Avocados are hands down one of the healthiest foods you can eat. Personally, I eat one almost every day.
If you’re a fan of this superfood you may already know they’re an excellent source of healthy monounsaturated fat, vitamins and antioxidants.
In fact avocados provide close to 20 essential health-boosting nutrients, including:
- potassium,
- vitamin E,
- B vitamins,
- and folic acid.
But what you might not know is that hidden inside this little green fruit are some anti-cancer benefits.
In a study published in the journal Cancer Research a type of fat found in avocados, avocatin B, was shown to combat a particularly deadly form of cancer, acute myeloid leukemia (AML).
Leukemia stem cells killed, healthy cells left unharmed
Researchers found that avocatin B targets the leukemia stem cells, which are responsible for causing most cases of AML recurrence.1
In those over 65, the disease is often deadly within five years, and there are few effective treatment options.2 The avocado fat was able to wipe out the leukemia stem cells while leaving healthy cells unharmed.
The researchers are working on developing a leukemia drug derived from avocatin B, however you can also get cancer-fighting agents just by eating avocados – especially if you peel them properly.
Try this trick to retain the most cancer-fighting carotenoids
Avocados are rich in cancer-fighting carotenoids, which are most plentiful in the dark-green portion of the flesh that’s closest to the skin. In 2010, the California Avocado Commission issued guidelines for getting the most out of your avocado by peeling it the right way.3
“California-grown avocados contain 11 carotenoids. According to USDA’s Agricultural Research Service, avocados contain a complex package of phytonutrients, including carotenoids that may provide numerous health benefits.
Carotenoids appear to protect humans against certain cancers, heart disease and age-related macular degeneration. The UCLA research showed that in California avocados, the greatest concentration of beneficial carotenoids is in the dark green fruit of the avocado closest to the peel.”
To preserve the area with the greatest concentration of antioxidants, you basically want to peel the avocado with your hands, as you would a banana:
- First, cut the avocado length-wise, around the seed
- Holding each half, twist them in the opposite directions to separate them from the seed
- Remove the seed
- Cut each half, lengthwise
- Next, using your thumb and index finger, simply peel the skin off each piece
Sources:
1 Cancer Research June 15, 2015
2 Washington Post June 18, 2015
3 California Avocado Commission Press release August 11, 2010
New York Times bestselling author Dr. Mercola graduated from the Chicago College of Osteopathic Medicine in 1982. And while osteopaths or D.O.s are licensed to prescribe medication and perform surgery just like medical doctors (M.D.s), they bring something extra to the practice of medicine.
Osteopathic physicians practice a "whole person" approach to medicine, treating the entire person — rather than just the symptoms. Focusing on preventive health care, D.O.s help patients develop attitudes and lifestyles that don't just fight illness, but help prevent it too.
Dr. Mercola is passionate about natural medicine and strongly believes that the current medical system is largely manipulated and controlled by large corporations whose primary focus is profit. His website, Mercola.com, which started as a small hobby interest in 1997, has now grown to today’s number one natural health website educating and empowering millions to take back the control over their own health.
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