Learn to keep your cholesterol levels under control with a little bit of Avocado everyday....yes! This fruit is magical and works wonders for your body!

The avocado is a tree native to Mexico and Central America, classified in the flowering plant family Lauraceae. Avocado or alligator peer also refers to the fruit, botanically a large berry that contains a single seed.

According to a new research, eating avocado per day, as part of an overall diet rich in healthy fats, may help cut the bad cholesterol, known as LDL (low-density lipoprotein).

Cholesterol is not created equal, there's good cholesterol and there's bad cholesterol. The bad one, LDL is capable of building up plaque on the blood vessels and arteries. Moreover, they can cause these blood pathways to be inefficient as they thicken. Gradually, LDL can lead to stroke and heart attack.

But as stated earlier, cholesterol is not all that bad. The good cholesterol or HDL (high-density lipoprotein), functions exactly opposite of LDL. It looks for any LDL and brings it back to the liver, where it can be broken down and then eliminated from the body.

Simply said, you need to increase your HDL if you want to protect your heart and you can do that simply by eating avocados.

A preliminary study showed high avocado intake lowers blood cholesterol levels.  Mild hypercholesterolemia patients showed a 17% decrease in total serum cholesterol levels just after a seven-day diet rich in avocados. Additionally, these subjects also showed a 22% decrease in both LDL and and triglyceride levels and 11% increase in HDL levels. In a study of obese patients on a moderate fat diet (34% of calories), additional consumption of 136 g avocado per day for 5 weeks produced a considerable reduction of circulating LDL. The authors attributed the effect to the combination of avocado monounsaturated fats, dietary fiber and the phytosterol, beta-sitosterol.

Though its not particularly popular, the avocado tree can be grown domestically and used a decorative house-plant. Without a doubt, avocados are some of the best types of food you can eat. They are extremely versatile and can be added to smoothies to make them creamier and also to salads to give them more texture. Needless to mention, avocados are the most important ingredient in making guacamole for your tacos and pita wraps.

One warning for anyone who loves guacamole, when it is served with chips, the calories can add up. Just a half-cup of guacamole has about 200 calories all on its own.

Avocados are also delicious being eaten as is.