Discover the beauty secrets that the ancient Mayans knew about the Avocado. This delicious and nutritious fruit with its healthy high fat content appears to fight the ravages of age, sun and wind damage as it softens and smoothes the skin. Its high mineral, vitamin and nutrient compounds help to support healthy cholesterol levels, fight serious disease and promote good eye health.

Disclaimer:
The information presented herein by Vitamin Depot Online.com is intended for educational purposes only. These statements have not been evaluated by the FDA and are not intended to diagnose, cure, treat or prevent disease. Individual results may vary, and before using any supplements, it is always advisable to consult with your own health care provider.

History:
The Avocado probably originated in southern Mexico sometime between 7,000 and 5,000 B.C., and was cultivated from the Rio Grande to central Peru by 500 B.C. This nutritious fruit has been a part of the New World diet for over two thousand years. The Aztecs called the Avocado ahuacatl, and considered it to be a sexual stimulant. The Mayans thought it to be a multifaceted beauty treatment for smooth skin and lustrous hair, and the Spanish conquistadors, who could not pronounce the Aztec name, changed it to a manageable aguacate. The first English-language mention of Avocado was by Sir Henry Sloane in 1696, and by 1871, when Judge R. B. Ord of Santa Barbara, California, successfully introduced avocadoes to the United States with trees from Mexico, growers soon afterward realized the potential of the Avocado as a valuable cash crop. A single California Avocado tree can produce up to sixty pounds of fresh fruit each year (it is a fruit - not a vegetable). It is a dense, perennial, evergreen tree that may reach a height of eighty feet, and the fruit of the Alligator pear (one of its common names) is highly nutritious and has a soft, smooth, buttery flesh with a bland, nutlike flavor. The fat content of the flesh is very high, and the center of the fruit has a large smooth stone (pit). The skin of the Avocado has a coarse texture and may vary from green to maroon in color. The size of the fruit may also vary from one to eight inches in length, with a weight of between two ounces to four pounds. There are three cultivated species of Avocado: Mexican, Guatemalan and West Indian, with many hybrid forms among all three types. Although not low in calories, the Avocado is rich in more than twenty five essential nutrients, including and exceptionally high potassium content, plus protein, fiber, chlorophyll, vitamin E, lutein, magnesium, phosphorus, glutathione, beta-sitosterol, alpha- and beta-carotene, B-vitamins and folic acid.

Beneficial Uses:
An Avocado contains Phytonutrients, which are thought to help fight many diseases. The Avocado contain potassium providing balance of electrolytes and thwart cramps. Moreover, Avocado acts as a "nutrient booster" by enabling the body to absorb more fat-soluble nutrients, such as alpha- and beta-carotene, as well as lutein.

High in carbohydrates, Avocadoes are useful in the treatment of malnutrition, anorexic conditions and bulimia.

Avocado may be very beneficial for good heart health. The fruit contains healthy fatty acids, which help to reduce LDLs (the "bad" cholesterol), while increasing HDLs (the "good" cholesterol). Research in a V. A. Hospital in Florida have indicated that blood samples taken from those who ate avocadoes showed a definite decrease in serum cholesterol. This action works to improve circulation to the heart, brain and elsewhere in the body, as well as reduce hypertension Avocado may help meet the dietary guidelines set forth by the American Heart Association, which are to eat a diet that is low to moderate in fat, and the fats should be primarily unsaturated and low in saturated fat and cholesterol. Avocado is virtually the only fruit that contains monounsaturated fat. Furthermore, the high fiber content has been said to be helpful in achieving and maintaining good coronary health.

Avocadoes are a natural laxative for those in need of treatment for constipation. High Fiber from the Avocado may also contribute to a more regular functioning bowel movement.

The Avocado also contains beta-sitosterol, a phystosterol, which is considered beneficial toward prostate health. According to a paper presented by Dr. John Birkbeck, Professor of Nutrition at Massey University in New Zealand, the sitosterol has been used in the management of a variety of conditions, including benign prostatic hypertrophy, as carried out in a trial reported in the British medical journal, The Lancet, and in fact is the basis of drugs sold in Germany for this purpose. There is also evidence that phytosterols may reduce the risk of malignant prostate disease at least in animal models.

Avocadoes are a supply of lutein, a carotenoid, or pigment compound, which is also found in other green vegetables like spinach, kale and broccoli, and it is believed to support healthy eyes. The lutein content is said to filter or absorb cell-damaging, high-energy blue light from the visible light spectrum, which may protect human cells in the eye's retina.

High in vitamin E, vitamin A and lutein content, Avocado acts as an antioxidant, helping to reduce the harmful free radicals that can occur in cells and contribute to cell and tissue damage. The protective qualities that enable lutein to protect plant cells from sunlight and oxidative stress may also protect human cells in the skin and other organs and tissues from these same free-radical damaging factors.

High levels of vitamin E used in the form of oil extracts in the Avocado contribute to promote moisture in skin thus the reason many of our ancestors use of this fruit to thwart aging effects of the sun and elements. There is some evidence that Avocado may be of some help in relieving symptoms of osteoarthritis when applied topically (see below for related article).

Further combating the ageing process, Avocado is said to help improve brain function. The reduces cholesterol and increased blood circulation not only helps to lower blood pressure but also improves blood flow to the brain, which is said to promote brain health, as hypertension is considered a risk factor for the decline in cognitive abilities.

Recommended Dosage:
Take two (2) capsules, one (1) to two (2) times each day with water at mealtimes.

Contraindications:
Currently, there are no warnings or contraindication with the use of Avocado.