Who doesn’t love the humble avocado? It’s versatile, affordable and oh so good for you.

Nourish from within:

• Improve heart health with avocados healthy fats and abundance of vitamins.

• Support weight loss and help regulate blood sugar with their slow release of energy.

• Help prevent arthritis, osteoporosis and other inflammatory issues by benefiting from their anti-inflammatory properties.

• Reduce the signs of aging with the antioxidants contained in avocados.

How to:

• Salad – Avocado makes for a welcome addition to any salad, it’s easy to incorporate and goes with just about any style. Winner!

• Smoothie – Not only does avocado add a thick, creamy texture to smoothies it also adds some serious vitamins and minerals. Yum!

• Spread – Avocado used in placed of butter and other spreads is a tasty, healthier alternative.

• Dessert – Not the first thing that springs to mind when thinking of avocado, but trust me, avocado makes a perfect base for chocolate mousse. To prove it’s true, try one of my all-time favourites from the foodfixup app, here’s the recipe:

Cacao & Ginger Mousse

Serves 2

Ingredients:

• 2 avocados
• 1 inch of ginger, peeled
• 4 tbsp cacao powder
• 4 tbsp maple syrup (I use rice malt syrup)
• 1/8 tsp sea salt

Method: Place all ingredients in a blender or food processor and blend until smooth, roughly 40 seconds. Add toppings of your choice and serve.

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Treating the outside: 

Avocado contains nearly 20 essential nutrients, including fibre, potassium, Vitamin E, B-vitamins and folic acid. They also have anti-fungal and anti-bacterial properties and a natural fatty rich texture, making it perfect for nourishing any skin type.

How to:

Facemask – Kick back, relax and treat yourself with these homemade alternatives.

Ingredients:

• ½ a ripe avocado
• 1 tablespoon of natural yogurt
• 1 teaspoon of raw honey

Method:

Combine the avocado, yogurt and honey in a clean mixing bowl and mix well. Immediately apply the mixture to a cleansed face and neck. Relax for 15 minutes and rinse thoroughly, tone and moisturise to complete.

Hair Mask:

Ingredients:

• 1 ripe avocado
• 1 tablespoon lemon juice
• 1/4 Cup olive oil

Method:

Mix the ingredients in a clean mixing bowl until they form a paste like consistency. Apply the mixture to damp hair and leave for 20 minutes. Shampoo and condition hair as usual to remove and reveal super glossy locks!