The Surprising Avocado

By Susan Hall from Health magazine: Avocados keep you thin, protect your vision, and may even prevent cancer.

Protect your vision with a few slices of avocado at lunch or dinner. Avocados are rich in lutein andzeaxanthin, antioxidants found in the retina that keep eyes healthy; they also may help prevent age-related problems, like cataracts and macular degeneration.

Extracts from avocados kill or stop the growth of precancerous cells that lead to oral cancer and may have a similar effect on other cancers, according to a recent study. Researchers credit the fruit’s unique combo of nutrients—which include folate and vitamins C and E.

Add avocado to salsa for a bigger health payoff. A study from The Ohio State University found that people absorbed four-and-a-half times more of the cancer-fighter lycopene from the tomatoes when avocado was added; the healthy fats help you absorb more nutrients.

Skip the mayo, and go for creamy avocado on your sandwich. It packs 4 grams of heart-healthy monounsaturated fat (which lowers cholesterol), 2 grams of fiber, and 1 gram of protein per ounce, making it a lower-fat, more-filling substitute for the white stuff.

Avocado Soups & Ice Creams
Avocado Chocolate Shake
Nutritional Info

Ernestine at 74

Ernestine Shepard was shopping for swimsuits with her sister in 1992 when they realized they weren’t in such great shape; so at the age of 56…Ernestine took her first aerobics class. Today she is 74, still running 80 miles a week, lifting free-weights, setting records and teaching classes.

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