Nutrition for Athletes: Super Nutritious Avocados !

Mention avocado and the first thing that comes to mind is guacamole !  However, avocados are more than just guacamole…

Athletes pay close attention – this rich green fruit can help enhance your athletic performance.

Avocados are a healthy source of mono-unsaturated fat, which is known as the heart healthy fat.

These fats help absorb vitamins from foods including vitamins A, D, E, and K which enables the body to utilize them.

Avocado’s Benefits for Athletes:

• Avocado’s offer more potassium than bananas. 1/2 medium avocado meets 14% of the Recommended Dietary Allowance (RDA) for potassium. One banana only 10 per cent of the RDA. Potassium is important for athletes because it helps to maintain electrolyte balance, prevents cramping and reduces blood pressure.

• Anti-inflammatory - due to their high content of folate, vitamin K and antioxidants such as lutein, Vitamin C, Vitamin E, zeaxanthin and Vitamin B6. Exercise can produce small tears in the muscles. Anti-inflammatory foods are crucial for athletic recovery from these injuries. By eating anti-inflammatory foods, such as avocados, the body can recover better and faster by addressing inflammation and healing tissue damage caused by exercise or outside triggers.

• Avocados are also high in fiber. One serving contains 7 grams of fiber which is a little over 25 percent of an adult’s daily needs. Adding avocado to the diet helps meet the goal of 25 to 30 grams of fiber per day which supports digestive health. A healthy gut supports nutrient absorption producing a stronger body.

     
Athletes, the take home message is clear: avocados are an all-purpose fruit.

Toss some slices onto your salad, smoothie  to get the most vitamins and minerals or add a few slices to your sandwich to give it an extra boost of nutrition. Next time avocados are in season, enjoy them for their taste and their health benefits: nutrient absorption, electrolyte balance and post-workout recovery !!

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