High Consumption of Fruits, Vegetables, and Legumes
John J.B. Anderson, Marilyn C. Sparling in The Mediterranean Way of Eating, 2014
Most vegetables and legumes, as well as many fruits, have high water content, low energy density, and little or no fat. Avocado is an exception in that it is high in fat, although most of the fat is of the healthier monounsaturated type. Because of the high fat content, avocados are also high in calories. Portion size becomes an important consideration in consuming this nutritious fruit commonly found in many Mediterranean diets. Most fruits, vegetables, and legumes also have a low glycemic index (GI) and contain varying amounts of soluble and insoluble fiber. Strawberries, for example, contain more insoluble fiber in their tiny seeds, while the flesh of the berry provides more soluble fiber. Similarly, apple skins contain more insoluble fiber, and the flesh has more soluble fiber. All of these characteristics of fruits, vegetables, and legumes likely provide valuable benefits for health in addition to their many vitamins, minerals, and phytochemicals. Chapter 10, “High Consumption of Whole Grains,” provides more information about fiber.
Chemosensory Disorders and Nutrition
Alan R. Hirsch in Nutrition and Sensation, 2023
Anosmia and ageusia may also result from direct exposure to extreme heat. This was seen in a 54-year-old right-handed woman who was nasute until one-and-a-half years prior to presentation when she underwent an operative excision of a cyst on her left jaw. During the surgery, the patient’s mask caught on fire which caused burning to her face, right eye, nose, cheeks, lips, and nostrils, requiring intubation for one month. Upon extubation, the patient noticed she was unable to smell or taste. There has been no change since the onset of this problem. She rated her ability to smell as 3% of normal. She also had three epochs of phantosmias of ammonia, which she rated as a 10/10 in intensity, on a scale of one to ten, ten being most intense. She had one 15-minute episode of a mildew phantosmic odor which she rated an 8/10 in intensity. In addition, she reported dysosmia and cacosmia, whereby perfumes smelled distorted and were disgusting to her. She denied palinosmia and flavorful eructations. She rated her sense of taste as 20% of normal. She could taste sweet but had hypergeusia in which salt was 100 times stronger than it should be. It was so strong that she often found she could not eat. Sour was also overly-intense and three times sourer than it should have been. All meat tasted spoiled and was disgusting to her. Avocado tasted salty and sour. She denied phantageusia or palinageusia.
Mitigation of Obesity: A Phytotherapeutic Approach
Amit Baran Sharangi, K. V. Peter in Medicinal Plants, 2023
Avocado (Persea americana) belongs to Lauraceae and is native from Central and South America. Its cultivation has spread throughout Africa, Asia, Europe, and United States. Major chemical constituents include alkanols (“aliphatic acetogenins”), terpenoid glycosides, various furan ring-containing derivatives, flavonoids, and a coumarin. The highly functionalized alkanols of avocado have exhibited quite diverse biological properties thus far (Yasir et al., 2010). Anti-obesity effects have been reported for both the leaf and fruit. Treatment with aqueous and methanolic extracts of P. americana leaves (10 mg/Kg) for 8 weeks in hypercholesterolemic albino rats caused a 25% reduction in the body weight gain (Brai et al., 2007).
An insight into the effect of Persea Americana as a potassium rich diet on adenine induced renal fibrosis in mice
Published in Egyptian Journal of Basic and Applied Sciences, 2020
Mohamed Shalaby, Nashwa M Abu-Elsaad, Tarek M Ibrahim
Adenine showed a significant elevation in malondialdehyde (MDA) level in kidney homogenate when compared to control group. In addition, a decrease in total antioxidant capacity and kidney content of reduced glutathione were observed. Reduced GSH is an endogenous antioxidant which is oxidized by reactive oxygen species thus it protects from tissue damage through consuming free radicals. Administration of avocado decreased MDA level significantly, increased total antioxidant capacity and restored renal GSH content. This may be attributed to the abundance of C7 sugars especially mannohepulose in Persea Americana fruit. Mannohepulose has a polyol structure possessing a strong antioxidant activity. Moreover, avocado is rich in many other natural antioxidants as vitamin C, vitamin E, carotenoids, and phenolic compounds [25,26]. Notably, tubular injury score and renal content of the lipid peroxidation marker MDA were observed to be higher in diet II group compared to diet I group. As a result, consumption of GSH may increase in diet II group decreasing renal tissue content of GSH in this group compared to diet I group.
Protective effects of resveratrol and avocado oil against paracetamol-induced hepatotoxicity in rats
Published in Drug and Chemical Toxicology, 2022
Erdi Onur Gokkaya, Sukriye Yesilot, Meltem Ozgocmen, Rahime Aslankoc, Cigdem Aydin Acar
Due to the unique taste and aroma of avocado, its oil is commonly used in the food industry. Aside from the food industry, avocado oil is used in the cosmetics industry on account of its content. Avocado oil also plays a pivotal role in the protection of human health as a result of containing single-chain unsaturated oleic acid and reducing the level of low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol in the blood, thereby reducing the likelihood of atherosclerotic heart diseases. In addition, avocado oil has been reported to exert a protective effect against cardiovascular diseases due to its high antioxidant content, its high levels of vitamins A, B, and E, and its high soluble fiber content when compared with other foods.
Influence of Avocado Purée as a Fat Replacer on Nutritional, Fatty Acid, and Organoleptic Properties of Low-Fat Muffins
Published in Journal of the American College of Nutrition, 2018
Nurul Ain Othman, Marina Abdul Manaf, Sakinah Harith, Wan Rosli Wan Ishak
Avocado (Persea americana) is a tropical fruit that originated from Mexico, and the majority of the avocados available worldwide are from Hass avocados. Avocado is classified as a functional food due to the nutraceutical components in the fruit (1,2). The avocado pulp contains antioxidant phytochemicals and other bioactive substances, including carotenoids, lutein, β-sitosterol, and potassium, which have anticancer properties, have a lipid-lowering effect, and improve blood pressure (3,4,5).