Avocado Intake Linked to Healthier Diet

A recent study from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) suggests that eating avocados may be associated with an overall healthier diet.

Avocados are a nutritious source of potassium, containing 60% more potassium than bananas. An avocado has a higher fat content than other fruit, but the fat is monounsaturated fat, considered healthy when consumed in moderation. Diets rich in monounsaturated fatty acids can reduce total cholesterol and increase the ratio of high-density lipoprotein (HDL) to low-density lipoprotein (LDL).

In the NHANES study, 17,567 adult participants answered dietary surveys about their eating habits. Researchers assessed diet quality from the USDA Healthy Eating Index-2005. 347 participants frequently ate avocadoes, of which the average consumption was half an avocado daily.

Avocado intake was linked to an overall more nutritious diet. The avocado consumers had significantly higher vegetable and fruit intake, in addition to significantly lower sugar intake. Individuals eating avocados also consumed significantly more total fat, vitamins E and K, magnesium, potassium and fiber than those who didn't eat avocados.

Furthermore, avocado consumers had a significantly lower weight, BMI and waist circumference, compared to non-avocado consumers. Avocado intake was significantly linked to a lower risk of metabolic syndrome, defined by waist circumference, triglyceride levels, blood pressure and fasting glucose levels.

For more information about avocados, please visit Natural Standard's Foods, Herbs & Supplements Database.

Comments

[NBF]

I love avocados and put them in my salad all the time. Looks like it has quite a long list of potential health benefits. Not only does it offer great taste and nutrition it is also shown to reduce total cholesterol, raise HDL (the good cholesterol), have anti-inflammatory properties and protect against liver damage. Now it is being linked to a better nutritional diet. Looks like avocados are the way to go!!

[bp]

I didn't realize avocado actually had evidence for high cholesterol! That's interesting, since I think a lot of people associate avocado with high fat/high cholesterol. Avocado can be used in so many ways besides guacamole . . . I love avocado in salads, but I don't eat it consistently. Maybe I should give it a try for my own health, not just taste enjoyment!

[Ml]

I never knew that avocados were high in potassium. Avocado consumption does need to be in moderation since there is some fat content. It is interesting that this study saw that people who ate avocados have a healthier diet. I have seen a lot of restaurants include avocados in salads and sandwiches. I have also seen avocado based salad dressings too, avocados are not just for guacamole anymore.

[deb]

Avocado is so rich in healthy fat. I would engulf a lot during lunch and don't have to worry about being unhealthy. There are so many good recipes on Natural Standard website: Turkey avocado bacon wrap, Tilapia with avocado and salsa, Tilapia ceviche, Strawberry avocado dip, Red quinoa and avocado salad. I am going to try Red quinoa and avocado salad out this weekend.

[er]

A few studies have shown regular avocado intake (one-half to one and a half avocados daily) for two to four weeks can actually lower cholesterol levels and raise beneficial HDL. On another note, topical avocado creams have also been studied in patients with psoriasis due to the fruit's high vitamin E content. Avocado currently has an Natural Standard evidence grade of C for psoriasis, but it will be interesting to see what future studies find. The fruit definitely has some health benefit potential!

[BV]

This is an interesting correlation, as I have noticed more and more restaurants incorporating avocados into their dishes. I personally love avocados and use them as a creamy substitute for mayo or mustard on a sandwich whenever possible, knowing they a great source of vitamin E, potassium and healthy fats. However, it recently came to my attention that people who are allergic to latex could have an allergy to avocados. This cross-reactivity is thought to occur because there are enzymes called chitinases in the avocado which are thought to have a structure similar to latex, causing the body to react. This may be a good fact to keep in mind before recommending avocados to a friend.

[Sabrina]

This is great news! I do love to eat avocados and recently started to make guacamole more frequently. I did not know that another benefit of eating avocados is that they can help with osteoarthritis symptoms. This can be beneficial to those who take NSAIDS since NSAIDS can cause many bad side effects.

[bp]

I have colleagues at work who will bring an avocado with them at just eat the whole thing plain on their breaks. I love avocados, but prefer them in salads. A little tip - a riper avocado (slightly mushy, but not too much!), makes a great addition to a salad, and it also acts a little like a dressing. So you can get the benefits of avocado and skip the calories from salad dressings, making them doubly good for healthy eating!

[bz]

I really appreciate the FL RPH who dug up the information about where the funding for this study came from. While avocados are a healthy alternative to dairy or meat based fats, it is always important to see if there is any bias on the part of the people conducting the study. I also didn't realize that avocados were so high in potassium, so I am glad that I read this article to add that information to my brain for future use!

[SB]

I think that avacodos on their own didn't cause people to have a lower BMI and smaller waist circumference, but are just a food that has been adopted into a healthier lifestyle. Avacodos are great in salad, which tends to lean towards a healthier eating trend. They are not always the easiest thing to come across, so they are probably eaten more often by people who hang out in the produce aisle of their grocery store, rather than in the frozen food section.

[bz]

This is interesting news, as I too have always been told that avocados are bad for you since they are so high in fat and calories. I suppose replacing meat fats with avocado would be a much healthier way to eat those fats. I've always love to just eat avocados plain with a little salt sprinkled on top, but got out of the habit because I always learned how bad they are for you!

[FL RPH]

I agree with some of the above comments that here are too many confounding variables in this study to support any significant health claims. I would imagine similar results would be seen if this same study was done and looked at pretty much any other fruit or vegetable. Another important thing to note is that the study was funded by the Hass Avocado Board, so there is potential for some bias in their findings. A review of the study says there was a small pool of avocado eaters, which can over emphasize results if the study is not powered with enough participants. The researchers acknowledge that the study does not claim a cause and effect relationship, but rather a health association...which is interesting but expected.

[Zach]

I had no idea avocados had so much potassium in them! I find the link to reduced metabolic syndrome interesting too...avocados are high in fat. I suppose the reduction in metabolic syndrome could be coming from the fact that these participants are eating less saturated fat overall? Very cool. (I like avocados, its always nice to hear you are eating right even if you're not trying!)

[KJ]

This is very interesting, I personally love avocados and knew that they were a great source of nutrition but not to the extent that is mentioned here. One thing I would want to look into in this study would be what the change in diet habits and or weight would be between groups. Even though they contain more fat than other fruits, they also have a rich source of beta-sisterol which has been shown to have both cholesterol lowering effects as well as anti-cancer effects. Also, avocados have a natural standard evidence grade of B for osteoarthritis. Studies have shown that avocado as well as other soybean extracts have reduced the use of NSAIDs in patients with osteoarthritis.

[SS]

This is great to hear! I love avocados and eat them all the time but people used to tell me they weren't that good for you because they have alot of calories. I'm glad to see this and now know that there are many health benefits for avocados. They're great by themselves or on a salad but I think my favorite way is to make a quick guacamole. You just take avocado and mash until creamy, add diced tomatoes and fresh jalanpeno (as many or little as you'd like depending on flavor), and a dash of salt and pepper. It you want to make it last longer without turning brown, leave the pit in the guacamole. It's really simple to make and tastes great.

[AR]

It sounds to me like people who eat avocados are just healthier eaters overall. The results of this study state that "avocado consumers had significantly higher intakes of vegetables (p<0.05); fruit, diet quality, total fat, monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats, dietary fiber, vitamins E, K, magnesium, and potassium (p<0.0001); vitamin K (p=0.0013); and lower intakes of added sugars (p<0.0001)." There are too many confounding factors in this study to determine if avocado intake is the sole cause of improved diet quality and decreased metabolic syndrome. This is an interesting correlation, though.