin from the half I just ate. Works fine :)
  • reddaddie
    reddaddie Posts: 121 Member
    I think a spoon is the best way to deal with any extra avocado. call me I'll take care of it for you.
  • litoria
    litoria Posts: 239 Member
    left over avocado? This is a foreign concept! (which may in part explain my presence here)
    I put them in protein smoothies, sometimes I add a bit of cocoa...
    mmmm yum
  • desertSNOUT
    desertSNOUT Posts: 175
    I have been eating one a day just fine, it is basically breakfast.

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