How Avocados Fit into Today’s Popular Diets

Here in California, the land of sun and living a fit and healthy lifestyle, many people are looking for a diet or eating plan to help them look and feel their best. However, not all diets are created equal. Some are fads, some are a lifestyle that has been shown to provide health benefits and some work best based on an individual’s health issues or needs. These days, whether you’re at a backyard barbeque or a cocktail party, conversation turns to what diet or eating plan people are following. From paleo to keto, Whole 30® to vegan, everyone thinks theirs is the best. Agree to disagree, but there is one food that most everyone will find is common ground – avocados.

Avocados are one food that fits into most eating plans whether for weight loss or general health. If you’re on an eating plan for weight loss, heart-healthy California Avocados can be a satisfying addition to a reduced-calorie diet when eaten in place of other fat sources. 

For athletes, avocados can fit into your fitness diet as the body needs to replace the electrolytes it loses from sweating. Potassium is one of these electrolytes and helps muscles contract and helps to regulate fluids and mineral balance. Healthy avocados contain 250 mg of potassium (6% DV per 50 g serving). My clients are often surprised by how much potassium an avocado has. 

For keto, a very low carb diet, avocados are perfect because they are low in carbohydrates which helps dieters keep their carbs to 20 to 50 g per day.  

As far as paleo, which is moderate in fat (mainly unsaturated), avocados are ideal due to the fact that over 75% of the fat in avocados is unsaturated, containing 5 g monounsaturated and 1 g polyunsaturated fats per one-third avocado serving. 

When used in place of other fats, avocados also can be a part of the DASH eating plan, which may help to control blood pressure. Did you know that Mediterranean and DASH diets are consistently rated by the U.S. News Rankings as two of the top diets for good health? The Mediterranean is steeped in principles that include fewer meats and carbohydrates and more plant-based foods and monounsaturated fats. The DASH diet emphasizes vegetables, fruits and whole grains, usually for the purpose of improving heart health. To read more about these and other healthful diets, you can reference the U.S. News & World Report, the global authority in rankings and consumer advice, its annual assessment of the year’s Best Diets. In addition to rankings, the Best Diets platform offers extensive data and information on more than 40 diet plans. 

No matter what diet you’re on or eating plan you’re following, avocados are a flavorful, nutritious and versatile food that fits. Want to start incorporating them with a new recipe? Try my Mashed Cauliflower with California Avocado.

Cauliflower is another food that appears in virtually every eating plan because, like avocados, it is nutrient-dense, low in carbs and has a mild flavor. 

Below are two more California Avocado recipes that fit most eating plans:

This California Avocado Berry Salad with Kombucha Vinaigrette is a wonderful medley of fresh fruits and veggies, California Avocados and a kombucha vinaigrette that adds probiotics makes one delicious and nutritious meal. This recipe complies with the following eating plans: paleo, vegan, vegetarian, gluten free, dairy free and low sodium.

California Avocado Breakfast Muffins are a delicious, satisfying breakfast option. Make a batch on the weekend and enjoy throughout the week. These egg breakfast muffins are perfect for those following a paleo, keto, vegetarian, gluten free, sugar free or low sodium eating plan.     

Eaten alone or used in a variety of tasty recipes, it’s your turn to go out and get creative with incorporating American-grown, in-season Fresh California Avocados into your healthy eating lifestyle.