by Researchers have found that eating an avocado a day can reduce “bad” cholesterol levels and reduce cardiovascular risk. Avocados might not be the kind of “fruit” you’d expect, but they’re packed with powerful health benefits, including their ability to lower your bad cholesterol levels.
According to a randomized trial conducted by researchers from Penn State, Loma Linda, Tufts, UCLA and Wake Forest universities, participants who ate one avocado daily for six months saw a reduction in bad cholesterol levels in their bodies. This study was done to see if consuming avocados can help reduce body weight, body mass index (BMI), and weight circumference. Of the 1,000 overweight and obese participants, half were told to eat an avocado a day, while the other half were encouraged to continue their normal diet.
Although the study did not find that regular avocado consumption had an effect on belly fat, liver fat, and waist circumference, the differences in lower LDL cholesterol levels were enough for the researchers take this into account. The body produces two types of cholesterol: high density lipoproteins (HDL) and low density lipoproteins (LDL). HDL is known as the “good” cholesterol and can help remove “bad” LDL cholesterol from the blood, which can build up in your arteries.
According to the American Heart Association, a diet high in saturated and trans fats can raise your LDL cholesterol levels, which increases your risk of heart disease.
However, while avocados are known to have the highest fat content – with 29 grams of fat in one fruit – they are widely known to be a rich source of monounsaturated fats. Monounsaturated fats help lower your LDL cholesterol levels, which lowers your risk of heart disease. Another study from the Journal of the American Heart Association found that high avocado consumption was associated with a lower risk of cardiovascular and coronary heart disease, especially when replaced with other fat-containing foods.
Avocado consumption also did not lead to weight gain
Although the trial did not result in a difference in belly fat and waist circumference, eating an avocado a day did not lead to additional weight gain, despite the fact that avocados are calorie dense. “It’s positive because eating extra calories from avocados doesn’t affect body weight or abdominal fat and slightly lowers total and LDL cholesterol,” said Joan Sabaté, a professor at the Loma Linda University School of Public Health, in the study overview. .
While an avocado has 322 calories, it’s also high in fiber, with 13 grams in just one fruit. Avocados contain soluble fiber, a type of fiber known to absorb cholesterol from your bloodstream and eliminate it. Eating at least 30 grams of fiber a day can also help manage weight, lower your blood pressure, and improve your body’s insulin levels. The researchers also concluded that for participants who ate an avocado a day, the quality of their diet also improved significantly.
“This is important because we know that a higher quality diet is associated with a lower risk for a number of diseases, including heart disease, type 2 diabetes and certain cancers,” said Kristina Petersen, assistant professor of Nutritional Sciences at Texas Tech University. in his review.
If you want to live well into old age, have a healthy life, it’s important to make your heart health a priority, which means making efforts to control your cholesterol levels.
Over time, high cholesterol can lead to a number of health issues, increasing the risk of heart disease, stroke and more. Fortunately, managing our cholesterol can be as simple as making a few lifestyle changes. In fact, one of the best things you can do for your heart is to include the right foods in your diet.
Sheri Berger, RD, also known as The Plant Strong Dietitian, spoke to Shefinds.com about 2 ways to lower cholesterol levels in our bodies. Adding more soluble fiber and omega-3 fatty acids to our diets are two of the best things we can do.
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