Mission Viejo, CA—A studyperformed on 31 overweight and obese men and women found that eating avocados for breakfast lead to improved glycemic and lipoprotein profiles, as well as improved flow mediated dilation, compared to a control meal.
Those who ate a whole avocado tended to have lower concentrations of triglyceride-rich lipoproteins and higher concentrations of high-density lipoprotein (HDL), the good cholesterol. Tumor necrosis factor-A tended to be lower, too, after a whole avocado vs. no avocado. Race/ethnicity influenced sub-class lipoprotein concentrations.
The Hass Avocado Board sent out apress releasepointing out that this is particularly good news for U.S. Hispanics, among whom heart disease is a leading cause of death. The release further mentioned that the conclusions of the study align with the growing body of evidence supporting the heart-health benefits of avocado, but that they cannot be generalized to all populations. More clinical studies, the release says, are underway to investigate the long-term effects, and the relationship between avocado consumption and heart health.
Sylvia Melendez-Klinger, RD, Aguacates Frescos—Saborea Uno Hoy spokesperson, said in the release, “Everyday heart-healthy eating plans can include fresh avocados as part of smoothies, breakfast toast, and even pancakes as they provide naturally good fats and are sodium and cholesterol free.”
