The Big Bad Avocado

Yes, I know, I keep going on about how good avocados are for you.  But I keep doing it because I keep getting resistance to eating them from lots of people.

Avocados have had so much bad press for so long, it's difficult to change peoples' perception of them, which is such a shame as they are packed with vitamins, minerals and HEALTHY FATS.  Avocados are rich in monounsaturated fat which helps REDUCE levels of LDL cholesterol - otherwise known as "bad" cholesterol.  They also contain more potassium than bananas and are rich in vitamins B, C and K.

But first things first; cholesterol is a type of fat that is produced by the human body and is key to good health.  We have all heard of the two most common forms of cholesterol; HDL or "good" and LDL or "bad".  HDL or High Density Lipoprotein which guards against heart problems while the LDL or Low Density Lipoprotein, causes build-up on artery walls causing blockages which can lead to heart disease.  But there are other types LP (a) a genetic variation of LDL which together with triglycerides (a form of fat made in the body), make up the TOTAL cholesterol count on your blood test.

However, one of the most important jobs carried out by cholesterol is to help in hormone production. Cholesterol is stored in the ovaries, testes and adrenal glands and is converted to steroid hormones.  Steroid hormones are necessary for the correct functioning of the human body, and without them we would have problems with weight, sex, bone and mental health.

Cholesterol also helps in digestion.  The liver uses cholesterol in the production of bile which helps us to digest the food we eat - especially fats.

Cholesterol is also a structural compound of cells together with polar lipids, cholesterol provides a protective barrier.  Cells are affected by increases and decreases in cholesterol and these changes can affect our ability to metabolize and produce energy.

However, unhealthy diets can cause high levels of LDL cholesterol, which raises the risk of heart disease and stroke.  Being overweight or obese raises your risk of having high LDL levels, BUT normal weight people can also have high LDL levels, so it is important to get your cholesterol levels checked regularly.

Now, back to avocados.  A small study published in the Journal of the American Heart Association,

found that eating an avocado a day as part of a heart-healthy, cholesterol-lowering diet can help improve LDL levels in overweight or obese individuals.

45 overweight or obese but otherwise healthy individuals between the ages of 21 and 70 were put on three different diets to lower cholesterol.

Diet 1:  Lower-fat diet WITHOUT avocado
Diet 2:  Moderate-fat diet WITHOUT avocado
Diet 3:  Moderate-fat diet WITH one avocado per day.

Each participant ate each of the three diets for 5 weeks.

The results were astounding:

The average American diet was used as the baseline and when compared to this the reduced-fat diet (diet 1) LDL levels were 7.4 points lower.  Diet 2 - moderate-fat with NO avocado, LDL levels were 8.3 points lower.  And Diet 3 - moderate-fat WITH avocado was a whopping 13.5 points lower!  But it doesn't stop there; several other benefits were noted from the moderate-fat avocado diet: total cholesterol and triglyceride levels were improved also.

So, an avocado a day doesn't just add fiber, vitamins, minerals and healthy fats to your body, but it also helps protect your heart.

I can help you improve your health.  If you would like to make an appointment with me either in person or via Skype, just send me an email to lucycarr@socialnutrition.com