Avocado Juice: Uses, Benefits, Side Effects and More!

Introduction:

Ever enjoyed an avocado dip at a party? Or savoured creamy pulp of the fruit in a fresh salad? Avocado is also known as butter fruit and was first cultivated in Mexico. Famously, avocado has been used in various salads, dips and juice.¹ Avocado belongs to the family Lauraceae.² Avocado is considered to be an energy-giving and primary topical food. Avocado has been widely used in the pharmaceutical and cosmetic industry due to the different levels of oils present in the pulp.³   

Current lifestyle and eating habits cause health problems. Thus, we need to look out for a practical and effective solution to attain better health. Health concerns and knowledge has shifted inclination towards fruit juices over conventional beverages like tea, coffee, aerated drinks, etc. It is the era of increased self-awareness and making better choices for our own good. A quick and power-packed drink is the need of the hour. Remember, avocado fruit may be a best-selling option to make a nutritious and nourishing fruit juice.³  

Nutritional Value of Avocado Juice:

Avocado juice contains the nutrition of the whole avocado fruit, which is as follows: 

• Energy: 192 kcal
• Total Lipid (fat): 15.38 g
• Fibre: 7.7 g
• Potassium: 423 mg
• Sodium: 692 mg

Avocado juice is considered a superfood. It is packed with various nutrients such as fibre, and potassium. These nutrients are responsible for maintaining digestive health. Therefore, avocado juice might be beneficial for maintaining digestion. Additionally, avocado juice keeps bloating from occuring as it has low-fructose content.

Dr. Siddharth Gupta, B.A.M.S, M.D (Ayu)

Properties Of Avocado Juice:

Studies have shown that avocado juice may have the following properties: 

• Maybe antidiabetic  
• May have antioxidant properties  
• May have heart-protective properties  
• Maybe a potential prebiotic  
• May have cholesterol-lowering properties⁵  

Also Read: Apple Juice: Uses, Benefits, Side Effects and More!

Potential Uses of Avocado Juice for Overall Health:

When avocado juice is included in the daily routine, it may help in chronic diseases. Some of the potential uses of avocado are given below. In addition, it may be stated that avocado juice may also show similar effects as the fruit itself. 

1. Potential Use of Avocado Juice for Cardiovascular Diseases  

Studies were conducted to check if long-term intake of avocado reduced the risk of heart-related diseases. The study was conducted on almost 69000 women and 42000 men for about 30 years. The results showed that people who had consumed avocado juice showed a reduced risk of cardiovascular diseases compared to those who did not consume it. Drinking avocado juice in place of food high in fat may benefit cardiovascular health. Avocado is rich in potassium, which may help regulate blood pressure and create a steady heartbeat. Heart diseases can be dangerous; therefore you should get professional help. Special precautions shall be taken if you have a history of heart disease.⁵ 

2. Potential Use of Avocado Juice in Lowering Cholesterol  

According to American Heart Association, avocado may help in reducing bad cholesterol. Oleic acid is a good fat present in avocado, which may help lower cholesterol. Phytosterol in avocado may help reduce cholesterol absorption, thereby reducing bad cholesterol levels in the body. However, it is essential to get your cholesterol levels checked and consult your doctor in case of high cholesterol level.⁵ 

3. Potential Use of Avocado Juice in Diabetes  

Avocados may help treat type 2 diabetes. Firstly, avocado juice has a low glycemic index; thereby, it may not cause an increase in sugar levels in the blood. Secondly, studies have found that consuming unsaturated fats (good fats) instead of saturated fats (bad fats) may reduce the risk of type 2 diabetes by increasing insulin sensitivity. You must get your diabetes checked and consult your doctor for proper medication in case of high blood sugar level.⁵ 

4. Potential Use of Avocado Juice in Eye Health  

Avocado contains a phytoconstituent carotenoid. Leutin and zeaxanthin are fat-soluble carotenoids found in the human eye and may protect them from harmful ultraviolet rays. Therefore, a diet rich in carotenoids may reduce the risk of cataracts and muscular degeneration. However, if you face any abnormality in vision or your eye health, you must consult your doctor instead of opting for self-medication. ⁵ 

5. Potential Use of Avocado Juice as a Prebiotic  

The fibrous content in the avocado juice may act as a prebiotic, which is helpful for gut-friendly bacteria. The bacteria present in the intestine digest the fibres of avocado juice. They further break down the fibres into short-chain fatty acids, which may help in several chronic diseases.⁵ 

6. Potential Use of Avocado Juice in Weight Management  

Body mass index and lower weight may be related to healthy food consumption. Several studies show that avocado might help in weight management. Avocados may have medium energy density and dietary fibres. You must consult a nutritionist for further assistance in diet changes and weight management.⁶ 

7. Potential Use of Avocado Juice in DNA Damage Protection  

Some clinical studies of avocados have suggested that a plant constituent, xanthophylls found in avocados may have antioxidant and DNA protective properties. It may also have anti-ageing properties. Studies showed that DNA damage accelerated the ageing process.⁶ 

8. Potential Use of Avocado Juice in Osteoarthritis  

Osteoarthritis affects most people when they age or gain weight. It involves a continuous deterioration of joint cartilage. This deterioration of joints may be due to oxidative and inflammatory stress. The avocado’s antioxidative and pain-relieving properties may help treat hip and knee osteoarthritis. You should consult your doctor if you are experiencing severe pain or any other symptoms.⁶ 

9. Potential Use of Avocado Juice in Skin Health  

Skin is the first to show signs of visible ageing. The carotenoid present in avocado may help to combat the damage caused to the skin by inflammatory and oxidative stress of the ultraviolet rays. Roberts et al. studied that phytoconstituents leutin and zeaxanthin present in avocado may help the skin against damage from UV and visible radiation. Studies have also shown that avocado may help to reduce wrinkles and enhance wound healing activity. If you see or feel any abnormality in your skin, you must consult your doctor instead of self-medicating.⁶  

Though studies show the benefits of avocado in various conditions, these are insufficient, and there is a need for further studies to establish the true extent of the benefits of avocado on human health.  

Also Read: Grape Juice: Uses, Benefits, Side Effects and More!

How To Use Avocado Juice?

Avocado juice can be prepared as described. 
Avocado fruit is cleaned thoroughly with water. The fruit is then peeled. The pulp from the avocado fruit is blended. Other additives like honey and water can be added to the beverage as necessary.¹ 

You must consult a qualified doctor before taking any herbal supplements. Do not discontinue or replace an ongoing treatment of modern medicine with an ayurvedic/herbal preparation without consulting a qualified doctor. 

Some studies show that avocado fruit extracts contain anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, and anti-cancer properties. Thus, drinking avocado juice might be useful for fighting many diseases like cancer, diabetes, etc.

Dr. Rajeev Singh, BAMS

Side Effects of Avocado Juice:

The side effects of avocado juice may be as follows: 

• Hypersensitivity⁷ 
• Skin reactions- itchy skin 
• A severe allergic reaction- anaphylaxis shock⁸ 

However, if you experience any adverse reactions to avocado juice, immediately contact a doctor or your Ayurvedic physician. They will be able to guide you appropriately for your symptoms.  

Precautions To Take with Avocado Juice:

The following precautions should be considered while consuming avocados: 

• You should not drink avocado juice in excess since avocado contains carbohydrates that may not be absorbed or digested.⁹   
• Avocados should be washed thoroughly before consumption since they might have bacteria and dirt on their skin.¹⁰  

Interactions With Other Drugs:

Avocado juice is high in potassium which may interact with drugs like captopril, lisinopril, ramipril and diosgenin, which are used in hypertension.¹¹ Consult your doctor if you are taking any other medication before consuming avocado juice.  

Also Read: Papaya Juice: Uses, Benefits, Side Effects and More!

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs):

References:

1. Jobil AJ, Parameshwari S, Husain FM, Alomar SY, Ahmad N, Albalawi F, et al. Scientifically Formulated Avocado Fruit Juice: Phytochemical Analysis, Assessment of Its Antioxidant Potential and Consumer Perception. Molecules [Internet]. 2021 Dec 1 [cited 2022 Jul 20];26(24). Available from: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/34946505/ 

2. Robinson D. The Avocado. [Internet]. 2021 Dec 1 [cited 2022 Jul 20].  Available from: https://opensiuc.lib.siu.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1301&context=ebl 

3. Duarte PF, Chaves MA, Borges CD, Mendonça CRB. Avocado: characteristics, health benefits and uses. Ciência Rural [Internet]. 2016 Apr 1 [cited 2022 Jul 21];46(4):747–54. Available from: http://www.scielo.br/j/cr/a/VqMdKHmY4y5zHgtJKjc98nS/?lang=en 

4. Food Data Central [Internet]. [cited 2022 Jul 21]. Available from: https://fdc.nal.usda.gov/fdc-app.html#/food-details/493869/nutrients 

5. Avocados | The Nutrition Source | Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health [Internet]. [cited 2022 Jul 21]. Available from: https://www.hsph.harvard.edu/nutritionsource/avocados/ 

6. Dreher ML, Davenport AJ. Hass Avocado Composition and Potential Health Effects. Critical Reviews in Food Science and Nutrition [Internet]. 2013 Jan [cited 2022 Jul 21];53(7):738. Available from: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/23638933/ 

7. Blanco C, Carrillo T, Castillo R, Quiralte J, Cuevas M. Avocado hypersensitivity. Allergy [Internet]. 1994 [cited 2022 Jul 21];49(6):454–9. Available from: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/8074265/ 

8. Telez-Diaz G, Ellis MH, Morales-Russo F, Heiner DC. Prevalence of avocado allergy among atopic patients. Allergy Proc [Internet]. 1995 [cited 2022 Jul 21];16(5):241–3. Available from: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/8566736/ 

9. Can You Eat Too Much Avocado? – Cleveland Clinic [Internet]. [cited 2022 Jul 21]. Available from: https://health.clevelandclinic.org/can-you-eat-too-much-avocado/ 

10. 10 Dangerous Food Safety Mistakes | CDC [Internet]. [cited 2022 Jul 21]. Available from: https://www.cdc.gov/foodsafety/ten-dangerous-mistakes.html 

11. Drug Office – Drug Interactions with Foods and Beverages [Internet]. [cited 2022 Jul 21]. Available from: https://www.drugoffice.gov.hk/eps/do/en/consumer/news_informations/knowledge_on_medicines/food_drug_interaction.html  

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