Are Avocado Seeds Poisonous?
Ripe avocados are a popular choice for their taste and nutrient value when it comes to modern diets and healthy eating. However, some claim that avocado pits are just as good.
Are avocado seeds poisonous? Yes! At least, in excessive amounts they are, but they are hardly dangerous enough for them to become a public health concern.
Avocado pits contain both an abundance of nutrients, and an abundance of toxins inside them. Even ignoring those, they aren’t exactly appetising to look at.
Decent levels of nutrients can be found in all kinds of superfoods and meals, so chowing down on a hard pit doesn’t have to be your first port of call.
The beneficial effects of avocado consumption still remain, however, even if you shouldn’t necessarily be scooping the pit out of your next luscious avocado.
If you’re looking for an easy hack for healthy body weight, then avocado pits are unlikely to be your solution. Yet, they can be enjoyed in moderation.
Body weight maintenance can be difficult, and healthier body weights are even harder to keep up. Fiber diets or a diet without avocado can both be good depending on the person. Find out here an in-depth explanation about Gluten-Free Diet Help With Inflammation
Are Avocado Seeds Good for You?
Avocados are nutrient-dense foods that keep us healthy and strong every day. That’s thanks to their many health benefits for the body and the mind.
Plus, there are several ways to prepare avocados, making them a versatile and delicious food choice. Avocado with olive oil or cubed avocado are personal favorites. You can find out here Is Olive Oil Gluten Free?
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That being said, we are often told that the pit of an avocado is inedible. Something that should be avoided unless you want to visit the dentist. You can find out more here What Seeds Are Edible.
Online you are likely to find plenty of articles discussing the health benefits of avocado seeds. Shared around without a care or a second of further research.
Any producer of avocados will be able to tell you, the seed is filled with toxins. Although it does have some nutritional value, it is minor compared to the overripe avocado fruit itself.
Nutrient demands can change, and the demand levels for nutrients are unique to each person. That’s what makes those extra few nutrients appealing to someone on a diet.
While other diets can be cheated, avocados can’t be. You can eat all the fiber content in the world, but you can’t eat as many avocado seeds as you like.
In this way, they are similar to potassium intake. Intake for potassium can be dangerous in excess, leading to blood-related issues and a unique type of cholesterol.
Find out here What Can You Do With Avocado Seeds.
Toxins in Avocado Seeds
While the fruit of avocado can be beneficial, the seeds that go on to form an avocado tree have a little bit more of a mixed reception.
So before you go to some avocado farms looking for the next superfood snack, be warned. Avocado seeds contain some very unpleasant toxins inside of them.
The main one of these is persin. Persin is found in even ripe avocados, although usually in such minor quantities that it ends up harmless to humans.
That means you don’t need to worry about persin affecting your regular avocado intake. You can still toss avocado into salads, enjoy avocado with eggs, or even blend avocado into a smoothie.
While the fruit can be harmless, the seeds contain more persin. A higher volume of persin naturally pushes the seeds to be far more dangerous.
While you can eat pounds of avocados without any issues, pounds of the pits will leave you feeling sick, in intestinal distress, and could even prove to be potentially fatal!
If you want to avoid negative health outcomes like this, then you simply need to avoid eating the seeds themselves. Something that is very easy to do.
Are you Wondering What Does Whole Food Plant Based Mean.? Find out here.
Are Avocado Pits Dangerous for Pets?
Avocados are delicious and nutritious foods that keep us healthy and strong every day. As such, some consumers like to share the fruit with their animal companions.
However, if you didn’t think avocado pits were bad enough for humans, they are even worse for animals. Especially those smaller in size.
Logically, this makes sense. A smaller animal will have less of a limit for persin and other toxins found inside the seeds themselves.
What is harmless to a human, can be fatal to a rat or rodent. It can also be dangerous for cats, dogs, and even cattle have been known to get sick from consuming the seeds.
Stick to frozen avocado chunks for your pets, allowing them to enjoy the fruit without disrupting their digestive health.
While you enjoy avocado with salmon salad, they can enjoy the soft insides of an otherwise tough and durable fruit.
Grain bowls can be shared with your pet, but not all animals take to the fruit the same way a human does. Dogs are usually the most interested in trying out this new food.
Health Benefits of Avocado
Thanks to the bioactive compounds found inside the fruit, avocados are something of a superfood. It is no wonder that they are such a popular food item.
Avocados come with optimal health benefits, helping you get nutritional value while also being kind to your heart and digestive system. Do Seeds Cause Heartburn? Learn more here.
The effects of avocados on heart health have been well-monitored, as they are known to increase the production of heart-protective HDL cholesterol.
While cholesterol sounds (quite rightly) dangerous, it is actually LDL cholesterol that leads to blockages, clots, and heart problems.
LDL cholesterol is a result of saturated fats found in cheap cooking oils, and all manner of junk food that you might end up consuming.
The other type of cholesterol is heart-protective HDL cholesterol. A great way to keep your heart fit and healthy, is just by diet choices. You can also learn more Do Plant-Based Foods Contain Cholesterol.
Good to know: What Plant Based Foods Are High In Calcium.
Of course, there are other dietary factors to consider other than just avocados. Fiber intake and dietary fiber can be a solid predictor of body weight. Read more in this article Which Seeds Are Good For Weight Loss.
Other super fruits like fresh lime juices, apples, and blueberries are also rich in nutrients. Although lime juices should never be substituted for lime syrups, with fatty sugar contents.
Read Next: Are Rambutan Seeds Edible?
Hey'all I'm Amy, a born foodie and diagnosed with celiac disease 7 years ago. I refused to cave into tasteless, boring gulten free food and create my own!
On my blog you'll find info & cool facts along with recipes, all on gluten free foods!