Do you know what the nutritional value of avocados is?
Fat is fat, right? It's really not what you think. There are two types of fat: unsaturated (both poly and mono) and saturated fat, which comes mostly from animal products. Avocados are high in unsaturated fats, specifically monounsaturated fats. This type is considered the "healthiest", so it is very different from the type of fat that we can find in a donut or a hamburger, for example.
An avocado has approximately 322 calories, 29 grams of fat (25 grams of unsaturated fat), 975 mg of potassium, 13 g of fiber, 4 g of protein, and 33% of your daily intake of vitamin C. Unsaturated fat can help us control blood sugar levels, reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease, keeps us satiated and is anti-inflammatory.
Instead, saturated fat has been linked to an increased risk of high cholesterol and heart disease, and we should eat it in moderation. That is, in a balanced and varied diet we can also consume it. There is also some fear of consuming fatty dairy products; they are actually a great source of protein, calcium, and phosphorus. Also, the fat content helps the body absorb essential nutrients. Even so, the proportion of unsaturated fats should always be higher than saturated.
So, can I eat as many avocados as I want?
As we said before: in a balanced and varied diet, everything is possible in moderation. This does not mean that you do not have to run away from avocados and their fat, but it does not mean that you should eat seven avocados a day. Keep in mind that the recommendation says that we consume about 30% of daily calories from fat.
Unfortunately, there's no general recommendation on how many avocados are too many, but depending on your goals and activity level, eating half an avocado a day is a safe bet. It's also important to consider what you're pairing it with to avoid creating unhealthy fat combos.