Avocado is rich in nutrients, fiber, antioxidants, minerals such as potassium, vitamins E and B6, folate, and "good" or monounsaturated fats. That is, it is a fruit with many benefits for the body, which is also easy to add to the diet. However, it is not always advisable to consume it, warns the Organization of Consumers and Users (OCU). And not just for environmental reasons.
The agency has explained in a report in which cases we should avoid this fruit. "Most foods are not good or bad by themselves, it depends on how many times you eat them and how much," he says. But in the case of avocado, there are people who should be more cautious when adding it to the weekly menu.
For starters, those on low-calorie diets (a regimen that involves eating fewer calories than usual to achieve weight loss) should limit their intake. The OCU points out that the avocado has a lot of calories - about 150 kcal per 100 grams of product - and that, therefore, it would not be the most appropriate snack in these cases.
Nor does it recommend its intake in people with kidney failure. This is so because this fruit has a high potassium content, which can accumulate in the blood if the kidneys do not work properly and cause symptoms such as fatigue, nausea or muscle cramps.
Those who are allergic to latex should also be careful with avocado, as it could cause an allergic reaction. This can occur with other foods such as chestnuts, kiwis, bananas, and some tropical fruits.
The OCU has also taken the opportunity to disprove some of the most deeply rooted myths about this fruit, for example, its supposed slimming effect. "It is one of the most caloric fruits and with the highest fat content, so overweight people should limit their consumption," he points out. Other information that ensures that it is false is that it has aphrodisiac effects.
Nor is there sufficient evidence to ensure that it is anticarcinogenic. "No food fixes health problems or disease by itself," he concludes.
