Is Guacamole Healthy? A nutrition breakdown of guacamole.
Written by Isabel Vasquez RD, LDN
Guacamole is an amazing dip for tortilla chips and the perfect topping for toast. The creaminess of the avocado paired with the acidity of tomatoes and lime or lemon is simply delicious.
Did you know that the first iteration of guacamole dates back to the Aztecs? They used a mortar and pestle to mash avocados and mix them with chopped tomatoes, green chiles, and salt.
Now, guacamole is popular beyond just Mexico. It’s enjoyed all over the US in Mexican and tex-mex dishes. But is it healthy?
In this blog, learn the nutrition facts, health benefits, and potential health drawbacks of guacamole.
Guacamole Nutrition Facts
The main ingredient of guacamole—avocados—are full of heart-healthy fats. Avocados are also rich in fiber.
According to the USDA, ¼ cup of guacamole made with avocados, tomatoes, onions, lemon juice, and salt has the following nutrition profile:
Protein: 1 gram (g)
Fat: 8 g
Saturated fat: 1 g
Carbs: 5 g
Fiber: 3.7 g, or 13% of the daily value (DV)
Sodium: 190 milligrams (mg), or 8% of the DV
Folate: 44 micrograms (mcg), or 11% of the DV
Potassium: 272 mg, or 6% of the DV
Vitamin C: 6 mg, or 7% of the DV
Vitamin K: 12 mcg, or 10% of the DV
Guacamole is also full of antioxidants including polyphenols, tocopherols and carotenoids, per a 2024 study in Applied Sciences. These can help reduce inflammation by preventing harmful oxidative damage to your cells.
Health Benefits of Guacamole
Helps Lower Cholesterol
Guacamole is a good source of heart-healthy fats and fiber that can help lower cholesterol.
A 2023 research paper in Cureus examined 7 studies. The studies found that a diet containing avocados is linked with lower total cholesterol and LDL cholesterol (the “bad” kind) compared to participants’ habitual diets and low-fat diets. It’s also linked with higher HDL cholesterol (the “good” kind).
Researchers believe this is largely because of the fiber, magnesium, and potassium in avocados, which are known to promote cardiovascular health.
That said, avocados also have antioxidants like polyphenols that can help prevent plaque from building up on your artery walls, per a 2021 study in Nutrients.
This study also shows that lutein—an antioxidant in avocados—may be more effective at improving heart health when eaten in combination with lycopene—an antioxidant found in tomatoes. So, guacamole made with tomatoes may provide additional heart-health benefits.
Promotes Blood Sugar Stability
Avocados have a very low glycemic load since most of their carbs are in the form of fiber rather than sugar or starch, per that same 2021 study in Nutrients. That means they don’t spike blood sugars like sugar-rich foods do.
Plus, results from the Hispanic Community Health Study/Study of Latinos show that amongst Hispanic/Latino adults, eating at least ½ cup of avocado per day is linked with better blood sugar management and insulin sensitivity. This was especially true for participants with type 2 diabetes.
These benefits are related to avocados’ fiber content, heart-healthy fats, low glycemic load, and antioxidants. Since guacamole’s main ingredient is avocados, it stands to reason that it’s a valuable food for blood sugar management.
Improves Gut Health
A 2020 study in the Journal of Nutrition found that eating 140–175 grams of Hass avocado (about ½ to 1 avocado) everyday for 12 weeks positively altered the gut microbiome—the community of microorganisms in your digestive tract.
The group that followed the avocado diet had more bacteria capable of fermenting fiber, lower concentrations of bile acid in their stool, and greater short-chain fatty acids capable of reducing inflammation and promoting the integrity of the gut lining than the group that didn’t eat avocado.
It’s no surprise that avocados (and in turn, guacamole) are good for your gut. They’re full of fiber, a nutrient known for its gut health benefits. Plus, they’re a good source of antioxidants which help prevent damage to intestinal cells, per a 2021 study in Antioxidants.
Promotes a Healthy Pregnancy
Guacamole is a good source of folate, which is a critical nutrient for a healthy pregnancy. Folate helps prevent neural tube defects and other birth defects, per the NIH, so it’s important to eat folate-rich foods and take a prenatal vitamin that contains folic acid.
Even if you’re not pregnant, folate is important for DNA synthesis and cell division, per the NIH.
Guacamole is a fun way to incorporate more folate in your diet, whether you’re pregnant or not.
Potential Health Drawbacks of Guacamole
Guacamole is a nutrient-dense food, and it’s worth incorporating regularly in your diet.
That said, some (but not all) guacamole is high in sodium. Some pre-packaged guacamoles, in particular, are high in sodium.
Eating too much sodium is linked with high blood pressure, so it’s worth being mindful of overdoing salt in your diet, particularly if your blood pressure is already high.
You can check the food label before selecting a guacamole and try finding one with less than 10% of the DV of sodium per serving. You can also make your own guacamole at home and rely mostly on onion and lemon or lime juice for flavor rather than adding a lot of salt.
Incorporating Guacamole to Promote Your Health
There are so many fun and tasty ways to incorporate guacamole in your diet. From traditional Mexican dishes to egg dishes to rice bowls and more, there are infinite options for eating more guacamole.
Some ways to incorporate guacamole in your diet include:
Add it to toast
Eat it with eggs
Add it to rice bowls
Dip chips or veggies in it
Add it to a burger
Guacamole can help you meet your daily fruit and veggie needs. Although avocados and tomatoes are technically fruit, they’re categorized as veggies by the USDA.
One avocado counts as one cup of veggies. For reference, the USDA recommends adults eat 2.5–4 cups of vegetables per day.
Final Thoughts
Guacamole is a nutrient-dense, tasty way to eat more veggies. Its main ingredient—avocado—can help lower your cholesterol, manage your blood sugars, and improve your gut health. You can add guacamole to everything from burgers to tacos to eggs and more.
For education on how to ADD nutrition to your favorite Latine cultural dishes, make peace with food, and focus on your health without dieting, join our nutrition library for just $27/month.
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