Bulletproof Guacamole with Brain Octane MCT Oil
If you’ve had a chance to check out the Bulletproof Diet, you’ve noticed I recommend avocados as a source of fat. It turns out there are other reasons why you should double down on the guacamole besides the part that it’s so much fun to eat…
In this post, you will learn about the amazing things avocados can do for you. Plus, you’ll discover some new tricks to make the peeling process a breeze.
Most importantly, I’ll give you a tasty way to enjoy this versatile fruit with an easy-to-make guacamole recipe that features a bonus ingredient that will take your guac to a whole new level.
Fat doesn’t make you fat: The benefits of avocados
An industry trade group imaginatively called the Hass Avocado Board (HAB) is doing some clinical research to see what avocados do for cardiovascular disease, maintaining healthy weight, controlling blood sugar and upgrading your absorption of nutrients. The studies are promising, even though they are funded by people who really want us to eat more avocados.
In 2013, a UCLA study showed that eating half a medium Hass avocado with a hamburger made of 90% lean industrial-grade CAFO beef inhibited creation of the inflammatory compound Interleukin-6 (IL-6).[1] Sadly, the researchers did not disclose what the animals were fed before they were turned into hamburger. In any case, even toxic meat from chemically treated sick animals is less inflammatory when you eat it with avocado. I’ll take my guac on top of an extra-fat, grass-fed burger!
A summary of the study by Medical News Today reported that plain burgers caused a 70% increase in IL-6 four hours after a meal, but only a 40% increase when avocado was included.[2][3] Interestingly, avocado did not cause an increase in triglyceride levels, even though it’s made of mostly fat. (Longtime readers will know that triglycerides are caused by fructose digestion more so than by eating healthy fat.)[4] [5] Another finding was a 27% reduction in peripheral blood flow after the meal with no avocado, but only a 4% drop when there was avocado.
Related: Is Fat Good for You? The Benefit of Dietary Fats
Eat more good fat
When you follow the Bulletproof Diet, your goal is to have 50-70% of your calories coming from quality fats. Avocados are full of monounsaturated fat (about 2/3 of the fat is monounsaturated) and nutrients, especially potassium, B vitamins, 11 different carotenoids and vitamin E.
Since avocados have a good amount of fiber, almost no sugar (1g of sugar per 150g of avocado) and almost no protein (about 3g of protein per 150g of avocado), you can enjoy them and still hit your macronutrient targets. One of the biggest mistakes people make on the Bulletproof Diet is not eating enough fat because they are eating too much protein. Avocados can make that problem a thing of the past.
Another reason I like avocados is that they have a very thick peel. The peel helps to block pesticides from entering the fruit. That means it’s mostly safe to eat non-organic avocados. I still prefer organic avocados when I can purchase them because I value the soil integrity of our planet.
Related: 9 Healthy Avocado Smoothie Recipes for Summer
Other benefits of avocados you’ve never heard of
- They might prevent oral cancer: Avocados have certain compounds in them that inhibit or kill oral cancer cells.[6][7]
- They’re good for your liver: A Japanese study found laboratory rats, when fed a liver toxin that interferes with cell synthesis and kills cells, suffered the least amount of liver damage when they were fed avocados compared to 21 other fruits.[8] The chemical toxin mimics viral hepatitis damage, so the researchers believe avocado might be a good idea in cases of viral hepatitis.
- They actually lower cholesterol: Honestly, the hysteria over non-oxidized cholesterol is not a reason to eat avocados, but avocados do help with suboptimal HDL/total cholesterol levels, which do matter. In one case, test subjects’ total cholesterol fell by 16% after a one-week high avocado diet.[9] If the subjects had elevated cholesterol, the high avocado diet caused a 17% decrease in total cholesterol, an 11% increase in HDL and a more significant 22% decrease of LDL and triglycerides.
Related: Everything You Know About Cholesterol Is Wrong
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3 things to know when peeling your avocado
- Never, ever eat the black or discolored parts. Those contain mold toxins and histamine that can lower your brain function, if not make you sick outright. Avocados are one of the few fruits where it is safe to cut out the discolored parts. (Most fruit is entirely contaminated when some of it is spoiled.)
- Scrape your avocado. The dark green part of the avocado closest to the skin has the most carotenoids, phytonutrients that play a role in preventing macular degeneration. So scrape the inside of the peel with a spoon, or halve the avocado and get your fingers dirty and peel the skin like a banana.
- Remove your seed with ease. It is easiest to remove the seed by cutting the avocado in half, then carefully embedding the blade of a sharp knife into the seed. Twist the knife and pull the seed out, still stuck to the knife blade.
Related: Should You Eat Avocado Seeds?
The most amazing way to eat avocados
Any conversation about the best way to eat avocados should begin with perhaps the most popular method of consuming this super fruit: guacamole. However, let’s not pretend that every recipe is the same.
I’m admittedly a guacamole snob. I’ve made at least a thousand batches of it and tested lots of kitchen variables.
So, what are the keys to creating a creamy, dreamy guacamole?
- Buy Haas avocados. There are other varieties of avocado usually found in the tropics, Hawaii and Florida, but those varieties are gigantic, watery, and do not contain nearly as much healthy fat. Plus, they make awful guacamole.
- Choose your guacamole philosophy. In my experience, there are two schools of guacamole. The New Mexico tradition where I grew up calls for a very creamy guacamole. The California or Mexico tradition prefers a chunky form. You can adapt this recipe to make the chunky version, but you owe it to yourself to try to the creamy version at least once.
Ready to whip up a unique version that includes additional quality fats?
I hope you’re ready to get your guac on.
Bulletproof Guacamole recipe
Thanks to the use of Bulletproof Brain Octane C8 MCT Oil, this isn’t your ordinary guacamole recipe. Sure, it contains classic ingredients like avocados and jalapenos (if you can handle the heat). However, the addition of MCT oil makes it even more keto-friendly since it adds a boost of quality fats to the equation.
The end result is like guacamole on steroids. The flavor is much more intense because of the effect of the esters from the Brain Octane Oil on your taste buds.
So, if you’re ready to feed your body something that’s nutritious, tastes delicious and has incredible mouth feel, it’s time to give this guacamole recipe a try!
Bulletproof Guacamole with Brain Octane MCT Oil
https://www.bulletproof.com/recipes/eating-healthy/the-many-things-avocados-do-for-you-plus-a-recipe/
Ingredients
- 4 large ripe Haas avocados
- 2-4 tbsp Brain Octane MCT oil
- 2 tsp or more of Himalayan salt (to taste)
- 1 tbsp dried oregano
- 1-3 tsp apple cider vinegar (to taste)
- Optional add-ins: chopped cilantro, jalapeños
Instructions
- Blend everything with a hand blender until it is very creamy.
- Stir in chopped cilantro and jalapeños (if you tolerate nightshades) or other herbs of your choice.
- Enjoy on top of grass fed meat, sushi, salads or pretty much anything.
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