Avocados side effects,
nutritional values and
health benefits
Avocados were first cultivated in South America with later migration to Mexico. It was believed that
a Mayan princess ate the very first avocado and that it held mystical and magical powers. European
sailors traveling to the New World used avocados as their form of butter. Avocados were first seen
in the United States in the early 1800's. California is currently the largest producer of avocados
stateside. There are more than 80 varieties, with the "Hass" variety dominating the crop share. A
single mature avocado tree can produce more than 400 pieces of fruit in a year.

NUTRITIONAL VALUES
Avocados are loaded with nutrients such as dietary fiber, vitamin B6, vitamin C, vitamin E,
potassium, magnesium, and folate. They're also cholesterol and sodium free. Avocados contain
60% more potassium per ounce than bananas. This fruit is an excellent source of monounsaturated
fat. In addition, researchers have shown that avocados extracts improved calcium absorption in
rats and addition of avocado to salsa significantly improved lycopene, lutein and carotenes
absorption in healthy human subjects. [1, 9]

POTENTIAL HEALTH BENEFITS OF AVOCADO
Researchers from South Africa proposed to use Avocado (Persea americana) leaf aqueous extract
for the management of childhood convulsion. The data from their study in rats suggested that
'avocado' leaf aqueous extract produced its anticonvulsant effect by enhancing GABAergic
neurotransmission and/or action in the brain. [8]

Some studies show the potential benefits of soybean combined with avocado on the symptoms of
osteoarthritis. [12-15, 18] The combo is believed to exert anti-inflammatory and stimulatory effects
on aggrecan or proteoglycan synthesis in chondrocytes. [15, 17] The common dose of the
Avocado-soybean unsaponifiables (ASU)  in some of the studies is from 300 to 600 mg/day. [16, 19]

AVOCADO MAY HAVE BENEFITS OF CUTTING CANCER RISKS
The California Hass avocado (Persea americana Mill.) avocados were found to contain the highest
content of lutein among commonly eaten fruits as well as measurable amounts of related
carotenoids (zeaxanthin, alpha-carotene, and beta-carotene). Lutein accounted for 70% of the
measured carotenoids, and the avocado also contained significant quantities of vitamin E. An
acetone extract of avocado containing these carotenoids and tocopherols was shown to inhibit the
growth of both androgen-dependent (LNCaP) and androgen-independent (PC-3) prostate cancer
cell lines in vitro. [11] On the other hand, Kim OK from Kyoto University, Japan, proposed that
persenone A, an active ingredient of avocado, is a possible agent to prevent
inflammation-associated diseases including cancer. They found that persenone A at concentration
of 20 microM almost completely suppressed both iNOS and COX-2 protein expression in a vitro
study. [21]

AVOCADO HELPS CHOLESTEROL-LOWERING DIETS
Researchers found that intake of avocado could enhance the effect of low-fat diets on lipid
reduction. [22, 26] Mexican researchers consider avocado as an excellent source of
monounsaturated fatty acid in diets designed to avoid hyperlipidemia without the undesirable
effects of low-saturated fat diets on HDL-cholesterol and triacylglycerol concentrations. [23]

In a study of healthy adult normolipidemic volunteers and 37 adult patients with mild
hypercholesterolemia, Mexican researchers found that intake of avocado was linked to a significant
decrease of serum total cholesterol (17%), LDL-cholesterol (22%) and triglycerides (22%), and
increase of HDL-cholesterol (11%) levels in hypercholesterolemic subjects. [24]

EFFECTS OF AVOCADO ON WEIGHT LOSS AND BLOOD PRESSURE
The consumption of 200 g/d of avocado within an energy-restricted diet does not compromise
weight loss when substituted for 30 g of mixed dietary fat. Serum lipid concentrations, plasma
fibrinogen, arterial compliance, and systolic and diastolic blood pressures were not affected by
weight loss or avocado intake. [10]

BIOLOGICAL EFFECTS / SIDE EFFECTS OF AVOCADO ETRACTS AND OILS

One common side effect of avocado intake is allergy or hypersensitivity. The symptoms include skin
reactions, vomiting, bronchial asthma, rhinoconjunctivitis, urticaria and angioedema. [25, 28] In a
study, eight of the 21 avocado skin test positive patients reported that symptoms repeatedly
followed the ingestion of avocado; two reported systemic reactions, but six noted oral symptoms
only. Serum IgE antibodies to avocado were elevated in seven of the eight patients reporting
symptoms after eating avocado. Avocado-induced symptoms occurred in 8% of 100 consecutive
atopic allergic rhinitis patients unselected for avocado reactivity. Oral, and less frequently systemic,
allergy symptoms appear to be more common among the atopic population than previously
appreciated. [25]

In later 1980s, researchers from Israel fed rats with avocado or avocado seed oils for four weeks
and they noticed an increase in the amount of hepatic lipids, a decrease in blood levels of
triglycerides in the animals and changes in levels of some liver enzymes. [2]

Rats fed with unrefined avocado oils showed significant increases in soluble collagen content in
skin. The increased soluble collagen content appears to be a consequence of the inhibition of lysyl
oxidase activity. The total collagen content did not change. [4] However, researchers also found a
significant decrease in total collagen solubility in the liver after supplementation of unrefined
avocado or soybean oil to rats for one week. They confirmed the results by repeating the
experiment with chicken. They also found collagen accumulation in the liver of the rats, suggesting
early stages of fibrosis. [5]

Though there are indications (above) that avocado may damage the liver by collagen formation,
Japanese researchers have shown the protective effects of avocado on liver injury caused by
D-galactosamine. [20]

The leaves of avocado in doses exceeding 20 g fresh leaf per kg bodyweight, produced damage to
the mammary gland with decreased milk production in an animal study. [3] Six of 21 goats feeding
on fresh avocado leaves from pruned trees, showed clinical signs of cardiac distress. [6] Ingestion
of avocado leaves also caused lung oedema, hydrothorax, severe myocardial degeneration,
necrosis and fibrosis in 15 Cameroon goats. [7] In a study, nine out of 120 ostriches died from
congestive heart failure within 96 h of ingesting avocado leaves and immature fruit in an avocado
orchard containing Hass and Fuerte cultivars.[27] Finally, researchers from Kenya observed
dyspnoea, pulmonary oedema, abdominal enlargement and signs of elevated liver enzymes from
two dogs which had a fondness for avocado fruits. [29]

THIS ARTICLE IS FOR YOUR REFERENCE ONLY. IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS, YOU SHOULD CONSULT WITH
YOUR DOCTOR. THIS ARTICLE DOES NOT RECOMMEND TAKING EXCESSIVE AMOUNT OF AVACODO. ALL RIGHTS
RESERVED 2008 ZHION DO NOT COPY TO OTHER WEBSITES NOR BLOGS NOR ANY OTHER TYPES OF
PUBLICATIONS.

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