An
avocado a day may help keep bad cholesterol at bay
American Heart Association, Science
Daily
Eating one avocado a day as part of a heart healthy,
cholesterol-lowering moderate-fat diet can help improve bad cholesterol levels
in overweight and obese individuals, according to new research published in the Journal of the American Heart
Association.
Researchers evaluated the effect avocados had on traditional and
novel cardiovascular risk factors by replacing saturated fatty acids from an
average American diet with unsaturated fatty acids from avocados.
Forty-five healthy, overweight or obese patients between the
ages of 21 and 70 were put on three different cholesterol-lowering diets.
The two moderate fat diets both provided 34
percent of calories as fat (17 percent of calories from monounsaturated fatty
acids/MUFAs), whereas the lower fat diet provided 24 percent of calories as fat
(11 percent from MUFAs).
Each participant consumed each of the three test diet
for five weeks. Participants were randomly sequenced through each of the three
diets.
Researchers found:
- Compared to the baseline average American diet, low-density lipoprotein (LDL) -- the so called 'bad cholesterol' -- was 13.5 mg/dL lower after consuming the moderate fat diet that included an avocado. LDL was also lower on the moderate fat diet without the avocado (8.3 mg/dL lower) and the lower fat diet (7.4 mg/dL lower), though the results were not as striking as the avocado diet.
- Several additional blood measurements were also more favorable after the avocado diet versus the other two cholesterol-lowering diets as well: total cholesterol, triglycerides, small dense LDL, non-HDL cholesterol, and others.
These measurements are all considered to be cardio-metabolic
risk factors in ways that are independent of the heart-healthy fatty acid
effects, said Penny M. Kris-Etherton, Ph.D., R.D., senior study author and
Chair of the American Heart Association's Nutrition Committee and Distinguished
Professor of Nutrition at Pennsylvania State University, in University Park,
Pennsylvania.
"This was a controlled feeding study, but that is not the
real-world -- so it is a proof-of-concept investigation. We need to focus on
getting people to eat a heart-healthy diet that includes avocados and other
nutrient-rich food sources of better fats," Kris-Etherton said.
"In the United States avocados are not a mainstream food
yet, and they can be expensive, especially at certain times of the year. Also,
most people do not really know how to incorporate them in their diet except for
making guacamole. But guacamole is typically eaten with corn chips, which are
high in calories and sodium. Avocados, however, can also be eaten with salads,
vegetables, sandwiches, lean protein foods (like chicken or fish) or even
whole."
For the study researchers used Hass avocados, the ones with
bumpy green skin. In addition to MUFAs, avocados also provided other bioactive
components that could have contributed to the findings such as fiber,
phytosterols, and other compounds.
According to researchers, many heart-healthy diets recommend
replacing saturated fatty acids with MUFAs or polyunsaturated fatty acids to
reduce the risk of heart disease. This is because saturated fats can increase
bad cholesterol levels and raise the risk of cardiovascular disease.
The Mediterranean diet, includes fruits, vegetables, whole
grains, fatty fish, and foods rich in monounsaturated fatty acids--like
extra-virgin olive oil and nuts. Like avocados, some research indicates that
these not only contain better fats but also certain micronutrients and
bioactive components that may play an important role in reducing risk of heart
disease.
Story
Source:
The above story is based on materials provided by American Heart Association.Note:
Materials may be edited for content and length.
Journal
Reference:
Li Wang, Peter L. Bordi, Jennifer A. Fleming, Alison M. Hill,
and Penny M. Kris‐etherton. Effect of a Moderate Fat Diet
With and Without Avocados on Lipoprotein Particle Number, Size and Subclasses
in Overweight and Obese Adults: A Randomized, Controlled Trial. Journal of the American Heart
Association, January 2015 DOI: 10.1161/JAHA.114.001355
Cite
This Page:
American Heart Association. "An avocado a day may help keep
bad cholesterol at bay." Science Daily, 7 January 2015.
<www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2015/01/150107204818.htm>.