You've heard great things about avocado, but what about avocado leaves? Most people don't know that avocado leaves have amazing health benefits.
Leaves of avocado help improve symptoms of arthritis, cold, flu, toothache and stomach aches.
The goodness of avocado leaves is due to their rich nutritional profile.
You'll be surprised to know the leaves of avocados have more protein than the fruit and the seed.
TweetAvocado leaf nutrition – Impressive!
Protein: A 2012 paper on the nutrition composition of avocado leaves revealed that 100 grams of the leaf, give 25.54 grams of protein.
Compare that with 1.6 grams of protein from the avocado fruit.
Fiber: If you want to increase your fiber intake avocado leaf may do the trick.
About 100 grams of the leaf contains 38.4 grams of fiber, while the fruit has 2 grams of fiber.
Keep in mind, if you can include 100 grams of avocado leaves every day in your menu, you will reach the recommended daily intake of fiber.
Phytonutrients: Avocado leaves are rich in beneficial plant chemicals, and the content is higher than the fruit or the seed.
Flavonoids and phenols are the key antioxidant phytonutrients in avocado leaves. These antioxidants show anti-cancer and anti-inflammatory effects that help lower the risk of many degenerative diseases.
Minerals: The leaves are high in sodium and potassium which helps support healthy electrolyte balance.
A good balance of electrolytes is the key to maintaining healthy blood pressure.
They're also a good source of iron providing about 14 mg per 100 grams of leaves.
Other minerals include zinc, manganese, calcium and phosphorus. Zinc is necessary for wound healing, iron for carrying oxygen-rich blood to cells. Trace minerals manganese and copper aid iron absorption in the body.
3 Major Health Benefits of Avocado Leaves
1. Helps lower high blood sugar: Preliminary studies found that avocado leaves show blood sugar lowering effects.
The study reported that the reduction in blood sugar lasted six hours after a single dose of the leaf extract. The study results are encouraging for diabetic patients.
2. Promotes weight loss: A study on rats fed with a high-fat diet showed that avocado leaves lowered blood cholesterol levels.
Avocado leaf extracts decreased body weight and blood cholesterol levels in the rats on a high-fat diet.
3. Anti-ulcer effects: The phytonutrients in avocado leaves, tannin, saponins, and flavonoids help lower ulcers symptoms.
A preliminary study using the water extracts of the avocado leaves showed it as a promising remedy to reduce stomach ulcers.
Where to buy?
Avocado leaves are available in ethnic and health food markets across the country. Another convenient way to get them is online. Amazon Fresh sells avocado leaves, and so does eBay.
How to use avocado leaves?
Before you add avocado leaves to your menu, be sure to wash them well. Best way to do this is to soak them in water for a few minutes, rinse off and repeat one more time.
- You can enjoy avocado leaves to your salad, soups, and stews.
- Add a bed of leaves for grilled meats.
- By far, avocado leaves are best used in a tea. Boil a few leaves in water, add a sweetener like honey or maple syrup. Enjoy!
Yours in health and happiness,
Danette
P.S. Please help me spread the word about these little-known leafs by sharing this article. I love reading your comments below too! Have you ever tried avocado leaves?