Health benefits of avocados

Avocado a day reduces artherogenic oxLDL by up to 8.8%

45 overweight adults were randomly assigned to 1 of 3 cholesterol-lowering diets, meaning that less than 7% of calories came from saturated fat. The diets consisted of

LF – A lower fat diet (24% fat)
MF – A moderate fat diet high in oleic oil (34% fat)
AV – A moderate fat diet, including a avocado a day (34% fat)

The avocado group had an 8.8% reduction in oxLDL compared to baseline. oxLDL promotes atherosclerosis through inflammatory and immunologic mechanisms.

“Including 1 avocado per day in a heart-healthy diet decreased circulating oxLDL and increased plasma lutein concentrations compared with a typical Western diet”

“We conclude that these benefits are due to the bioactive compounds present in avocados beyond their fatty acids. The decrease in small LDL particles may contribute to the oxLDL-lowering effect observed on the avocado diet.”

https://academic.oup.com/jn/article/150/2/276/5588100?login=false

Those who ate the most avocado’s had 16% lower CVD risk, and a 21% lower CHD risk

51.529 males (40 – 75 years) and 121.700 females (30 – 55 years) were asked to respond to questionnaires inquiring about lifestyle, medical history, and other health information every 2 years.

During 30 years of follow‐up there were a total of 14 274 total Cardiovascular disease (CVD) cases documented.

After adjusting for major diet and lifestyle factors a higher avocado intake (≥2 servings/week) had a 16% lower risk of CVD, and a 21% lower risk of Coronary heart disease (CHD).

“Substitution of certain fat‐containing food sources (ie, margarine, cheese, processed meats) with healthy unsaturated fats such as avocado, may lead to lower CVD and CHD risk.”

“The primary MUFA present in avocados is oleic acid, and it is suggested that it helps in improving endothelial dysfunction, hypertension, inflammation, and insulin sensitivity.”

“Plant sterols, plant analogs of cholesterol, are moderately high in avocados (136 g fruit without skin and seed=≈104 mg beta‐sitosterol), and could have favorable effects on lipid profiles.”

“Moreover, higher fiber intake via avocado consumption can lead to a better lipid profile.”

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC9075418/