Foods that are considered “complete” on their own are rare and hard to find, but eating them is always definitely worth all the wait and search. Such is avocado. Eat it on its own, or make guacamole – it’s not only yummy, it also has lots of benefits you may not even be aware of. Avocadoes have been considered as one of the most nutritious fruits. It has been proven to be loaded with protein, friendly fats, minerals and vitamins, so eating it would be like sitting through a full six-course healthy meal. Here are some benefits of avocadoes and why you should eat them more often.

1. Rich anti-oxidants: The bright yellow-green color of ripe avocadoes is brought about by its rich antioxidant content. This is why it makes such a great fruit for good skin. It can be eaten or applied on rough and irritated skin for smoothing and soothing properties.

2. Weight and fat control: Avocadoes are one of the fruits richest in friendly fats, or monounsaturated fatty acids. These fats actually balance out the effects of harmful fattening fats, so the result is a slimmer, firmer you.

3. Protection against cardiovascular conditions: Strokes are a prevalent condition today, because of cholesterol-filled diets. Avocadoes provide protection against plaque building up in blood vessels.

4. Protein: Avocadoes contain all 9 essential amino acids. In fact, it is considered a complete food because it contains a whopping 2.4% of protein, the highest among all fruits.

5. Fiber: Here’s to better digestion. Because of avocados’ rich content of dietary fiber, it makes a great adjunctive diet choice to improve gastrointestinal processes.