How Much Avocado Should You Be Eating In A Day?

We're told that avocados are super good for us, with a balanced of monounsaturated, saturated, and polyunsaturated fats that help you absorb fat-soluble vitamins (like vitamin K, A, D, and E) from your food and leave you feeling full and satiated. They contain B vitamins (super important for methylation) and vitamin E, which helps with collagen production and retaining moisture in your skin. They help keep your brain healthy and your immune system strong.

According to Dr. Will Cole, a functional medicine practitioner, "For most people a half to two avocados a day is a great idea for a nutrient-dense clean diet. One of the core understandings, though, in functional medicine is that we are all different, so even with healthy stuff like avocados it may not work for everyone in larger amounts. People with digestive problems like SIBO and FODMAP intolerance will probably have stomach problems when they eat too much avocado. For these people I suggest limiting your avocado intake to about one-eighth of an avocado per day, which is still the perfect amount to put in your salads or blend in your smoothies!"

Kimberly Snyder, C.N., takes a measured stance, noting that "eating some fat is essential for beauty and health, but you don't need to overdo it. If you look at some of the people around the world with the best health and longest lives, including various cultures in Asia, you'll see that many of them favor plant foods with lower fat and protein consumption. Exactly how much avocado (and fat in general) you should consume in a day depends on your body type, general constitution, activity levels, and so on, so there is not a one-size-fits-all recommendation. As a guideline, 15 to 30 percent of your diet should come from whole food sources of fat, including avocado and other healthy fats, like nutrient-dense seeds and nuts. Assuming you are eating some seeds and nuts and utilizing some coconut oil for cooking, a half to a whole avocado a day is a good general amount."

So, as you can see there are even differences in recommendations from nutrition experts. The general takeaway is to continue using avocados, while being mindful of the daily amount that works best for your body (remembering to count those avocadoes hidden in smoothies or puddings!). Remember that, while they're amazing for you, avocados are just one small part of a healthy diet. Or as Drew Ramsey, M.D., says, "For most people, eating more than one a day leads me to wonder about the overall diversity of their diet."