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Eating one avocado daily may help lower heart disease risk in adults with abdominal obesity, according to a recent study.
As part of a healthy diet, avocados have been linked to better sleep as well as numerous other health benefits.
Now, a new study from researchers Janhavi Damani, Kristina Peterson and a team at Penn State has found the popular fruit lowered levels of a type of cholesterol-carrying particle linked to cardiovascular disease.
“The main takeaway is that a simple dietary change, adding one avocado per day, reduced LDL particle levels, suggesting that small, achievable dietary modifications may contribute to heart health,” Damani told Newsweek in an email.
The research, published in the Journal of Clinical Lipidology, found that incorporating a single avocado into participants’ daily diets for six months reduced concentrations of low-density lipoprotein (LDL) particles by 49 nanomoles per liter.
The researchers said that improvement corresponds to an estimated 4-percent reduction in cardiovascular disease risk.
How It Works
Unlike LDL cholesterol—the “bad” cholesterol commonly measured in blood tests—LDL particles refer to the protein carriers that transport cholesterol through the bloodstream.
Researchers found that a higher number of these particles increases cardiovascular risk, especially in individuals with abdominal obesity, even when LDL cholesterol levels are similar.
“While our study was not designed as a food replacement study, participants who consumed an avocado each day tended to eat fewer foods containing added sugars and refined grains,” Damani said, adding that avocados could—for example—be used at times in place of butter.
“Based on the available evidence, replacing foods high in solid fats and added sugars with avocados may provide greater benefits for heart and metabolic health than simply adding avocado to the diet.”
According to the researchers, the smaller LDL particles are more likely to penetrate artery walls, contributing to plaque buildup that narrows blood vessels and reduces their flexibility.
That process can increase blood pressure during periods of physical exertion or stress and raise the risk of heart attack and other cardiovascular events.
‘The right direction’
Participants in the study were randomly assigned either to continue their normal diets or to consume one avocado each day while otherwise maintaining their usual eating habits and activity levels.
Earlier results from the trial found that daily avocado consumption did not affect body weight or waist circumference, although it modestly reduced LDL cholesterol. The new analysis focused specifically on lipoprotein particles.
Researchers found no significant changes in other lipoprotein particles, triglycerides or markers of insulin resistance.
The reduction in LDL particle concentration, meanwhile, was consistent across demographics, which suggests the benefit could broadly extend among adults with abdominal obesity.
The researchers noted that the improvement was “modest” compared to improvements from a bigger diet overhaul, and Damani clarified that the study could not show that it would work for people who are not dealing with obesity.
“While improving the overall diet is likely to have a greater impact on heart health, identifying small, feasible dietary changes may help people make sustainable improvements over time,” Damani said.
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