When you think of the warm and sunny Mediterranean region, foods such as olives, tomatoes, fish and nuts come to mind.
The standout nutritional feature of a Mediterranean diet is that it is rich in heart-healthy monounsaturated fats from olives and olive oil.
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Another food that also meets this nutritional criteria is avocado.
While not traditionally included in a Mediterranean diet, avocados, like olive oil, are also high in monounsaturated fats.
In addition, avocados are a source of fibre, which we also find in fruit, vegetables, whole grains and legumes such as beans, chickpeas and lentils – all firm favourites on the Mediterranean diet.
In fact, per serving, avocados contain less energy but more fibre, potassium and folate than olive oil.
This makes it possible to include avocado as part of a Mediterranean diet while making this unique dietary pattern more adaptable, flexible, and suitable to us outside of the Mediterranean regions..
The Mediterranean diet is praised for its health benefits such as lowered risk of diabetes, heart disease, breast and colorectal cancer, and even ADHD in children and teens.
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