5 Reasons for Men to Enjoy California Avocados

Having grown up with five brothers, I witnessed their strong aversion to any food that was green in color. Once I became a dietitian, my challenge was to end the long-held belief that green foods were only for the ladies. Working predominantly with male clients, I discovered, quite quickly actually, the green food that most men liked to eat more of: the avocado.

So, in honor of my brothers and my favorite green food, here are my five reasons why California Avocados are the ideal addition to men’s every day eats.

Avocados Go Great with Guy Favorites

For a man with a typical “dude diet” with generally little variety consisting of burgers, nachos and pizza, the California Avocado is the perfect gateway green. It pairs so well with those guy-staples and even the others like ribs and hotdogs! Plus this fruit doesn’t require much culinary know-how to prepare and enjoy (see #3 – easy peasy).

Avocados Deliver Energy to the Body

The fats in this superfood (mostly the “good” unsaturated kind) get converted into energy to help fuel guys up. And, each 1 oz. serving offers a variety of nutrients, like vitamin E (4% Daily Value (DV)), potassium (4% DV), magnesium (2% DV) and fiber (8% DV).

Avocados are Easy to Prepare

The way to prepare a California Avocado is guy-friendly! Start by placing a California Avocado on a table, then cut lengthwise around the seed. Turn and cut again. Pull apart the four quarters and remove the seed. Peel the skin to get the greatest concentration of beneficial nutrients in the dark green fruit closest to that peel (more on peeling avocados). Next slice and dice or grab a fork and dig in!

Avocados Can be a Nutrient Booster

Guys seem to always want to get the most “bang for their buck” out of anything, and their food is no different. California Avocados can act as a “nutrient booster” by allowing the body to absorb more fat-soluble nutrients, like the carotenoids alpha- and beta-carotene, in foods eaten with this fruit. Carotenoids may play a role against oxidative damage, and a lot of men will like sound of that.

Avocados Can Help You Feel Satisfied

In my experience I’ve found most guys aren’t fans of going hungry and want that feeling of satisfaction after a meal. It’s the avocado’s way of saying, “I won’t let you down, buddy.”

With all these reasons, what guy wouldn’t be reaching for California Avocados!

Win a Signed Copy of My Book!

If you’ve got more reasons, I’d love to hear them! Enter to win a signed copy of my new book, Green Foods for Men: Powerful Foods for a Clean, Healthy Die. Share your reasons with a comment below on this blog post. Three people will win! To be eligible enter your comment between now and May 4, 2015 when the contest closes.

On May 11, 2015 three winners will be randomly chosen using random.org. You’ll be notified with a reply to you in the comments with how to get your signed copy of my book. So check back on your comment on May 11, 2015 to see if you are a winner. If you are, confirm your prize by commenting within 3 business days, otherwise I’ll need to choose another winner.

Looking forward to hearing from you!

Jenny Westerkamp, R.D., is the co-author of Green Foods for Men: Powerful Foods for a Healthy, Clean Diet. She is the nutritionist for Kitchfix and an advisor for REAL Dietitian. Previously, she worked with professional and collegiate athletes across the country and was president of Chicago Food and Nutrition Network. She has been interviewed for national media outlets such as Good Morning America and has spoken to groups on wellness, men’s health, sports nutrition, and social media. Follow her on Twitter at @JennyWesterkamp.