An apple a day is great. They have a ton of health benefits. And that includes supporting your good belly bugs.
But if you REALLY want to boost your microbiome game to help you stay healthy through 2021 and beyond, don’t stop there. There’s another fruit you should consider adding to your daily routine.
I like to call them alligator pears because it’s fun to say, AND it’s a pretty good description of them too. But you may know them better as avocados.
New research has revealed a little avocado every day can aid digestion, lead to weight loss, and even boost your overall health. And it does it by targeting your gut flora.
Avocado can help feed your microbes
I’ll admit it’s a funny image. But when it comes down to it, we’re pretty much walking bags of microbes.
We’ve literally got TRILLIONS of the little critters inside our bodies. But don’t worry, most of them belong there. And they aren’t just along for the ride.
In fact, you should think of them as your partner in good health. Because they play a crucial role in keeping us healthy.
Look at it this way: If you die, they die. So, it’s literally in their own best interest to ensure you stay in tip-top shape.
As a result, many bacteria have become highly specialized in the jobs they take on. They perform tasks in your body – especially in your gut – to help with digestion, nutrition, hormone production, and more.
In fact, some of the bugs that make up your microbiome even help your body create the neurotransmitters you rely on for your mood. So if you’re feeling GREAT today, you might want to thank your nearest microbe.
And one way to do that is to eat a little avocado because the new study found your microflora love the stuff. According to the researchers, avocado can enhance gut bacteria by increasing their diversity and helping them to function more efficiently.
Is GUACAMOLE the nation’s NEXT GREAT superfood?
What makes this study exciting is that it didn’t focus on people who are already super healthy. Instead, it looked at folks who were moderately healthy but were also overweight or obese. You know… like many of us in the real world.
Volunteers were asked to eat their regular diets except for one meal a day was given by researchers. Some had a little avocado in that dish, while the others had no avocado at all. After just 12 weeks, the ones who had been eating the avocado had remarkable changes in their microbiome.
(Confused about what the heck a microbiome is? You’re not alone. Check out this simple explanation and quick start guide to keeping yours healthy.)
First of all, they had a greater DIVERSITY of bacteria. That’s a key marker of overall digestive health since more types of microbes means they can do more for you. But the benefits didn’t end there.
Tests found the avocado fed bugs were keeping busy, too. The folks who were eating avocado had an easier time breaking down fiber from their meals. Plus, they had more of the metabolites produced during digestion that indicate better gut health.
Now, some wet blankets will tell you to limit your avocado because it’s loaded with fat and dense with calories. And sure enough, the meals with avocado DID have higher fat content as a result. But that fat didn’t stick around.
In fact, as the participants ate more of this healthy fat, they also excreted more fat, which is yet another sign of more efficient digestion. Over the long haul, that’s the kind of change that can help with weight LOSS.
Plus, other studies have found that folks who eat avocado feel fuller for longer. And that makes alligator fruit an excellent choice for dieters despite that extra fat.
Need just one more reason to add avocado to your daily routine? Research shows they could help with cholesterol control too.
You can slice them and eat them plain or on salads. Or turn that avocado into a true superfood by making some fresh guacamole with tomatoes, onions, and peppers. Just skip the corn chips and spread it onto some raw veggies instead.
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