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For a long time, avocado, a green fruit originally from the new world, has acquired a reputation as a ''sinful'' food, bad for the heart and equally bad for the figure. This bad rep, however is undeserved. Let us separate the myths from the facts. Myth: Avocado has lots of fats. Fact, it's true. The edible portion of an 8-ounce California avocado has 30 grams of them. But a lot of these fats are actually good fats: 60% is monounsaturated, 20% is polyunsaturated, and only 20% is saturated. Fact, there's more to avocado than fats. It's actually packed with important nutrients. It contains more beta carotene than any other fruit and even ahead of banana in potassium. It contains more protein, potassium, magnesium, folic acid, thiamin, riboflavin, niacin, biotin, pantothenic acid, vitamin E, and vitamin K per ounce than any other fruit. Based on USDA Nutrient Database, avocado is rich in vitamins and fibers. One-half cup pureed flesh contains 704 IU of vitamin A, 2.20 mg of vitamin B especially niacin, 75.4 mcg of folic acid, 13 mg of calcium, 1.36 mg of iron and a whooping 729 mg of potassium. Myth: Avocado is sinful, i.e. fattening. Fact, indeed avocado is calorie dense and contains 19.9 grams of fat per 1/2 cup pureed. But as Dr. Mauro Di Pasquale of Metabolic Diet suggests, the kind of fat you eat is as important as the amount, and the fats in avocado are mostly unsaturated (mono- and poly-) like oleic acid (which is really good for us) - the good fats. On the matter of calories, Dr. Di Pasquale suggests not sweating it. Fact: avocado is good for the heart. It is a good source of two beneficial compounds: beta-sitosterol and glutathione. Beta-sitosterol is a widely prescribed anti-cholesterol drug that interferes with cholesterol absorption, thus promoting lower cholesterol levels. Laboratory analysis has shown that avocados contain 76 mg of beta-sitosterol per 100 g of raw, edible fruit. This is four times the amount found in oranges that had previously been cited as the richest fruit source of beta-sitosterol. Studies have revealed that avocados contain 17.7 mg of glutathione per 100 g of raw edible fruit. This is more than three times the amount in any other fruit. Metabolic Diet considers it as a really important amino acid and is in fact one of the anti-oxidants in Metabolic Diet's Antiox Antioxidant Formula. Dr. Di Pasquale noted that while a good nights sleep enhances the immune system and decreases the production of inflammatory cytokines, the use of certain compounds can increase this response. Enhancing the immune system decreases catabolic influences and improved net protein balance. Several compounds can enhance the immune system, among them glutathione. Source: http://www.vegparadise.com/highestperch38.html
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Products mentioned in this article:
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Personal Trainer Certification with the I.A.R.T.
Dr. Di Pasquale is a licensed physician in Ontario, Canada, focusing on Nutrition and Sports Medicine, as well as a world class athlete for over twenty years... 
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