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When it comes to living a healthy lifestyle, the general rules are usually to eat your fruits and veggies, get plenty of sleep, and exercise. And while this is all true, sometimes, when you eat a certain food can be just as important as what you eat.
Avocados are a well known superfood, packed with healthy fats and fiber and a great addition to your diet. But if you’re seeking weight loss, health experts recommend keeping avocados to the earlier half of your day to maximize your energy levels and ensure those calories are used to fuel your activity instead of being stored as fat.
Registered dietitian Trista Best comments, “Avocados are a high calorie fruit that are commonly paired with dinner recipes. Unfortunately, their calorie and fat content can lead to weight gain, specifically belly fat, for those that indulge in the later part of the day. While they have a fair amount of nutrients to provide, they are ideally relegated to daytime meals to give yourself time to work and move throughout the afternoon to prevent them being stored as fat.”
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While high fat foods do have a place in your diet and can provide valuable nutrients which fuel your body, they are better consumed at a time of day when they can be used for fuel. In the evening, your body naturally expends less energy than the rest of your busy day which can cause the extra calories from avocado to be stored as fat.
Andrea Paul, MD, notes, “I’d recommend not having [avocados] after 2 PM, especially because you have just had lunch, and such fruit will only add on to the calorie count, making it difficult to lose weight. 100 grams of avocado is said to contain 160 calories. It is a good source of healthy fats but can increase the number on the weigh-scale if consumed beyond a certain amount. Hence, I won’t ask you to eliminate it from your diet, but only be careful when and how much you consume it.”
As you work to lose weight and create habits that lead to an overall healthier lifestyle, consider keeping avocado for breakfast or an early lunch. Try mashing it on toast with eggs or tossing into a loaded salad to maximize the benefits of the superfood. You can still enjoy the foods you love without worry about weight gain as long as they’re eaten in moderation at a time where you need the energy most.
