By With it’s creamy texture and vibrant green flesh, avocado is a unique — and uniquely healthy — food that’s used in a variety of culinary contexts.
But is avocado good enough for you to eat every day? It certainly can be, says Natalie Rizzo, registered dietitian and TODAY nutrition editor.
Not only does avocado provide a big dose of heart-healthy fats, it’s also full of other nutrients that support your overall wellbeing and keep you feeling full. That said, if you do eat avocado frequently, there are some things to keep in mind, Rizzo says, because it’s easy to go overboard without realizing.
Is It Healthy to Eat Avocado Every Day?
An avocado is a nutrient-dense whole plant food, and technically a fruit. Avocados are well known for being rich in heart-healthy monounsaturated fats, Rizzo says, but that’s far from where their benefits end.
You’ll also find gut- and heart-healthy fiber in avocado, Rizzo explains, as well as potassium, folate, vitamin K, vitamin E and other vitamins, minerals and plant compounds. Plus, the combination of fiber and unsaturated fat “makes avocado very satiating,” she adds.
So, are avocados healthy enough to eat every day?
“Yes,” Rizzo says. “There’s no reason a healthy person can’t eat avocado every day if they enjoy it and it fits into their overall diet.”
However, because avocados are so rich in fat, they are also surprisingly high in calories — higher than most fruits and vegetables, Rizzo notes. A standard serving is just one third of an avocado, which contains 80 calories, 3 grams of fiber, 7 grams of fat and 1 gram of protein.
So, while avocado is a healthy, nutritious food that you can eat daily if you want, Rizzo says, “you don’t need to eat avocado every day to be healthy, and you can also get unsaturated fat from nuts, seeds and olive oil.”
If You Want to Eat Avocado Daily...
As healthy as avocados are, there are some points to keep in mind if you want to eat them every single day.
Keep Portion Size in Mind
Of course, there’s nothing wrong with eating a whole avocado once in a while. But if you want to eat avocado every single day, keep in mind that the normal serving size is just a third of a medium-sized avocado.
Make It a More Complete Meal
If you’re only eating a standard serving of avocado every day, it’s worth rounding out your meal with other complementary nutrients.
“I like making (avocado toast) a more complete meal by using whole-grain bread and adding a protein source, like an egg, beans or hemp seeds,” Rizzo says. “Avocado is also great in grain bowls, bean salads, tacos and sandwiches, or mashed into a quick guacamole.”
Get Other Sources of Healthy Fat
If you like avocado enough to eat it every day, that’s great! But it pays to get a variety of healthy fat sources in your diet, Rizzo says. Consider mixing up your diet a little with nuts, seeds, nut butters, fatty fish and healthy cooking oils as well.
