Avocados are not just all about its great taste but also have much more in store for your health. Knowing the nutritional benefits of avocados will definitely make you include it in your diet in different ways. Moreover, we have got you some delicious recipes of Avocados in this blog.
So, here?s to the nutritional facts about avocados and some delicious recipes!
Table of Contents
Nutritional Facts about Avocados
Avocados are great for your heart health and are regarded as a superfood rich in nutrients: Nutrient-dense food or nutrient-rich food is the kind of foods that provide good amount of minerals, vitamins and various other nutrients. 50 grams of avocado has 80 calories and are rich in 20 minerals and vitamins.
Avocados contain healthy fats (good fats): Among all the kinds of fruit, Avocado is the only one to have heart-healthy monounsaturated fat.
Avocados are sugar, sodium and cholesterol-free: Talking specifically about California avocados, they are naturally sugar, sodium and cholesterol-free.
Avocado is considered as a unique fruit: Avocados have the ability to boost the absorption of Vitamin a, K, D and E ? the fat-soluble nutrients which makes it a nutrient booster.
Avocados are highly beneficial for kids and babies: The creamy consistency of this fruit is great for babies and they will also enjoy its taste.
Nutrients in Avocados
50 grams of avocados contribute around 20 vitamins, phytonutrients and minerals that turns into a heart-healthy option to fulfill the nutrient needs. Even not being too essential for your body, phytonutrients are still considered good in promoting health.
As per the recommendations by the American Heart Association in keeping the Dietary Guidelines for Americans, we should eat less nutrient-poor foods and the foods high in Saturated fat level, added sugars, trans fat and sodium. As avocados balance everything stated here, it must be an important part of our daily diet.
Ready to incorporate some homemade avocado dessert recipes in your diet? Let?s first take a look of the nutrients contained in the fruit.
Nutrient content in avocados:
- Monounsaturated Fats(5 G PER SERVING)
- Pantothenic Acid(0.7 MG/15% DV PER SERVING)
- Vitamin K(11 MCG/10% DV PER SERVING)
- Polyunsaturated Fats(1 G PER SERVING)
- Magnesium(14 MG/4% DV PER SERVING)
- Carotenoids Lutein + Zeaxanthin(136 MCG PER SERVING)
- Copper(0.1 MG/10% DV PER SERVING)
- Folate(45 MCG/10% DV PER SERVING)
- Vitamin B6(0.1 MG/6% DV PER SERVING)
- Dietary Fiber(3 G/11% DV PER SERVING)
- Iron(0.3 MG/2% DV PER SERVING)
- Riboflavin(0.10 MG/8% DV PER SERVING)
- Potassium(250 MG/6% DV PER SERVING)
- Vitamin E(1 MG/6% DV PER SERVING)
- Niacin(1.0 MG/6% DV PER SERVING)
- Manganese(0.1 MG/4% DV PER SERVING)
- Vitamin C(4 MG/4% DV PER SERVING)
- Thiamin(0.04 MG/4% DV PER SERVING)
Is there antioxidants found in avocados?
Antioxidants are substances that protect your body cells from the harmful effects of free radicals and fruits and vegetables are the best sources of antioxidants. If you don?t know, free radicals have the ability to damage body cells and increase the risk of cardiac diseases.
According to various researches, people including fruits and vegetables in their daily balanced diet are healthier and have a healthy heart, safe from the risk of diseases. Avocados are rich in important antioxidant elements such as beta-carotene, selenium, lutein lycopene, Vitamin A, Vitamin C and Vitamin E. Additionally, it includes 136 mcg of zeaxanthin and carotenoids lutein.
Avocado Dessert Recipes
Avocados, being creamy, rich and loaded with good fats, Avocado makes for a great ingredient in your smoothie, cakes, brownies and puddings. Some recipes are healthy and some, okay, NO! But the point is these are desserts and desserts are to be savored. Well, a healthy fruit dessert is like a cherry on a cake.
Let?s check out some amazing avocado dessert recipes.
Charm School?s Avocado Ice Cream
This recipe is from the Charm School, a scoop shop in Virginia. It doesn?t treat avocados as the healthy substitute but makes it the star of the already luscious ice cream. The founders of the shop are graduates from the Penn State?s Ice Cream Short Course. Yes, there is a thing like this!
The recipe is for a quart of ice cream.
Ingredients
- 1 1/2?cups heavy cream
- 1 1/2?cups ripe avocado flesh (from 2?to 3?avocados)
- 1/4 teaspoon?kosher salt
- 3/4 cup?sugar
- 1 cup whole milk
- Warm 1 cup of heavy cream, kosher salt and sugar on a saucepan on medium flame
- Keep stirring it untik the sugar melts completely
- Remove the saucepan from the stove and add the rest of the cream and 1 cup milk
- Empty it in an airtight container and leave to chill in the fridge (keep it overnight).
- Before churning, add avocado to the base.
- You can use an immersion blender or just try whirring the avocados and chilled base in a blender
- Churn based on the settings of your ice cream machine and stop when the consistency is of a soft serve
- Put the ice cream in airtight box cream and let it freeze for 5 hours
Your fruity and healthy ice-cream is ready to be served!
Cacao and Avocado Mousse by Deliciously Ella
This one had to be on our list of avocado dessert recipes ? the healthiest one you can find. The recipe by Deliciously Ella is completely plant-based and the sugar used is from dates.
Ingredients For Mousse
- The flesh of 1 large or 2 small avocados
- 6 Medjool dates
- 1 banana
- Pinch of salt
- 1/3?cup almond or hazelnut milk
- 1/2?cup cacao powder
- 2 tablespoons of date syrup
- For Chocolate Syrup
- 6 tablespoons date syrup
- 1/2?cup cacao powder
- 3 tablespoons coconut milk
- 2 tablespoons coconut oil
Toppings
- Toasted Almond
- Coconut Yogurt
Directions
- Pit the dates. If hard, keep it soaked in boiling water for 5-10 minutes.
- Add the ingredients into a blender and blend it until smooth.
- Keep in the refrigerator to chill.
- Now add Date syrup, coconut and cacao powder to melt.
- Whisk in the coconut milk and let it cool.
- Take the mousse out of the refrigerator when you want to serve and spoon it in separate bowls. Top it with coconut yogurt, chocolate sauce and sprinkle some toasted almonds.
Avocado and Pistachio No-Bake Cheesecake
It is a traditional Sicilian cheesecake popular in the Southwest is but an avocado cheesecake. No, it is not a complaint. The no-bake cake recipe crafted by Fat Ox?s Matt Carter in Arizona is super delicious. All thanks to the pistachios and avocados. Do not miss out the Amaro Glaze ? it adds to the taste.
Ingredients for Cheesecake
- 1 1/2 pounds?softened mascarpone or cream cheese
- 1 cup of sugar
- 2 tablespoons vanilla extract
- 2 to 3 avocados, depending on size
- 1/3 cup cr?me fra?che
- 1 cup pistachio paste
- 2/3 cup heavy cream
- 4 sheets gelatin (if you don?t get sheets, use 4 tsp. of gelatin powder)
- Juice of 1 lemon
- 1 prebaked pie crust
- Pinch of salt
Directions for cheesecake:
- Using a stand mixer or electric beater, make the softened mascarpone creamy. Keep scraping the sides of the bowl at frequent intervals.
- Add salt and sugar. Mix well while scraping down the bowl sides again.
- Add the mix of cr?me Fraiche. Stir and scrape it well.
- Take another bowl and add gelatin and melted pistachio. Allow the gelatin to dissolve completely.
- Now add this mixture along with vanilla, the heavy cream and other ingredients and mix well.
- Add diced avocados until it turns smooth.
- The final ingredient is to add lemon juice and mix for the last time.
- Pour this in a prebaked crust.
- Keep it in the fridge to set up the cheesecake before garnishing with the below mentioned Amaro Glaze.
Ingredients for Amaro-Glaze
- 2 cups Sicilian amaro
- 3 oranges
- 1 clove
- 2 tablespoons honey
- 1 cinnamon stick
- 1/2?cup sugar
Directions for Amaro Glaze:
- Peel an orange and cut out its segments.
- Peel the other two oranges and extract the juice.
- Take a large pot and add orange juice, cinnamon stick, clove, sugar and honey.
- Reduce it until the consistency turns syrupy.
- Strain it and add the warm syrup to the orange segments.
- Keep it to cool and then spoon it to the cheesecake.
Gluten-free Oil-free Avocado Brownies
You already know it is the healthiest kind of brownie you can ever have! Okay, these are not as delicious as the fat-filled brownies but for a person with food allergy, this is the best option. The recipe mentioned here is little modified than the original from Luisa Ruocca. Check it out.
Ingredients
- 2 ripe avocados
- 2 large eggs
- 1 teaspoon?baking soda
- 2/3 cup?packed brown sugar
- 1 1/2?cups chocolate chunks
- 1/2?cup sugar
- 2/3 cup?cocoa powder
Optional: 1 teaspoon vanilla and a pinch of salt
Directions
- Preheat the oven at around 350 degrees and grease a pan (9-inch will work best).
- Put all the ingredients but the chocolate chunks in a blender and blend until smooth.
- Add chocolate chunks and stir.
- Empty the batter in the pan and set to bake for around 20-25 minutes.
Serve the way you want!
How to make Avocado Chips
Now that you have got some savoring dessert recipes, it?s time to share another interesting and tasty avocado dish ? the avocado chips recipe. It?s a healthy snack both you and your kids can enjoy.
Ingredients
- 1 large ripe avocado
- ? teaspoon Italian seasoning
- ? cup freshly grated Parmesan
- 1 teaspoon lemon juice
- ? teaspoon garlic powder
- Freshly ground black pepper
- Kosher salt
Directions
- Preheat the oven at 325 degrees and get a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Take a medium bowl and use a fork to mash the avocados.
- Add Parmesan, garlic powder, lemon juice and the Italian seasoning.
- Stir well and add salt and pepper.
- Put a heaping teaspoon of the mixture with a scoop on the baking sheet.
- Flatten it using a cup or back of the spoon. Remember to keep 3 inches gap between the scoops.
- Bake it for 15-20 minutes until it turns golden.
- Let it cool and enjoy the crispy delicious avocado chips.
