Is Avocado Good for the Brain?

Today we’ll be looking at the potential brain benefits of avocado. Avocados have risen to “superfood” status over the past decade or so, but are they actually that good for your brain? Let’s find out.

TL;DR Article Summary

Avocados can certainly be a valuable addition to a brain-healthy diet. They contain high amounts of healthy fats, antioxidants, and B vitamins, all of which are important for brain health. Making avocados a regular part of your diet will support your cognitive function, mood, and overall brain performance. Of course, avocados are not a miracle brain food and you still need to be mindful of portion sizes as they’re quite high in calories.

Table of Contents

What Makes Avocado Special?

Avocado is one of those foods that is both delicious and healthy at the same time. Packed with healthy monounsaturated fats, fiber, and quite a few vitamins and minerals, there’s more to avocado than its social media appeal. [1]

But what exactly is in avocados that can benefit your brain?

Healthy Fats in Avocados

Guessing you’re a health conscious person, you might already know that avocados are high in healthy fats. Did you know, however, that these fats are essential for your brain health too? Your brain is around 60% fat, and the monounsaturated fats found in avocados nourish it for sharp function. [2]

Avocados and Antioxidants

Avocados are a fantastic source of antioxidants such as lutein, vitamin E, beta-sisterol, and glutathione. These don’t just protect your brain for damage but also contribute to eye health.

Oxidative stress is a major contributor to brain aging; by eating antioxidant-rich foods like avocados, you’re helping to fight the negative cognitive effects of oxidative stress.

Good Source of B Vitamins

B vitamins are crucial for maintaining just about every aspect of health, brain health included. B vitamins play a role in nutrient metabolism, brain chemical production (e.g. GABA), and neurodegenerative disease protection among others. Avocados have a decent amount of folate and vitamin B6 specifically, both of which are known for their neurological benefits.

Avocado and Brain Health: Concrete Benefits to Expect

Okay, we’ve learned about the brain-nourishing nutrients in avocados. But how does that translate to your day-to-day life? How do the benefits of eating avocados regularly feel?

The truth is that you probably won’t notice a drastic change from adding avocados alone to your diet, but they can definitely complement your already established brain-friendly lifestyle and may contribute to brain health in the long run, even if you don’t necessarily feel the effects.

Improving Memory and Concentration

Thanks to their healthy fats and antioxidants, avocados are great for supporting your memory and cognitive focus. The monounsaturated fats in avocados help maintain the optimal health of your neuronal membranes, protecting long-term brain health. [3]

Mood Enhancer

You may already be aware that what you eat influences your mood. This is because certain nutrients can have a direct impact on your neurotransmitters which regulate your mood. In addition, nutrients such as B vitamins and antioxidants in avocados help to fight inflammation which can drain your brain of its “happy” chemicals, leading to symptoms of sadness and nervousness among others.

Avocados Could Help Protect Against Cognitive Decline

Cognitive decline is something we face as we get older. But for many people, cognitive decline happens prematurely due to unhealthy lifestyle, chronic stress, and other factors. The good news is that you can potentially offset that premature decline by incorporating more avocados and other brain-boosting foods. The vitamin E in avocados specifically is amazing for protecting brain health and other organs from oxidative stress. [3]

Any downsides to avocados?

Avocados are healthy and harmless for most people. However, you need to take into consideration their calorie content. If you’re lean and have a fast metabolism, then you may probably eat to your heart’s content. But for others, it’s best to keep track of your calories, especially if you’re trying to lose weight.

In terms of side effects, there are some reports of avocado allergies, but they are not common. If you’re allergic to latex, you may also have a sensitivity to avocados—they contain proteins similar to those found in natural rubber latex.

Little Known Fact About Avocados and Environment

Avocados need substantial amount of water to grow. Therefore, buying them in high quantities may play its part in contributing to water scarcity in some parts of the world. It’s good to be aware of the environmental impact of your food choices, it’s a step forward to more sustainable eating habits. [4]

Conclusion

The avocado’s rich nutrient content makes it a decent food for promoting brain health. It has beneficial fats, antioxidants, and B vitamins as the key components that bolster mood, cognitive function, and brain health across the board. They aren’t a magic bullet, though. Keeping in mind their environmental impact, it’s good to make them a part of your brain-friendly diet, but also consider other foods and herbs that are even more studied as far as brain performance goes. Plus, some of these foods may also happen to be growing locally where you live.

Further Reading:

References

Ford NA, Liu AG. The Forgotten Fruit: A Case for Consuming Avocado Within the Traditional Mediterranean Diet. Front Nutr. 2020 May 29;7:78. doi: 10.3389/fnut.2020.00078. PMID: 32548125; PMCID: PMC7272688.
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7272688/#:~:text=A%20serving%20of%20avocado%20(50,g%20or%2080%20kcals%2Fserving.
Alvizouri-Muñoz M, Carranza-Madrigal J, Herrera-Abarca JE, Chávez-Carbajal F, Amezcua-Gastelum JL. Effects of avocado as a source of monounsaturated fatty acids on plasma lipid levels. Arch Med Res. 1992 Winter;23(4):163-7. PMID: 1308699.
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/1308699/
Adams M, Rajaram S, Lee G, Rice DR, Kaur A, Millham B, Sidrak H, Oda K, Patel D, Sabaté J. Acute Effects of Avocado Consumption on Cognition: Preliminary Results. Curr Dev Nutr. 2020 May 29;4(Suppl 2):1185. doi: 10.1093/cdn/nzaa057_001. PMCID: PMC7258339.
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7258339/#:~:text=Given%20their%20dense%20content%20of,performance%20and%20prevent%20cognitive%20decline.
https://www.theecoexperts.co.uk/blog/avocados-bad-for-environment#:~:text=Avocados%20themselves%20are%20not%20bad,more%20space%20to%20grow%20avocados.

Is Avocado Good for the Brain?