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.
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!