How Many Calories Does an Avocado Have?

Avocados are a nutritious snack if eaten alone, used as a spread on a sandwich or made into guacamole; however, a single avocado has high calorie content. In addition, they are a good source of dietary fiber and vitamin C.

One avocado contains 322 calories and 265 of those calories are from fat. Seventy seven percent of calories are from fat, 19 percent are from carbohydrates and 4 percent are from protein.

Each avocado contains 34 percent of the daily value for vitamin C and 6 percent of the daily value for vitamin A. Additionally, one avocado provides you with 2 percent of the daily value of calcium, 6 percent of the daily value of iron and 13.5 g of dietary fiber.

One cup of guacamole made with avocados contains 367.53 calories. Fifty four percent of those calories are from fat. Each serving of guacamole contains 11.41 g of dietary fiber, 351.68 mg of sodium, 4.54 g of protein and 1368.7 mg of potassium.

How Many Calories in a Hass Avocado?

The Hass avocado, often misspelled and mispronounced as Haas, is a variety grown in California, Chile, Mexico, the Dominican Republic and New Zealand. It is the most common variety of avocado consumed in the U.S.

A whole medium Hass avocado has 227 calories. A single serving of avocado consisting of 1 oz. or 30 g is approximately 1/5 of a whole avocado. In a 1-oz. serving there are 50 calories.

Avocados are typically considered a high-fat food because 35 of every 50 calories come from fat. However, the type of fat in avocados is the heart-healthy monounsaturated fat. Monounsaturated fat can lower LDL -- also known as bad cholesterol -- and overall cholesterol levels while increasing HDL, or good cholesterol, levels.

Hass avocados are considered a nutrient-dense food because they contain high levels of vitamins and minerals in comparison to their calorie level. A Hass avocado has almost 20 nutrients and important phytochemicals such as lutein and alpha-carotene.

How Many Calories Is in Avocado Hummus?

Avocado hummus is a dip that can be served with chips, crackers or bread. The number of calories you consume when eating avocado hummus depends on its ingredients, as well as your serving size.

Avocado hummus is made from combining avocados, garbanzo beans, lemon juice, sour cream and olive oil. According to My Fitness Pal, a 2-tablespoon serving has 50 calories.

Two tablespoons of avocado hummus has 3 g of fat, 5 g of carbohydrates and 2 g of protein. The high number of calories comes from the high fat content of the avocado, which has 35 g of fat. Out of those 35 g of fat, 23 g are monosaturated fat, which helps lower "bad" cholesterol and raise "good" cholesterol, promoting heart health.

To lower the number of calories in avocado hummus, use light sour cream instead of regular. Regular sour cream has 60 calories per serving, while light sour cream has about 40 calories.

How Many Calories are in Avocado Sushi?

Since avocados are not native to Japan, traditional sushi does not include this popular fruit. However, avocado is a common ingredient in many modern sushi preparations.

The USDA provides nutrition information for three common avocado sushi rolls. An 8-piece avocado roll contains 140 calories. A salmon and avocado roll contains 304 calories. An eel and avocado roll contains 372.

The calories in an avocado roll evenly divided between protein from the fish, carbohydrate from the rice and fats from the avocado. The exact breakdown will vary according to the particular roll, and the recipe used by each individual sushi chef.

Avocado rolls bring a lot of nutrition to the table for the calories they carry. Steven Pratt, founder of the "superfoods" movement has put both avocado and fish on his list of extraordinarily healthful foods. Both contain heart-healthy unsaturated fats and omega-3 fatty acids, which have been shown to improve brain function and reduce risk of some forms of cancer.

The Health Benefits of Avocados

Avocados are an interesting item - bumpy and an unattractive green on the outside, but creamy and delicate on the inside. Many pass avocados by while walking the aisles of the supermarket, avoiding them because of their oddness and bad rap on the health bracket. An average sized avocado can contain up to 30 grams of fat. The truth is, avocados are easy to cook with, very versatile, and extremely healthy!

Avocados are actually a fruit and a relative of the berry family. They have a bumpy outer skin that is not edible, protecting a soft fruit on the inside. Avocados have an inner seed that is removed before eating. Spring and summer are the best times to find ripe avocados, but they are available most of the year. It is actually a misunderstanding that leads us to believe the avocado is not good for us - they are high in fatty acids - but the good kind!

One of the main elements found in an avocado is oleic acid, an omega-9 monounsaturated fatty acid, which may help in lowering cholesterol rates. Oleic acid is considered one of the healthy fats! Avocados are also high in potassium, a mineral that assists with regulating blood pressure. They are also a great source of folate, another heart healthy nutrient. The combination of oleic acid, potassium, and folate makes the avocados an extremely heart healthy fruit!

Along with being heart healthy, avocados help promote overall good health with high levels of vitamin E, lutein, and beta-carotene. They are also high in vitamin K, which is good for blood clotting, and high in fiber. Fiber is essential to helping maintain healthy weight and it helps to make you feel full. Mixing an avocado into your salad or salsa adds to your body's ability to absorb all the healthy components of an avocado and aids in getting the most out of the foods you eat with it!

Instead of focusing on the fat in an avocado, enjoy the creamy richness knowing you are eating a heart healthy fruit! The most important thing to remember is to eat everything in moderation, including avocados. They have wonderful health benefits and are delicious, but do contain a large amount of fat and the calories can add up. A good serving of avocado is 2 Tablespoons, which has lower fat and calories than 2 Tablespoons of mayonnaise or butter. Try slicing some fresh avocado on your sandwich instead of using mayo, top your scrambled eggs a couple cubes, or try some on brown rice with salsa. Don't be afraid of the avocados the next time you are at the supermarket. Pick one up and give it a try!