Avocados are extremely healthy fruit that it is rich in healthy fats, fiber, vitamins and minerals. Health benefits of avocado consumption may include improving digestion, lowering the risk of depression, and preventing bone loss. Do you know that consuming avocados can also aid heart health?
Several recent studies have demonstrated how avocados can help contribute to a heart-healthy diet and lifestyle. A 2022 study, published in the Journal of the American Heart Association, finds that those who ate at least two servings of avocado a week had a lower risk of CVD compared to people who rarely ate avocados. The study was carried out over a 30-year period, involving over 110,000 participants, and the authors concluded that replacing certain fat‐containing foods with avocado could lead to a lower risk of CVD.
Another study published in the same journal has found that eating one avocado a day for six months could slightly lower low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol levels.
“There is a growing body of research which supports the idea that the inclusion of avocados in the diet can positively benefit your health. Avocados are low in sugar and salt, but high in a number of important nutrients for cardiovascular health including monounsaturated fats, plant sterols, potassium and fibre” says study co-author Dr Joan Sabaté MD, DrPH, Professor of Nutrition and Epidemiology at Loma Linda University School of Public Health.
Besides these two recent clinical trials, over the few years, other studies have demonstrated that avocado consumption can be associated with improved overall diet quality, nutrient intake, and reduced risk of metabolic syndrome (the medical term for a number of conditions that increase the risk of CVD and stroke).
Kavita Devgan, a leading dietitian, holistic health consultant, and an eminent writer told Financial Express.com that avocados are a unique fruit thanks to the large quantity of healthy monounsaturated fats they contain. These fats can help reduce LDL cholesterol levels in the blood which can lower the risk of heart disease and stroke.
“A recent study published in the Journal of the American Heart Association found that two servings of avocado a week lowered the risk of cardiovascular disease (CVD). The authors concluded that the replacement of certain fat‐containing foods with avocado could lead to a lower risk of CVD. Another reason avocados can be beneficial to cardiovascular health is because they are the fruit with the richest source of phytosterols, alongside their emulsified fat matrix, which can help increase intestinal cholesterol-blocking,” Devgan told Financial Express.com.
Avocados contain very little sugar and have a low glycaemic index (GI). Replacing saturated fats (such as those found in animal products) with unsaturated fats (such as those found in avocados) can also improve insulin sensitivity and reduce the risk of type 2 diabetes, she said.
Indeed, a study in the US found a direct link between avocado intake and lower rates of incident type 2 diabetes amongst those with an increased risk of the disease, she added.