Guacamole: More Than A Snack – Your Cancer Fighting Superfood!
By: John King
Recently I had a craving for some home made guacamole. I went to the market and carefully selected all the ingredients. I don’t really follow a specific recipe, so no two batches are exactly the same. While I was mindfully chopping all the ingredients, I started contemplating the benefits of consuming this delicious superfood.
Virtually every ingredient in guacamole is healing and beneficial to the body. I think it gets a bad rap because of it’s fat content but nothing could be further from the truth. Guacamole is low in carbohydrates and high in monounsaturated fatty acids, antioxidants and beneficial plant sterols. The only thing that could be bad about eating guacamole is the half bag of salty chips you eat with it! There are many ways to enjoy it without all that sodium. Since I gave up dairy, I love to top my burger with some guacamole instead of cheese. Delicious!
So what makes guacamole so good for you? Well let’s break it down by ingredients. I put all or a subset of the following in my guacamole, you make it however you like.
Avocado
The star of the show is avocado, the main ingredient. Rich in monounsaturated fatty acids, avocados have a beneficial effect on blood pressure, cholesterol, diabetes, Age Associated Memory Impairment and some types of cancer. Avocados also contain a chemical called mannoheptulose. Mannoheptulose inhibits the glucokinase enzyme which disrupts sugar uptake in cancer cells, literally starving them to death. Several studies have shown avocados to be beneficial in the management of prostate cancer.
Garlic
Garlic has been long known to have many beneficial cardiovascular benefits. Everything from preventing atherosclerosis, hypertension, blood clots and stroke. Garlic has been shown to work against many types of cancers. Because of it’s allicin content, garlic may stimulate apoptosis in cancer cells. Garlic stimulates immune cells and makes them more active and able to defend the body against pathogens. But it doesn’t stop there. Garlic has been shown to have numerous antibiotic and antiviral properties, further bolstering your immune system.
Onion
Whether you like red, white or sweet, onions have benefits similar to garlic. Meta-analyses show that those who consume higher amounts of onions have a reduced risk for an array of cancers. Like garlic, onions also promote cardiovascular health by reducing blood pressure, improving one’s cholesterol profile and helping to prevent blood clots. Consumption of onions has also been shown to have beneficial effects on asthma, gallstones, psoriasis, and serum triglycerides.
Tomato
I like a little tomato in my guacamole for color. Loaded with lycopene, a powerful antioxidant, tomato provides additional anti-cancer benefits (especially prostate cancer). Lycopene also helps ward off macular degeneration with it’s antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties.
Cilantro
In my opinion cilantro is a highly under-utilized medicinal herb. While not directly acting against cancer, cilantro is a powerful heavy metal detoxifier. It has been shown to greatly increase urinary excretion of mercury, lead and aluminum. Heavy metals interfere with virtually every enzyme reaction in the body. Many of my clients have a high heavy metal burden contributing to their ill health. From vaccines to electronics to underarm antiperspirant, exposure to these highly toxic chemicals is everywhere. So I recommend that when ever you can do something to rid your body of these toxins, do so.
Jalapeno
If you like a little heat, don’t forget the jalapeno peppers! Or add whatever hot pepper you like. Hot peppers act as vasodilators lowering blood pressure, they raise the body’s metabolic rate, reduce inflammation, help to eliminate excess mucus from the body and promote detoxification through increased perspiration.
Lime
Lime is an important ingredient for guacamole as it acts as a preservative keeping it from turning brown. This is primarily due to the ascorbic acid content (Vitamin C) in limes. It is also worthy to note that although limes are acidic in and of themselves, they have a paradoxical reaction in the body making it more alkaline. If you have studied the nature of disease you know that most, if not all chronic health conditions, result from an overly acidic condition in the body.
Salt & Pepper
I only use pink Himalayan salt because unlike table salt (sodium chloride), Himalayan salt is a mixture of mineral chlorides. Thus, it tastes the same but has less sodium and contains beneficial trace minerals.
Black pepper is not only a tasty spice. When consumed it helps facilitate the absorption of vitamins and minerals in the digestive tract.
It’s best to make guacamole in batches you can consume within two or three days to prevent spoilage. One good trick to making your guacamole last longer in the refrigerator is to save a pit or two and put them back into the prepared mixture. Use only fresh ingredients, organic if you can afford to. Your imagination is your only limit in the ways you can consume this powerful super food.
So at the the next party say no to cancer and say pass the GUAC!
Best in Health,
John