The beautiful side of avocados: avocados look as good as they taste and despite their high fat content, are a smart way to boost your health and beauty.(PERSONAL CARE: INSIDE & OUT)(Report)

Ranked by the Guinness Book of World Records as the world's most nutritious fruit, avocados offer a wealth of health and beauty benefits. Beloved around the world for their buttery richness and subtle nutty flavor, avocados are the fruit of Persea americana, a tall evergreen tree native to the subtropical Americas.

Health Benefits Galore

Until fairly recently, avocados were shunned because of their high fat content--almost three-quarters of an avocado is pure fat. But the fat found in avocados is of the health-protective monounsaturated variety, primarily oleic acid. Avocados contain more than 20 beneficial nutrients, including potassium, folate, copper, and vitamins C, B6, E, and K.

In numerous studies, the oleic acid found in avocados has been shown to help lower cholesterol levels. In one study, researchers compared a diet high in complex carbohydrates to a diet rich in avocados and other monounsaturated fatty acids. While both diets lowered total cholesterol levels, the avocado-enriched diet lowered cholesterol almost twice as much. Even more significant was that levels of beneficial high-density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol decreased by 13.9 percent on the high complex carbohydrate diet but remained steady on the avocado diet. Because HDL helps protect heart health, it's essential to consume foods that help lower overall cholesterol while maintaining or increasing levels of HDL.

In addition to keeping the cardiovascular system healthy, avocados are proving to be important dietary allies in preventing cancer. Many studies have shown that oleic acid protects cells against the mutations that lead to cancer. Avocados also contain a variety of anticancer antioxidants, including vitamin E and the carotenoids lutein, alpha-carotene, beta-carotene, and zeaxanthin. Because carotenoids are best absorbed into the bloodstream when combined with dietary fat, avocados provide the perfect vehicle for delivering these nutrients to the cells.

Avocado oil is another delicious way of obtaining the health benefits of avocados. Cold-pressed from avocado pulp (minus the seed and skin), the oil is rich in monounsaturated fatty acids and low in saturated fats. Unrefined avocado oil is a vibrant green color, with an aroma similar to a combination of artichokes and celery and a rich avocado flavor. With a smoke point higher than any other vegetable or nut oil, avocado oil is a good choice for sauteing and is delicious in salad dressings and other cold dishes.

Glowing Skin, Shiny Hair