Is it healthy to eat avocado every day? (2024)

They say an apple a day keeps the doctor away, but there's another fruit that can do wonders for your health when included on your daily menu.

Avocado — yes, it’s a fruit — is known for its starring role in guacamole, but the creamy food has a ton of health benefits. With nearly 20 vitamins and minerals and plenty of “good” fat, it’s no wonder that there’s an abundance of research linking avocados with heart health, weight management and skin health.

But is it really healthy to eat avocados every day? Learn the benefits of avocado and creative recipes to eat more of them.

Avocado nutrition facts

A serving of avocado (⅓ medium or 50 grams) contains:

• 80 calories
• 1 gram protein
• 7 grams fat
• 4 grams carbohydrates
• 3 grams fiber (11% daily value (DV))
• 250 milligrams potassium (6% DV)
• 15 grams magnesium (4% DV)
• 0.1 mg vitamin B6 (6% DV)
• 1 mg vitamin E (6% DV)
• 4 mg vitamin C (4% DV)
• 11 mcg vitamin K (10% DV)
• 5 mcg folate (10% DV)

Are avocados a healthy fat?

One serving of an avocado (⅓ medium) has 6 grams of unsaturated fat. Fat was once thought to be the enemy, but unsaturated fat has been linked to lowering the risk of heart disease. It's saturated fat that is associated with an increased risk of cardiovascular disease and other chronic health conditions. In fact, the Dietary Guidelines for Americans recommends replacing saturated fat in the diet with unsaturated fat, like the kind found in avocados.

Avocado may reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease and diabetes

Avocados are good for your heart, according to a recent systematic review of the research. Of the studies examined, ten substituted avocado for other fat sources and two added avocado to the participants’ standard diets. The overall results showed that consuming avocados twice a day as part of a low saturated fat and cholesterol diet can help lower total and LDL cholesterol levels in the blood. Another observational study of over 68,000 women found that higher avocado intake was associated with lower risk of cardiovascular disease.

Recent research also suggests that including avocado in your diet may have a positive impact on metabolic disorders and Type 2 diabetes. A randomized trial of overweight adults found that eating just half an avocado with lunch increased their satiety without negatively impacting their blood-sugar levels, which is a major benefit for people with diabetes or pre-diabetes. In other words, avocado can make you feel full without causing a spike in blood sugar.

Is avocado good for weight loss?

Since avocados are higher in calories than other produce items, you may worry that eating them regularly can lead to weight gain. The good news is, research actually points to the opposite. One study of over 55,000 people found that people who ate avocado weighed less than those who didn’t regularly eat the fruit. After following the participants for 4 to 11 years, the researchers concluded that participants that consumed at least 2 tablespoons of avocado per day had the lowest odds of becoming overweight or obese.

Research also suggests that replacing the carbohydrates in a traditionally high-carb meal with avocado contributes to feelings of fullness. This is because the fat in avocados is part of what helps you stay fuller longer and may actually cause you to eat less overall.

The vitamin E in avocados is good for your skin

More recent research is starting to explore the potential skin benefits of the vitamin E in avocados. A pilot study in the Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology found that eating one avocado per day for 8 weeks increased skin elasticity and firmness.So, avocados could be a delicious addition to your skincare routine.

Are there drawbacks to eating avocados?

While avocados come with impressive benefits, it’s important to keep the serving size in mind. Unfortunately, it is possible to eat too much avocado. Sticking to ⅓ of the fruit daily, will keep calories in check and ensure that avocados don't contribute to weight gain.

Avocados can also be a pricey addition to your grocery list, due to a variety of factors like low supply, changes in weather, farming issues and inflation. Plus, they only stay ripe for 2-3 days before they begin to brown. Since most of the avocados in the supermarket are not yet ripe, you'll have to watch them closely to make sure you eat them at the right time.

Fun facts about avocados

Beyond the health benefits, here are some interesting tidbits to consider during your next visit to the produce aisle.

There are hundreds of varieties of avocados

There are hundreds of varieties of this green fruit, according to California Avocados. But you're likely most familiar with the Hass variety since they account for 95% of the avocados eaten in the United States. Hass avocados are medium sized and oval, with a minty green flesh and dark green skin. They're able to be grown year-round in places like California, Chile, Mexico, New Zealand, Peru, The Dominican Republic and Colombia.

You may also see a Florida avocado on store shelves. This large variety is grown in the sunshine state, and they are a bit lower in calories and fat than the Hass variety. But they also taste a bit more bland due to their low fat content.

They are a good butter substitute

If you're trying to cut back on saturated fat, use avocado in place of butter in baked goods. Their creamy consistency makes them a great stand-in for butter in recipes, and since they have a neutral taste, you won’t even notice a difference in the taste of the overall dish. Use a 1:1 ratio to swap butter for avocado in any recipe.

How to grow your own avocados

No matter where you live, you can grow an avocado tree in your own home. “You can sprout the pit of an avocado to grow into a house plant in your own home by submerging it half way into a cup of water,” says Seattle-based registered dietitian nutritionist, Ginger Hultin, dietitian, owner of ChampagneNutrition® and author of the e-book “Meal Prep for Weight Loss 101.”

After eating an avocado, save the pit and let it dry out. Stick 3-4 toothpicks in the pit and suspend it over a glass of water, so that the bottom half of the pit is submerged. Place the glass of water in the sun and roots will sprout in 2-6 weeks. A stem will appear and the avocado plant will begin to grow. Plant it in a pot with soil and watch your avocado tree grow!

Healthy avocado recipes

“Avocados are incredibly versatile,” says Hultin. “I recommend my clients include them as a healthy fat source and anti-inflammatory food in a variety of ways.” Here are some creative ways to include more avocados in your diet: