Many people stay away from this wonderfully nutritious fruit because they think it’s high in fat and therefore unhealthy. What they don’t know, however is that more than half of the fat content in avocados, about 3 grams are monounsaturated fats which have been shown to reduce inflammation and lower cholesterol levels making them heart healthy fats. Besides containing these healthy fats, avocados also contain vitamins B5, B6, C, and E, folate, potassium, dietary fiber and the phytonutrient lutein. The benefits of these vitamins and minerals are too long to list, but some include improving your immune system, deceasing inflammation, and stabilizing blood fats. If that isn’t enough, there’s more! Avocados are rich in the antioxidant glutathione, which helps fight cancer by preventing the cell damage caused by free radicals. Make guacamole, add it to your omelet or sandwich, or try this delicious recipe courtesy of allrecipes.com.

Avocado, Tomato and Mango Salsa

Ingredients

1 mango - peeled, seeded and diced

1 avocado - peeled, pitted, and diced

4 medium tomatoes, diced

1 jalapeno pepper, seeded and minced

1/2 cup chopped fresh cilantro

3 cloves garlic, minced

1 teaspoon salt

2 tablespoons fresh lime juice

1/4 cup chopped red onion

3 tablespoons olive oil

Directions

In a medium bowl, combine the mango, avocado, tomatoes, jalapeno, cilantro, and garlic. Stir in the salt, lime juice, red onion, and olive oil. To blend the flavors, refrigerate for about 30 minutes before serving.

To learn more about your health and nutrition, contact us for a consultation, or join us for our upcoming workshop, “You are What You Eat” in San Francisco on June 26th. See our events page for more information.

To your health,

Dorothy Lizak

Nutrition & Wellness Specialist

References: http://www.dietdetective.com/daily-diet-tip.aspx?issueid=40943

recipe from: http://allrecipes.com/Recipe/Avocado-Tomato-and-Mango-Salsa/Detail.aspx

photo:thank you to: http://uglynutritiontruth.files.wordpress.com/2009/11/avocados.jpg