STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. – Health and wellness professionals at The Villas of Manalapan, N.J., enjoy sharing tips that help improve the lives of others. One such piece of advice from experts at the luxurious senior apartment community is to acknowledge avocado as a superfood.

To acquaint you with the benefits of the avocado, The Villas, which is just a short drive from Staten Island, is sharing the following 10 things you should know about the fruit:

1. Yes, it is a fruit! Botanically, avocados are a large berry with a single seed. It is deceiving since most fruit consists primarily of carbohydrate, but avocados are mostly fat. A 100-gram serving of avocado contains 160 calories, 2 grams of protein, 15 grams of (healthy) fat, and 9 grams of carbohydrate. However, 7 of those 9 grams are fiber, resulting in 2 grams net carbohydrate. 
2. Healthy fats. The monounsaturated fat in avocados may lower LDL (“bad”) cholesterol, and increase HDL (“good”) cholesterol. Most of the fat in avocado is called oleic acid, the same primary fat in olive oil. This fatty acid helps lower cardiovascular inflammation and has been linked to preventative effects on cancer. 
3. 20 vitamins and minerals. Nutrient rich avocados contain potassium, folate, vitamin B6, vitamin C, and vitamin E, just to name a few. They also contain a trace mineral called boron, which is involved in bone metabolism and vitamin D activity that improves calcium absorption.
4. Rich in fiber. A 100-gram serving contains about 7 grams of fiber, which is 27 percent of the recommended daily allowance (RDA). Fiber aids digestion, metabolism, and helps you feel full longer. In one study, people who added avocado to their lunch were less interested in snacking during the next few hours than those who didn’t have avocado. 
5. Contain more potassium per gram than a banana! Potassium helps maintain electrolyte balance and is an important mineral for blood pressure regulation. A 100-gram serving of avocado meets 14 percent of the RDA for potassium, compared to 10 percent in bananas. 
6. Antioxidants. Avocados are high in antioxidants, two of which are lutein and zeaxanthin, two important carotenoids for eye health. Studies show they drastically reduce risk of cataracts and macular degeneration.
7. How to buy and store. Choose avocados that feel heavy for their size and have blemish-free skin.  A ripe avocado yields to gentle pressure with your finger, and the skin is usually darker than the bright green skin of an unripe avocado.

Store unripe avocados at room temperature and to quicken ripening you can store them in a paper bag with a banana. Bananas release ethylene which speeds up ripening. If you refrigerate an unripe avocado it will never ripen, but if you refrigerate a ripe avocado it will pause its ripening for a few days.

8. AKA. Avocado is also known as alligator pear, avocado pear, or butter fruit. 

9. Different ways to try avocado. Try an avocado pear smoothie, pineapple guacamole, spread on toast instead of butter, topped with lemon and a sprinkle of salt, substitute mashed avocado for mayonnaise in tuna or chicken salad, or even add avocado slices to a fresh baked pizza! 

10. Avocado peeling trick. Cut the avocado in half lengthwise, remove the pit, then slice each half again lengthwise so you end up with four pieces. Using your fingers, peel away the skin from the flesh. This way, the avocado is peeled neatly and retains most of the flesh closest to the skin, which is the part with the most antioxidants.

About the Villas of Manalapan

Situated on seven wooded acres in Manalapan, N.J., a short distance from Staten Island, N.Y., The Villas of Manalapan is a luxurious senior apartment community reflecting the ambiance and accommodations of a world-class resort. Offering a range of amenities and services sensitive to the lifestyle, health and daily needs of its residents, the complex – orchestrated by Hackensack Meridian Health – is uniquely focused on wellness and prevention, and ideal for singles and couples alike. The upscale 100,000-square-foot community offers a unique arrangement of supervision and increased healthcare with onsite physician services. Providing for independent living, assisted living, skilled nursing and memory care on specialized floors, the Villas eliminates the need to relocate elsewhere due to health issues, allowing couples to remain together in a comforting, well-managed, posh environment. The Villas is located at 289 Gordons Corner Road, Manalapan, NJ 07726. For information, the Villas may be reached at 732-847-3920, contacted via www.villashmh.com/contact, and visited online at www.villashmh.com.

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Never dis­re­gard pro­fes­sional med­ical advice or delay in seek­ing it because of some­thing you have read on this blog or in any linked materials. If you think you may have a med­ical emer­gency, call your doc­tor or 911 immediately.

The views expressed in this article have no rela­tion to those of any academic, hospital, practice or other insti­tu­tion with which the author, or authors, are affiliated.

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