Mother’s Day and breakfast go hand in hand, so make sure you make your mom a morning feast fit for a queen, and what better way to show your love than by adding an avo – a source of nutrients and absolutely delicious.
Why Are Avos Good For Mums?
A study published in the journal Nutrients found that avocados are the perfect food for moms. The study concluded that:
“Avocados also contain higher amounts of several non-essential compounds, such as fiber, mono-unsaturated fats, and lipid-soluble antioxidants, which have all been linked to improvements in maternal health, birth outcomes, and/or breast milk quality“.
That said, here are a few ways that avocados can support a mother/aunt/grandmother/sister’s health.
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1. They may lower blood pressure
We’ve all been dealing with our own stressful factors in the past few months, and this is especially true for mothers. A survey found that 80% of mothers in South Africa were spending more than four additional hours daily on unpaid childcare during the national lockdown.
A stressful environment, coupled with the uncertainty of the future, is sure to raise your blood pressure levels. That said, treating your mum to some avo (as well as convincing your dad to help more around the house) is sure to bring those levels down. This is because avocados are rich in oleic acid, which can help to manage blood pressure.
Avocados are also rich in potassium, and this is especially great for expectant mothers. Preeclampsia is a form of high blood pressure that affects pregnant women, and it’s quite dangerous – it can put you at risk for brain damage as well as maternal and infant death. It would be best for expectant mothers to include more avo in their diet as the potassium content can help to reduce the risk for preeclampsia by regulating your blood pressure (1).
2. Helps reduce cancer risk
In the next few years, 9.3 million women are expected to be diagnosed with cancer, and 4.43 million women are expected to die from the disease.
Now, while more studies are still needed, there is some evidence to suggest avocados can lower your mum’s risk for cancer. For one, avocados are a main staple of the Mediterranean diet and this diet is considered a powerful and manageable method to fight cancer incidence (2).
3. Great source of folate
Folate is an important nutrient found in avocados, and it’s not just for expectant mothers but also for women in general.
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If the lady in your life is an expectant mother, then folate can help to significantly reduce the risk of birth defects (by 70%). However, if her childbearing days are behind her (or far ahead), then folate can help to reduce her risk of osteoporosis and even depression.
4. Combats morning sickness
If your expectant mummy is struggling with morning sickness, then avocados may help to make her morning better. The folate content can help to ease nausea while the potassium content can help reduce fluid retention.
5. Supports fetal brain development
Expectant mothers may want to eat more avocados. Choline is a nutrient that’s necessary for the healthy development of a fetus’s brain and nerves. A single cup of avocado contains 22 mg of choline.
6. Anti-aging
As mentioned, avocados are rich in monounsaturated fats and these fats help to combat inflammation. In doing so, they help to counter the development of wrinkles and fine lines, and in doing so, they leave you with a youthful appearance.
Additionally, avocados also promote healthy hair thanks to their biotin content, which helps promote smooth, shiny and damage-free hair.
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Just get used to people calling your mother your sister!
Mother’s Day Avocado Breakfast Recipe
If you’re a bit nervous about your cooking skills this Mother’s Day, then smashed avo on toast, with a zing of lemon, chili, and fresh coriander is always a winner. For those feeling a bit more adventurous and if you want to be the favorite child forever, prepare your mother an avo shakshuka with avocado harissa yogurt. Have fun with this recipe, courtesy of the South African Avocado Growers’ Association (SAAGA).
AVOCADO SHAKSHUKA WITH HARISSA AVOCADO YOGHURT
This one-pan meal easily feeds a family of four and goes down well with a couple of slices of toasted ciabatta. Better yet, this meal doesn’t use up too many pots and pans, so fewer dishes to wash at the end of the meal – yes if you truly love mom, best you clean up the kitchen afterward.
Serves 4
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cooking Time: 30 minutes
Total Time: 40 minutes
Ingredients
- 30 ml avocado oil or olive oil
- 1 red onion, finely chopped
- 1 clove garlic, minced
- 5 ml ground turmeric
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- 5 ml smoked paprika
- 1 red and 1 yellow pepper, diced
- 1 x 400 g tin chopped tomato
- 125 ml tomato passata or tomato puree
- 100 ml water
- 5 ml sugar
- 4 eggs
- 1 avocado, peeled and sliced
For the avocado and harissa yogurt:
- 250 ml Greek-style or plain yogurt
- 1 avocado, smashed
- 1 tablespoon harissa paste
- Coriander to garnish
- Flatbread to serve
Method
- Heat the oil in a skillet and sauté the onion until soft. Add the garlic and cook for 1 minute, then add the smoked paprika and turmeric and cook for a further 1 minute. You should then add the peppers and sauté for 2 minutes until softened.
- Add the chopped tomato passata or tomato puree, water, and sugar and simmer for 20-25 minutes until thickened. While the tomato sauce is cooking, make the harissa yogurt by stirring the harissa through the yogurt and set aside until serving.
- Cook the eggs in the sauce by making indentations in the tomato ragout and gently break an egg into each hollow. Cover with a lid or a piece of foil and cook over low heat until the whites are cooked through or done to your liking.
- To serve, top with the sliced avocado and harissa yogurt, garnish with coriander and avocado slices.
References
Comerford, K. B., Ayoob, K. T., Murray, R. D., & Atkinson, S. A. (2016). The Role of Avocados in Maternal Diets during the Periconceptional Period, Pregnancy, and Lactation. Nutrients, 8(5), 313. https://doi.org/10.3390/nu8050313
Darkwa, E.O, Djagbletey, R., Antwi-Boasiako, C., Aryee, G., (2017) Serum sodium and potassium levels in preeclampsia: A case-control study in a large tertiary hospital in Ghana, Cogent Medicine, 4:1, DOI: 10.1080/2331205X.2017.1376898
Mentella, M. C., Scaldaferri, F., Ricci, C., Gasbarrini, A., & Miggiano, G. (2019). Cancer and Mediterranean Diet: A Review. Nutrients, 11(9), 2059. https://doi.org/10.3390/nu11092059
