Avocado, A Heart Healthy Fruit?

Friday, 03. 12. 2010  –  Category: Heart Health

Photo by Michael Mark under Creative Commons License

 Avocado, a Heart Healthy Fruit?  

              Yes, avocado is considered a fruit. But, I am not going to write about whether it’s a fruit or a vegetable. It would be one boring blog. Instead, I’ll tell you about what I found out about avocados and their benefits for heart health. It’s an amazing fruit, really.  

              Growing up in Europe, avocados were not as popular as on the other side of the Atlantic Ocean, but my family would always buy them if available at a local super market. Avocados were in the fruit section, so I was always confused that it didn’t taste like fruits at all. Our family used avocados mostly in salads and that’s how I became a fan of their delicious taste. There are actually hundreds of different ways your can use avocado and if you don’t believe me, visit California or Texas. These two states are the biggest consumers of avocado in the US.    

  Fat, Cholesterol, and Confusion  

              But, not everyone was a fan of avocado. I remember a family friend who said that avocados are high in fat and that fat raises cholesterol. Certain unhealthy types of fat definitely don’t help cholesterol but, not all fat is bad. We need to differentiate fats here, for example, trans fat that you may find in greasy fries from your local joint is bad, but monounsaturated or polyunsaturated fats, in reasonable amounts, can actually help in lowering cholesterol.  

  Avocado for Heart Health  

              A study that was done in Australia shows that including avocados in one’s diet may help reduce cholesterol by 8 percent. This is better than just a low fat diet by itself. That same study showed that HDL cholesterol (the good stuff) increased by 15 percent in people who included avocados in their daily meals. Such benefits are caused by avocado’s healthy monounsaturated fat and Beta- Sitosterol. Beta- Sitosterol blocks LDL (bad cholesterol) from absorbing, resulting in lower cholesterol levels.  

              Amazingly, Australian study not only showed that avocados may help reduce cholesterol levels, but help with weight management as well. Eating half to a one and a half avocado per day for a month helped people to lose weight.  

  We’re Missing the Point  

              I was excited to find out that avocado fat is healthy and helps reduce cholesterol levels along with other benefits. Looks like our family friend didn’t know much about different types of fats and was misinformed. Knowing this kind of information may greatly benefit us in selecting the right foods for a healthier lifestyle. Many of us miss out on lots of great food that is available for us everyday, with plenty of benefits. So, next time you’re doing grocery shopping, put that avocado in your cart.

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