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Avocado Nutrition
Read more about the healthy fats, vitamins and minerals that make this fruit a superfood.
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We invite you to join fellow growers and international experts for this not to be missed avocado industry event. This is your opportunity to increase your awareness of the amazing nutritional properties of the avocado, gain knowledge about increasing the health of your orchard and learn about how we can ensure we maintain a strong and sustainable industry.Register for NUTRITIONAL VALUES now to take advantage of the early bird rates.What are the specific health properties of avocado? How do we increase the visibility of these attributes? And how does what we do in our orchards and throughout the value chain impact on the final product we deliver to consumers?The Nutritional Values conference will explore these questions and more, while providing you with an opportunity to reconnect, make new connections and discuss your ideas with peers and experts.The programme features international speakers and experts from Australasia who will present the latest knowledge on issues important to maximising value for the New Zealand and Australian avocado industries. Attendees will also spend time visiting successful orchards and postharvest facilities in the Bay of Plenty.Exciting programme, fabulous location, and memorable social events. Register for Nutritional Values at avocadoconference.co.nz Conference organising committee: Ashby WhiteheadChairman NZAGA Jim KochiChairman, AAL Jen ScoularCEO, NZ Avocado John TyasCEO, AAL
Te Puke orchardist and NZAGA Grower Rep of seven years, Ashby Whitehead, is the new chairman-elect of NZAGA and AIC."I am excited about the excellent opportunities available for avocados from New Zealand but also very aware of the challenges we face as an industry. I look forward to leading the industry through this phase of change and improvement, with the development of new markets in Asia, building the nutritional platform for avocados and strengthening the avocado category in the New Zealand market,” Mr Whitehead said. Mr Whitehead will replace current chairman John Schnackenberg when he steps down from the position in May as part of a planned succession. Mr Schnackenberg has served as chairman since 2007 and will continue as a Grower Representative on the NZAGA Executive and AIC Ltd Board.Mr Whitehead has been one of the eight grower-elected directors on AIC's ten-member board since 2006.Mr Whitehead has been a successful avocado grower since 1996. He and wife Linda purchased a run-down apple orchard in Te Puke in 1991, converting to avocados after much tidying up and rehabilitation of the land. In 2000 they acquired the neighbouring orchard and planted a further 0.75ha of avocados and 3.5ha of kiwifruit.Ashby has had a long career in engineering, something which he has recently come back to following the effects of Psa-V. He is very active in the Te Puke avocado and kiwifruit communities and also sits on the AIC Finance committee, the Recognised Product Group, Quality Standards Committee and Local Market Committee."I look forward to addressing the joint New Zealand and Australian avocado growers' conference in September in Tauranga in my new role as Chairman. It will be an excellent opportunity to connect with New Zealand and international avocado growers.” Says Mr Whitehead.Mr Whitehead takes the Chairmanship at a time when there is major activity on the horizon for NZ Avocado."We are currently working on a business case for a Primary Growth Partnership with the Ministry for Primary Industries and also worked closely with Plant & Food Research to submit a bid for avocado research funding from the Ministry for Business Innovation and Employment,” says Mr Whitehead. "The crown investment will allow us to significantly accelerate our projects and implement solutions to create a far more profitable industry going forward.”Outgoing chairman John Schnackenberg said "Ashby brings a strong grower focus to the chairmanship.”NZAGA Grower Representative Tony Ponder has been elected as the new Vice Chair of NZAGA. Tony has served on the Board since 2005.
Positive health indicators also associated with avocado consumption IRVINE, Calif. (February 20, 2013) – New analysis of data from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) , a program of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), indicates that consuming avocados may be associated with better diet quality and nutrient intake level, lower intake of added sugars, lower body weight, BMI and waist circumferences, higher "good cholesterol" levels and lower metabolic syndrome risk. These results were published in the January 2013 issue of Nutrition Journal. Specifically, the survey data (NHANES 2001-2008, 17,567 U.S. adults ages 19 years and older) revealed that the 347 adults (50% female) who consumed avocados in any amount during a 24-hour dietary recording period had several significantly better nutrient intake levels and more positive health indicators than those who did not consume avocados. Among the avocado consumers, average daily consumption was about one half (70.1 /- 5.4 g/day) of a medium sized avocado, somewhat higher in male avocado consumers (75.3 /-6.3 g/day) than females (66.7 /- 7.3 g/day). Overall Diet Quality, Energy and Nutrient Intakes According to the study, Avocado consumers more closely adhered to the Dietary Guidelines for Americans than those who did not eat avocados, as measured by the Healthy Eating Index (HEI). Avocado consumers had significantly higher intakes of certain important nutrients including 36% more dietary fiber, 23% more vitamin E, 13% more magnesium, 16% more potassium and 48% more vitamin K than non-consumers. Avocado consumers also had significantly higher intakes of "good" fats (18% more monounsaturated and 12% more polyunsaturated) and total fats (11% more) than non-consumers, although average caloric intake of both groups was the same. Avocado consumers and non-consumers had similar intakes of sodium. Physiological Health Measures Avocado consumers had significantly lower BMI values than non-consumers. Avocado consumers had significantly smaller waist circumference measures than non-consumers (an average of 4 cm smaller). Avocado consumers weighed significantly less than non-consumers (an average of 7.5 pounds less). Avocado consumers had significantly higher HDL ("good") cholesterol levels. Metabolic Syndrome RiskThe study found that Avocado consumers had a 50% lower odds ratio for metabolic syndrome compared to non-consumers. Metabolic syndrome is a name given to a group of risk factors which, when they occur together, increase the risk for coronary artery disease, stroke and type-2 diabetes. As with most analyses of NHANES data, research findings were based on cross-sectional data from a single 24-hour dietary recall (which may be inaccurate and biased due to misreporting and memory lapses) and cannot provide cause and effect evidence between avocado consumption and improvements in diet quality. "These findings suggest an interesting association between the consumption of avocados and better nutrient intakes and other positive outcomes," said study primary investigator Victor Fulgoni, PhD. "These observations were derived from population survey data, they provide important clues to better understanding the relationships between diet and health, and give direction to future research endeavors." "To this end, the Hass Avocado Board is funding additional clinical studies to investigate the relationship between fresh avocado consumption and risk factors for cardiovascular disease, avocados' potential positive role in weight management and diabetes, and avocados' ability to enhance nutrient absorption," said Hass Avocado Board Executive Director Emiliano Escobedo. ###For a free copy of the abstract or the full study visit: http://www.nutritionj.com/content/12/1/1For additional information or free resources on avocado research, recipes, tips and photos visit the Hass Avocado Board web site at AvocadoCentral.com. About the Hass Avocado BoardThe Hass Avocado Board was established in 2002 to promote the consumption of Hass avocados in the United States. A 12-member board representing domestic producers and importers of Hass avocados directs HAB's promotion, research and information programs under supervision of the United States Department of Agriculture. Hass avocados are grown in California and imported into the US from Mexico, Chile, Peru, Dominican Republic and New Zealand.Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. About the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey. Available at: http://www.cdc.gov/nchs/nhanes/about_nhanes.htm. Accessed on January 31, 2013.Fulgoni VL, Dreher M and Davenport A. Avocado Consumption is Associated with Better Diet Quality and Nutrient Intake, and Lower Metabolic Syndrome Risk in US Adults: Results from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) 2001-2008. Nutrition Journal. 2013; 12:1 (2 January 2013)United States Department of Agriculture. Healthy Eating Index. Available at: http://www.cnpp.usda.gov/healthyeatingindex.htm. Accessed on January 30, 2013. National Heart Blood and Lung Institute. What is Metabolic Syndrome? Available at: http://www.nhlbi.nih.gov/health/health-topics/topics/ms/. Accessed on January 30, 2013.
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Read more about the healthy fats, vitamins and minerals that make this fruit a superfood.
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