How Many Carbs in an Avocado? A Look at Its Super Value

To know how many carbs in an avocado or avocado recipe, we need to know the nutritional facts, carb content, and the recommended amount per serving.

Craving for That Avocado Slice but Hesitant About How Many Carbs in an Avocado

Was there a time that you craved avocados but wondered how many carbs they have and how many pounds it may to your hips and belly? You planned to use the fruit to make ranch dressing, salsa, pudding, dip, roll, sushi, or cheeseburger but were afraid of the carb content. Have no fear, avocados are beneficial and nutritious.

I will provide answers here that may help you with this decision.

Are you curious how many carbs are in an avocado?

First Things, First: a Primer on Avocado

Avocados, scientifically named Persea americana, are shaped like a pear but have a darker green or sometimes violet color. In the United States, there are two very popular varieties: Florida, and California or Hass avocados. The ideal time to eat avocados is when they are just ripe enough.

To test its ripeness or edibility, you can slightly pinch the fruit, checking for tenderness. Also, when you shake it, if you can hear the rattling of the seed it is ripe. Once opened, a ripe avocado has a yellow-green core, but do not eat that big seed or the skin. The firmer ones are great for salads, occasionally sushi, and rolls. The riper and softer ones are good for dressings, dips (guacamole, anyone?), salsa, and puddings.

The Super Hero Fruit

The rise of avocado as a super-fruit can be attributed to its nutritional contents. Avocados have acceptable carb content, are rich in fiber, and high in vitamins. Do muscle cramps, due to lack of potassium, disturb your sleep at night?

Avocados have a high potassium content given that a 100 gram of serving contains 14% of the recommended daily allowance (RDA). Compare that to the same serving size of a banana, which only has 10% RDA. Additionally, avocados contain vitamins A, B, C, E, and K as well as other essential minerals such as iron, magnesium, zinc, phosphorous, and copper.

Avocados are a super fruit because of the nutrients they bring to the body.

Let’s Define Carbs or Carbohydrates

In some articles, there are instances of interchanging the terms carbs and calories. Carbs are one of the three macronutrients of food, together with proteins and fats. According to the American Diabetes Association, these three elements are the main fuel sources for the body.

On the other hand, a calorie is the measurement of energy required to raise the temperature of 1 gram of water by 1°C. In nutrition, it is the amount of energy the food provides and the RDA is the amount needed for the body's daily nutritional allowance. According to the US National Institutes of Health, a gram of carbs is equivalent to four calories.

The Recommended Daily Allowance of carbs for adults is about 130 grams, according to the USDA Dietary Guidelines for Americans.

One Size Does Not Fit All: The Size of the Avocado Does Matter

So, back to the question, "How many carbs are in an avocado?" Keep in mind that the bigger the serving of avocado, the higher the carb content. Another thing to consider is the variety of the fruit and the actual size. Below are examples based on 100g of avocado servings and the estimated nutritional values based on the data from the US National US National Nutrient Database, Medical News Today, and BBC Goodfood.

• The recommended average serving of avocado is equal to about 9g of carbs.
• The total dietary fiber is estimated at 7g while total sugar is 0.70 grams.
• There is an estimated 15g of fat. The 15g is a combination of monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats, 12g and 3g, respectively.
• Water content is about 75% per gram, and the energy it contains is 160-kilo calories. The average number of calories in a small avocado is about 227.
• To compare the relative to carbs of a Florida avocado to a California avocado, the former may be larger but with fewer carbs per gram than the latter. In the cited serving, the difference in carbs between the Florida variety vs. the California variety is about 17g. Furthermore, the total fat content difference between the two is 30 grams.
• You may be surprised that there is zero milligram of caffeine or cholesterol in the fruit.

More About Carbs in an Avocado

If we highlight these contents, you will see that the fruit is living up to its reputation as a superfood very high in antioxidants. Research by the Journal of the American Heart Association indicated that heart disease could be prevented by monounsaturated fats found in avocados, and avocados help to lower blood pressure. Further research indicates that avocado oil is rich in monounsaturated fats and is known to lower bad cholesterol.

Although the carb content of avocados may be higher than other vegetables and fruits, its advantage in this aspect is its ability to easily satisfy and regulate appetite. Thus, making you eat less in between meals.

For people with diabetes, avocados have low sugar content which may improve insulin sensitivity. Aside from this, it also has anti-inflammatory effects which possibly can prevent gangrene in those with diabetes. The avocado has cancer-fighting properties, and are high in antioxidants, which helps patients manage their cancer treatment symptoms.

Carbs in Avocados for Weight Management

For people weight conscious people, avocados are one of the best sources of energy without the possible weight gain from its carbs content. As mentioned, the average calorie content of a small avocado is about 227g, and carb content is about 45g. If using avocados as ingredients, consider this simple guacamole recipe.

Guacamole Recipe

Ingredients

• Two ripe avocados
• One tablespoon of fresh lemon or lime juice
• Two tablespoons of cilantro, finely chopped leaves and stems
• One ripe chopped tomato, seeds and pulp removed
• ¼ cup minced onion
• Two small minced serrano chiles, stems and seeds removed
• ½ teaspoon Kosher salt
• Dash of black pepper

Directions

• In a medium-sized bowl, mash the avocados, and then add the lime juice and salt.
• Mix the three items well, before adding all remaining ingredients.
• Once the mixture becomes a homogenous paste, it can immediately serve as a dip. Another suggestion is to refrigerate it for an hour for a stronger flavor, before serving.

Additionally, you may view this video presenting unique and exciting ways to prepare and eat avocados

Wrapping Them Up

As with anything, keep in mind that avocados are super foods, but if is consumed beyond the recommended dietary intake, it might trigger adverse effects on health. In all things, moderation is key. A 100g serving of an avocado may contain 9g of carbs, 160 calories, 14g of fats, 6g of fiber, and 2g of protein. A small avocado has an average of 227 calories with zero grams of caffeine or cholesterol.

For people watching their weight, avocados may be a good substitute for meat. The super fruit is beneficial for overall cardiovascular health, insulin management, and cancer nutrition. So, go ahead and grab those avocados, whether in the supermarkets or directly off the tree that you are planning to climb.

Feel free to send over any comments or questions you may have. I will be glad to hear from you.

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