It’s National MS Month and we’re celebrating by whipping up a snack that’s super good for you – especially if you have MS. Avocados are a terrific source of healthy unsaturated fat and are chock full of antioxidants. In fact, a 2013 study from Food and Function found that avocados are so good for you that they may counteract other foods that are, well, not so good for you.
Subjects were fed either a plain hamburger patty, or one with avocado. Those who ate the plain burger showed a spike of IL-6 (a protein that is a measure of inflammation) four hours after it was eaten, however those who ate the burger with avocado saw little change in IL-6 over the same 4 hours. Plus, triglyceride levels (which, when elevated, can contribute to diabetes, heart disease and kidney disease) also did not rise after eating the burger with avocado (more than after eating the burger alone), despite the added fat and calories of the avocado.
There are tons of great ways to take advantage of this super food – toss some slices atop a sandwich, throw them in a salad, or, our personal favorite, whip up a delicious side of guacamole.
The Best Guacamole Recipe
Ingredients
2 medium avocados
1 garlic clove, minced
pinch of salt
1/4 tsp cumin
1 tbsp lime juice
1/2 red pepper, chopped
1 small tomato, chopped
1 tbsp red onion, chopped
1 jalapeno pepper, chopped, seeds removed (optional – omit if you don’t want this to be too spicy.)
2 tablespoon cilantro, chopped
Directions
In a large bowl, mix the chopped avocado, lime juice cumin, garlic, and salt. Then fold in the tomato, red pepper jalapeño, red onion, and cilantro. Serve with chips, on top of a burger, or as a dip for veggies.
Recipe adapted from this spicy guacamole recipe from frontrangefed.com.
