California Avocados & Your Diet

Did you know...California avocados are included in dietary programs from some of the world’s

leading nutrition organizations.

When talking to, instructing or counseling your customers about healthy eating habits

for themselves and their families, or about making dietary changes due to health

issues, including diabetes, heart disease or hypertension, there’s good news.

California avocados are included among the options for people following the dietary

guidelines put forth by these organizations:

• USDA’s Dietary Guidelines for Americans, 2010

• USDA’s MyPlate program

• Produce for Better Health Foundation’s Fruits & Veggies— More Matters® program

• American Diabetes Association’s Diabetes Food Pyramid

• UCLA Center for Human Nutrition’s California Cuisine Food Pyramid

• Oldways Preservation & Exchange Trust’s Mediterranean, Vegetarian and Latin American Diet Pyramids and Med Mark program

• The DASH (Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension) Diet Eating Plan

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Potassium Power Up Smoothie

California Avocado Pineapple and Citrus Sherbet

California Avocado Oatmeal Cookies with Raisins

Portabella California Avocadoand Pepper Jack Sandwich

Tips from Our Registered Dietitians & Health Experts Try these tips from our Registered Dietitians on how to include

fresh California avocados in your daily meals to help meet

the MyPlate recommendations of making half of your plate

fruits and vegetables:

TIP 1:

Add them to your breakfastAdd fresh avocado to your breakfast for a dose of good fats, nearly 20 essential nutrients and delicious fl avor! Blend into a smoothie, scramble into eggs or spread on top of a whole grain bagel to provide a serving of fruit to your breakfast.

TIP 2:

Add them to your sandwich Thinly slice or mash 1/5 of an avocado and add to your favorite sandwich or whole grain wrap to add a serving of fruit and a creamy richness to your lunch. Try using the avocado as an add-in or as a spread to replace mayonnaise. A one-ounce serving of avocado has half the calories and fat of two tablespoons of mayonnaise with none of the sodium or cholesterol.

TIP 3:

Nutrient-dense California Avocados make great dessertsTry using avocados as a dessert ingredient in baked goods, ice cream and smoothies for a nutrient-dense ending to your meal.

TIP 4:

Less butter or shorteningReplace half the fat in your favorite baked dessert with equal amounts of fresh avocado and you will increase your fruit intake. By substituting avocado, the nutritional value of the baked good is increased with the fruit’s contribution of nearly 20 vitamins, minerals and phytonutrients, along with “good fats” (poly and monounsaturated fats). Additionally, the overall calories in a recipe can be reduced by substituting avocado for an ingredient like butter. Two tablespoons of avocado has 50 calories, two tablespoons of butter totals 204 calories. The amount of fruit you need each day varies based on age, gender and level of physical activity.

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Avocados are included in the Mediterranean Foods Alliance Med Mark program,

an initiative to encourage healthy, Mediterranean-inspired eating principles.

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