How much more fun can there be than sitting in a Mexican restaurant with friends, sipping on margaritas, and snacking on guacamole dip and chips? Well, at least the guacamole is healthy, right?
Avocados are often used in salads, dips, wraps, eggs and even smoothies. The “healthy” parts of avocados: fiber, Vitamin E, Vitamin C, potassium, minerals, Vitamin B6 and monounsaturated fats (the ones that lower the “bad” cholesterol, LDL)
The unhealthy part of avocados: The caloric intake…one avocado contains about 240 calories.
So, should eating avocados be part of your weight control game plan? The answer is that due to caloric content, avocados should be limited in usage. The vitamins, “healthy” fat and minerals found in an 240 calorie avocado can be found in a multivitamin and fish oil supplement containing zero calories.
The other issue: Thoughts that avocados are “healthy” may lead to people snacking on guac and chips, and clearly, the chips are incredibly derailing to weight control efforts.
This is not to say that “no” avocados can be incorporated into your dietary approach. However, portions should be limited and try to ensure that no “accompaniments” such as the margaritas and chips become part of the “Avocado experience”
