Once the name avocado was unknown to many. Now that fruit is seen from city cafes to home dining tables. This fruit, which is popular among health conscious people, has now found its place in the words of Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
In the 137th episode of 'Mann Ki Baat', he highlighted the growing popularity of avocados in India and the potential to increase the income of farmers by growing this fruit. Later, he brought up the topic of avocado in a video on social media.
Why so much interest in this fruit? Because avocados are quite different from other fruits. While most fruits are known for their natural sugars and carbohydrates, avocados are relatively low in sugar and contain healthy fats. Especially monounsaturated fatty acids or MUFA. Notable among these is oleic acid, which is also present in olive oil as a healthy fat.
Beneficial for heart health
The list of nutritional benefits of avocado does not end here. It contains dietary fiber, potassium, folate, magnesium, vitamin K and vitamin E. This combination of healthy fats and fiber can help maintain heart health and control blood cholesterol.
A study published in the 'Journal of the American Heart Association' followed more than 100,000 people for nearly 30 years. Studies have shown that those who ate at least one avocado per week had a relatively low risk of heart disease and coronary heart disease. However, there is no way to look at avocado as an anti-disease medicine. A healthy diet, regular exercise, adequate sleep and weight control are all important.
Fiber is filling, but calorie counting is also important
The fiber in avocado helps in digestion and keeps the stomach full for longer. As a result, it can be helpful in reducing the tendency to get unduly hungry. But the idea that 'healthy' means eating as much as you want is wrong. Avocados are high in calories because of their high fat content. Half a medium-sized avocado can contain about 161 calories.
So according to nutritionists, about 70-100 grams of avocado per day is enough for an adult. Especially those who are trying to lose weight should keep it within their total calorie count.
Don't feel bad if you don't get avocados
Due to cost or availability, many people cannot consume avocados regularly. But there is no reason to worry for him. Nuts can be eaten to meet some of your needs for healthy fats, fiber, vegetable protein and vitamin E. Along with vegetables and fruits of different colors, potassium, folate and various anti-oxidants are available. That is, there are many nutritional options available for avocados from the diversity of Indian cuisine.
How to eat avocado?
The easiest way to eat avocados is raw. You can mix it in salad or smoothie. However, adding extra sugar or sweet ingredients to the smoothie can spoil its health.
Avocados don't even need to be cooked. It is easier to retain its nutritional value when eaten raw. But how you eat with food is also important. Because avocados are healthy, it's best not to eat them with extra cheese, butter, sweet sauces, or high-calorie ingredients.
New possibilities in farming
The popularity of this fruit is not only changing the eating habits of the city, but also creating new possibilities for the farmers. Examples cited by PM Modi include farmer Vardaraj from Kadapa in Andhra Pradesh, who used to grow tomatoes and bananas. After learning about avocado cultivation, he produced about four tons of fruit and sold them directly to local stores.
Farmer Chandrasekharan is getting good price by cultivating avocado in Kodaikanal in Tamil Nadu. Some farmers in Karnataka's Chikkamagaluru are also growing avocado as an intercrop with coffee and pepper plantations. It is creating additional income opportunities by maintaining conventional farming. While avocado cultivation is high in Tamil Nadu, Kerala and Karnataka, this fruit is also grown in Maharashtra's Nashik, Sikkim, Mizoram and Manipur.
A source of nutritionally healthy fats and fiber, and the potential for new income for farmers—two reasons why avocados are becoming increasingly popular in India.