Avocado as a Natural Beauty Super Food

Avocado’s are thought to have originated in Central America, where they were an important component of the diet of the native Aztec people, it is associated with savory food although botanically speaking it is a fruit.  Avocados are high in calories as about 90% of them are fat, 80% of which is an acid known as oleic acid, and there are many benefits associated with eating a diet high in monounsaturated fats.  In particular they reduce levels of LDL cholesterol in the blood and have a beneficial effects on the composition of blood fats in general, monounsaturated fat also helps to stabilize blood sugar levels.  Avocados also contain phytochemicals called beta-sitosterols, which reduce the absorption of cholesterol from food; it is these chemicals that are widely used in the manufacture of blood cholesterol lowering drugs. The oil also helps to stimulate the immune system, enhancing antibody production, and acts as a mild vasodilator, relaxing the muscles surrounding the blood vessels, thus reducing blood pressure.

English: Avocado with its cross section. Pictu...
English: Avocado with its cross section. Pictured in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania. App 18 cm (7 inches) long. Français : Un Avocat entier et en coupe. Photo prise à Dar es Salaam, en Tanzanie. Longueur 18 cm environ. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

The avocado is a clearly a true super food, that is packed full of immune boosting phytochemicals that can help guard against many diseases and is a great health addition to any diet. However not only is avocado extremely beneficial when taken internally, the particular combination of nutrients and micro-nutrients found in the avocado make it a powerful antioxidant, that mops up free radicals, “the destructive molecules known to trigger aging and many diseases in the body.   This is one of the reasons it is considered an important botanical oil for the formulations of anti aging skin care preparations, combined with the fact that it is rich in vitamins A, B1, B2 and D and vitamin E, the oil has excellent protective properties and the sterolins (plant steroids) in the oil are known to visibly reduce age spots, scars and sun burn.

The skin loving mono-saturated fats are essential for youthful plump skin, this combined with the many vitamins, especially vitamin E, that is essential to help stimulate the production of the all important anti wrinkle collagen, avocado’s are an important inclusion to any diet, or anti aging cream for an all year round natural, glowing complexion.