Avocado Benefits :Protein

 Avocado Benefits :Protein
 
Cultivars vary somewhat but the dominant 'Hass' is about 2.4% protein on a fresh weight basis (Slater et al., 1975). This is unusually high for a fruit. Hall et al. (1980) compared the essential amino acid content of 15 fruits: the avocado was second only to the rare Tucuma from Brazil which had about three times as much as mango, orange, peach and persimmon, and about six times as much as the two other common fruits listed, apricot and apple. Polansky and Murphy (1966) compared the protein content of 26 more common fruits and vegetables (41 entries counting separate cultivars and years). The avocado was in first place with about two to ten times the protein content of the others. The avocado is a "complete food" in terms of protein, containing all 9 essential amino acids, although not in the ideal proportions.

The fact that the avocado is an excellent source of essential protein is of little interest to most residents of the United States and other industrialized countries who are already consuming more protein than they need. It could be of increasing importance as health concerns move people away from meats and toward more vegetarian dishes, especially for those who do not care to consume many legumes. It could already be of significant benefit in tropical areas where protein consumption is insufficient (Hall et al., 1980).