HOW MUCH avocado should you actually be eating? Put down the lemon chilli toast and step away from the green juice.
We need to talk about all those avocados you’ve (erm, we’ve) been eating.
Thanks to its versatility, rich nutrient content and weight loss properties, the humble “alligator pear” has earnt itself a place on everyone’s high rotation.
But, when it comes to a good thing, how much is too much?
According to nutritionist Fiona Tuck, 30g of avocado (about a quarter) is the standard serving size.
“Eating more than that would significantly increase calorie intake due to the high fat content in avocados.
“For example, drinking a whole avocado in a smoothie every day is too much, if consumed on a regular basis.
“Also, avocados are high in a natural food chemical called histamine so overdosing on avocados regularly – especially if you’re sensitive – may start to produce allergic symptoms like headaches, rashes, digestive complaints, anxiety and a stuffy nose”, says Tuck.
If you’ve overdone it on the guac (and tequila… but hey, that’s another story) you need to reduce the intake of other high fat and high histamine foods in your diet. These include citrus fruits, bacon, red wine, fermented foods, nuts, legumes and chocolate. (Sorry.)
“The key to maintaining a healthy diet is moderation and variety. We need to eat a variety of different foods every day to ensure we are eating the right balance of nutrients. Eating too much of the same thing, day after day, can put one at risk of nutritional deficiencies”, says Tuck.
And, as always, “eating too much of anything – no matter how healthy it is – can contribute to excess weight gain.”
Oh dear. Someone pass us the chia seeds.