Carb-rich foods like bread and pancakes are commonly eaten in the morning for a boost in energy. But do you know that eating fat-rich avocados for breakfast can be beneficial to your health as well? According to a study, replacing carbs in your breakfast with avocados can lower your blood sugar and cholesterol and cause your blood vessels to relax.

Why eat avocados for breakfast

Fats in food often get a bad rap because they are frequently associated with heart disease. But there are different types of fats and not all of them negatively affect your health. Monounsaturated fats, for example, help lower your cholesterol and aid in the absorption of nutrients. They are also potent antioxidants that help fight inflammation and ward off cancer.

Avocados are chock-full of healthy monounsaturated fats and other important nutrients, such as folate, potassium and fiber. Past studies show that eating avocados promotes weight loss and reduces your blood sugar.

For their study, researchers from the Illinois Institute of Technology recruited 31 overweight or obese adults to determine what happens if you replace the carb components in your breakfast with avocados. They gave each of the participants an energy-matched breakfast with either a whole Hass avocado, a half fruit or none at all on three separate days.

Those who ate a half or whole avocado for breakfast had lower post-meal blood sugar and insulin levels compared to those who did not eat avocados. The tension in the walls of their blood vessels also decreased. In addition, those who ate a whole avocado had less bad cholesterol and more good cholesterol in their blood compared to those who did not consume the fruit.

These findings led the researchers to conclude that replacing carbs with fresh Hass avocados for breakfast improves your blood sugar profile and the health of your blood vessels, especially if you’re overweight or obese.

Avocado recipes for breakfast

Avocados toast is a breakfast favorite, but you can be creative and whip up something different for your morning meal. Try the following avocado recipes:

Savory breakfast salad

This savory breakfast salad is a must-try if you wish to lower your carb intake. It includes avocados and a number of other superfoods, including blueberries and hemp seeds.

Ingredients for 2 servings:

• 4 cups mixed greens and/or endive
• 1 medium ripe avocado, diced
• 1 cup blueberries
• 4 tablespoons hummus
• 2 tablespoons hemp seeds
• Fresh parsley, chopped
• 3 tablespoons lemon juice
• 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
• 1 pinch each salt and pepper

Instructions:

1. Thoroughly mix the lemon juice, olive oil, salt and pepper in a mixing bowl to make a dressing. Taste the dressing and adjust flavor as needed, adding more lemon for acidity, oil for a creamy texture or salt and pepper for overall flavor. Set aside.
2. Divide the greens between serving plates and top with blueberries, avocado, hummus, hemp seeds and parsley. Serve with the dressing on the side.
3. Leftovers can last for 2 to 3 days but this salad is best eaten fresh. Store your dressing at room temperature for up to 2 days.

Veggie avocado frittatas

These veggie avocado frittatas are gluten-free and loaded with veggies on top of creamy avocados. Make them on weekends or when you have time to spare in the morning since they take 40 minutes to make.

Ingredients for 12 servings:

• 1 ripe avocado, diced
• 1 cup fresh quinoa
• 6 large eggs
• 1 cup spinach, chopped
• 2 tablespoons cilantro, chopped
• 1 small red bell pepper, diced
• 1/4 cup red onion, diced
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• Freshly cracked black pepper
• 1 jalapeno, seeded and diced (optional)
• 1/2 cup shredded cheese of your choice (optional)

Instructions:

1. Place the quinoa and 2 cups of water in a small pot over high heat. Bring to a boil, cover, reduce heat to low and cook the quinoa for 15 minutes or until all the water evaporates. Fluff with a fork and transfer to a separate bowl to cool for 10 to 15 minutes.
2. Preheat your oven to 350 F. Line a 12-cup muffin pan with muffin liners and generously spray the inside of each liner with nonstick cooking spray.
3. Beat all of the eggs in a large bowl. Add the avocado, spinach, cilantro, red bell pepper, onion, salt and pepper, as well as the jalapeno and cheese if you’re adding. Fold in the cooled quinoa.
4. Divide the mixture evenly in the prepared muffin pan. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes or until the egg is set and its edges are barely golden brown.
5. Let the frittatas cool in the pan for 5 to 10 minutes and then transfer to a wire rack to finish cooling. Serve.

Replacing carbs with fresh avocados for breakfast helps lower your blood sugar and prevent your blood vessels from getting narrow. Try the avocado recipes listed here to include avocados in your breakfast.

Sources:

GreenMedInfo.com

MDPI.com

MinimalistBaker.com

AmbitiousKitchen.com