Guacamole is a healthy as well as tasty condiment, originated in Mexico. It has traditionally used for various therapeutic and culinary purposes.

How it is prepared?

It is prepared by blending tomatoes, avocados, lemon juice or lime, red onion and cilantro

Nutritional composition

It is nutritionally enriched and significantly rich in Vitamin C, E, K, B6, potassium, magnesium, zinc, copper, iron, fibres and healthy fats.

Biological activity

Antioxidant activity           

• Ingredients, which are required for preparing guacamole, exert potent antioxidant activity
• It plays significant role in protecting the body from oxidative damages as it helps in decreasing the concentration of free radicals
• It is also associated with preventing cellular damages and helps in sustaining cellular activity by protecting them from oxidative damages as a result helps in promoting overall well being

Anti-carcinogenic activity

• Olive oil is an important ingredient of guacamole, which contains oleic acid that exhibit strong anti-carcinogenic activity. Apart from that its oxidative stress reducing capacity is also responsible for decreasing the prevalence of carcinoma

• It is very effective for destroying precancerous oral cells
• It is also associated with decreasing the prevalence of prostate cancer

Health benefits

Role on immunity

• It is made up of avocado, lemon juice and tomatoes, all of which are considered as a good source of Vitamin C. Being a Vitamin C enriched food,  consumption of guacamole is thought to be extremely helpful for boosting up overall immunity of the body
• Its Vitamin C content is also responsible for stimulating WBC synthesis, which ultimately makes the body able to fight against infections, thus helps to reduce the prevalence of infectious diseases
• Its antioxidant activity is accountable for protecting all immune cells from oxidative damages as a result promotes their activity and subsequently enhances the resistance power of the body
• Moreover its consumption is extremely beneficial for lowering the susceptibility of becoming ill

Role on digestive health

• It contains various important nutrients that help in improving overall digestive health
• Its consumption is closely related with promoting digestion as well as absorption of nutrients
• Fibre present in guacamole helps in preventing constipation as it is associated with increasing stool mass and softness, which makes the defecation process easy. It is related with enhancing bowel movement as well, which also helps in preventing constipation

• It helps to improving peristalsis, which helps in promoting colonic health too
• Its fibre content is also accountable for promoting gut health as it helps in improving the growth of intestinal beneficial microbes
• It is very effective for preventing bloating as well

Role on skeletal system

• Magnesium present in guacamole plays significant role in promoting calcium uptake thus its consumption is believed to be very much useful for maintaining a healthy skeletal system as we know that calcium is essentially required by the body for healthy bone formation
• It also helps in improving bone mineralization, which ultimately helps to increase bone mineral density
• It is also associated with increasing bone mass and significantly decreases the prevalence of bone thinning and fractures
• It also helps to improve the symptoms of osteoporosis

Role on eye health

• It has seen that individual who consume guacamole are less susceptible to develop Vitamin A deficiency as most of the ingredients, required for preparing guacamole contain significant amount of Vitamin A thus its consumption is thought to be very effective for promoting overall eye health
• It is associated with protecting the retina and the cornea from oxidative damages
• It helps to promote vision as well
• It is awfully helpful for decreasing the prevalence of cataract, macular degeneration, bitot’s spot, keratomalacia, xerophthalmia and corneal xerosis

Role on skin

• Vitamin C and Vitamin E present in guacamole are considered as most imperative nutrients for skin health
• It plays vital role in making the skin healthy as well as supple
• Its antioxidant activity is also accountable for protecting the skin from free radical induced oxidative damages, which ultimately helps to reduce the prevalence of dermal disorders in many folds
• It helps to prevent ageing as well
• Its Vitamin C component plays vital role in improving skin elasticity as Vitamin C is related with stimulating collagen synthesis

Role on hair

• It plays significant role in promoting hair growth as it contains numerous imperative nutrients that provide proper nourishment to the scalp
• It not only enhances hair shine but also helps in improving hair strength
• It helps to prevent hair damages as well as alopecia
• It is also related with preventing dandruff

Therapeutic uses

It has been extensively used for various therapeutic purposes, which include –

• It is used as an imperative therapeutic substance for decreasing blood cholesterol concentration. Fibre present in guacamole plays significant role in reducing the level of bad cholesterol or LDL. It is also associated with decreasing the concentration of VLDL and triglyceride. Whereas it helps in increasing the level of good cholesterol or HDL, thus its consumption is thought to be very effective for maintaining a healthy ratio of HDL and LDL in body

• Its cholesterol lowering activity significantly decreases the risk of developing cardiovascular diseases especially atherosclerosis and coronary artery disease as it lowers the prevalence of fat deposition within blood vessels
• Its potassium component is also responsible for preventing hypertension
• Magnesium present in guacamole helps in preventing arrhythmia
• It is also considered as an important food for gestational period due to its folic acid component, which helps in decreasing the risk of developing birth defects
• It also helps in decreasing the prevalence of anemia as it contributes adequate amount of iron
• Being a good source of Vitamin C, its helps in promoting wound healing too
• B vitamins present in guacamole helps to improve overall metabolism as they act as coenzymes for various metabolic reactions
• It helps to prevent common cold and flu
• It is also very effective for decreasing blood sugar concentration and all the credit goes to its fibre content. Fibre present in guacamole helps in decreasing postprandial blood glucose load as it helps in inhibiting glucose absorption from intestinal epithelial cell. Individual suffer from type 2 diabetes can include guacamole in their diet as it helps in improving the symptoms of type 2 diabetes mellitus
• It contains various healthy fats like monounsaturated fats, polyunsaturated fats, which are accountable for promoting cardiac health and its consumption significantly reduces the prevalence of strokes and heart attacks
• Its consumption is also associated with preventing obesity. It has seen that fibre present in guacamole helps in decreasing appetite as it helps in delaying stomach emptying, which ultimately helps to keep an individual full for long period of time. As a result it helps in reducing over consumption that facilitates weight reduction. It also helps to prevent the prevalence of visceral obesity. Moreover its consumption along with proper physical activity is very much useful for rapid weight reduction

Culinary uses

• It can be consumed with toast
• It can also be consumed with vegetables
• It can be used for preparing sandwiches
• It can be added on the top of burger and pizza
• It can be enjoyed with french fries as well
• It can be also consumed with salads

Risk factors

It is better to consume it in moderation because over consumption of guacamole may increase the risk of obesity, hypertension and digestive issues.

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Cortés-Rodríguez, M., Orrego-Vargas, F.S. and Rodríguez-Sandoval, E., 2019. Optimization of guacamole formulation made with avocado powder and fresh avocado. Dyna, 86(209), pp.126-134.

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