Forget the apples… new research states that an avocado a day is enough to help lower ‘bad’ cholesterol. Does your mouth water at the idea of creamy avocado on a slice of toast? According to new research from Penn State, one avocado a day may help lower so-called “bad” cholesterol or low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol.
What is good and bad cholesterol?
Cholesterol is an essential fatty substance in the body and forms part of the lining of every cell. It is produced by the liver, and we ingest it through food.
But while cholesterol plays a vital role in the body, there is a difference between “good and bad” cholesterol. The difference is in the composition – the more protein, the better, and the higher the density. Therefore:
High-density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol – these are lipoproteins with more protein than fat. This is the “good” cholesterol, and higher levels of HDL cholesterol indicate a lower risk of heart disease.
Low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol – these are lipoproteins with more fat than protein. This is the “bad” cholesterol. This constitutes the bulk of the cholesterol in the blood.
The goal for optimum heart health is to keep the level of fatty LDL cholesterol low, as this can clog the arteries and lead to heart problems.
What did the research entail?
The research team from Penn State did a randomised controlled feeding study, published in the Journal of Nutrition. The team recruited 45 overweight or obese adults. These participants followed a two-week initial diet that mimicked the average American diet to get them more or less on the same level before starting the study.
In the next phase, all participants completed five weeks on three different diets – low-fat, moderate-fat without avocados and moderate-fat with one avocado per day. After five weeks on the avocado diet, the participants had lower levels of LDL cholesterol than at the start of the study.
According to Penny Kris-Etherton, professor of nutrition, the inclusion of avocado in the diets was significant. She stated the following in a news report:
“We were able to show that when people incorporated one avocado a day into their diet, they had fewer small, dense LDL particles than before the diet. Consequently, people should consider adding avocados to their diet in a healthy way, like on whole-wheat toast or as a veggie dip.”
“When you think about bad cholesterol, it comes packaged in LDL particles, which vary in size,” she also stated. “All LDL is bad, but small, dense LDL is particularly bad. A key finding was that people on the avocado diet had fewer oxidised LDL particles. They also had more lutein, which may be the bioactive that’s protecting the LDL from being oxidised.”
Why avocado?
Besides the fact that the moderate-fat diet without avocados included the same amount of monounsaturated fat, the results were more significant on the avocado-diet.
The reason for this could be that the fruit has additional bioactives contributing to the result.
A bioactive called lutein could be the explanation – it prevents the LDL cholesterol particles from becoming oxidised. Oxidisation is the process that causes cholesterol to start building up in the arteries and may lead to heart disease.
Kris-Etherton said in the news report that the nutritional benefits of avocados is still a relatively new area of study and that there may be many more untapped health benefits.
Our own nutritionists at Nutritional Solutions agree that avocados benefit far more than just the heart.
“The fibre in avocados is a unique combination of insoluble fibre and soluble fibre. Soluble fibre acts like a mop and helps absorb fluid in the gut, forming a soft, gel-like substance to combat constipation. Insoluble fibre works like a broom, roughly sweeping through the length of the gut to remove waste. But fibre does far more than just keep us regular: it may play a role in preventing colon cancer, and even help with weight loss,” according to Monique Piderit in a previous Health24 article.
What are you waiting for? Whether you are enjoying your avo on toast or chopped up in a salad, it will certainly give your health a boost.
Image credit: iStock
57 comments
I was excited to uncover this website. I wanted to thank you for your time due to this wonderful read!! I definitely enjoyed every little bit of it and i also have you bookmarked to check out new things on your website.
bookmarked!!, I really like your site!
Spot on with this write-up, I honestly believe this amazing site needs much more attention. Iíll probably be back again to read more, thanks for the advice!
An outstanding share! I have just forwarded this onto a friend who has been doing a little research on this. And he actually ordered me dinner due to the fact that I stumbled upon it for him… lol. So allow me to reword this…. Thank YOU for the meal!! But yeah, thanx for spending the time to talk about this topic here on your site.
I blog often and I genuinely thank you for your information. The article has truly peaked my interest. I’m going to bookmark your blog and keep checking for new information about once per week. I opted in for your Feed as well.
Your style is so unique compared to other people I’ve read stuff from. Thanks for posting when you have the opportunity, Guess I will just bookmark this web site.
This web page is mostly a stroll-through for the entire information you wished about this and didn’t know who to ask. Glimpse right here, and also you’ll positively uncover it.
I’m gone to convey my little brother, that he should also go to see this website on regular basis to obtain updated from hottest news.|
Excellent article! We will be linking to this great article on our site. Keep up the great writing.
I like looking through an article that can make people think. Also, many thanks for allowing for me to comment!
After looking over a handful of the blog posts on your site, I seriously like your way of writing a blog. I added it to my bookmark site list and will be checking back in the near future. Take a look at my web site as well and tell me what you think.
You’re so cool! I do not believe I have read through a single thing like this before. So wonderful to find somebody with some genuine thoughts on this subject. Really.. thank you for starting this up. This web site is one thing that is required on the internet, someone with a little originality!
I blog often and I genuinely thank you for your information. Your article has truly peaked my interest. I’m going to take a note of your site and keep checking for new details about once per week. I subscribed to your Feed as well.
Everything is very open with a very clear description of the challenges. It was definitely informative. Your website is very useful. Many thanks for sharing!
After going over a few of the blog posts on your blog, I truly like your way of blogging. I book marked it to my bookmark site list and will be checking back in the near future. Please visit my website as well and tell me your opinion.
Greetings! Very helpful advice within this post! It is the little changes that will make the most important changes. Thanks a lot for sharing!
Title
[…]just beneath, are various absolutely not connected websites to ours, nevertheless, they are certainly worth going over[…]
After I originally commented I seem to have clicked the -Notify me when new comments are added- checkbox and from now on whenever a comment is added I get four emails with the same comment. Is there a way you are able to remove me from that service? Kudos!
all the time i used to read smaller posts which also clear their motive, and that is also happening with this paragraph which I am reading now.|
There is certainly a great deal to know about this topic. I really like all of the points you have made.
Way cool! Some extremely valid points! I appreciate you writing this post and the rest of the website is also really good.
Your style is so unique in comparison to other people I’ve read stuff from. Thank you for posting when you’ve got the opportunity, Guess I will just book mark this blog.
Spot on with this write-up, I actually feel this site needs far more attention. Iíll probably be returning to see more, thanks for the information!
Very good information. Lucky me I ran across your blog by accident (stumbleupon). I have bookmarked it for later!
I could not resist commenting. Well written!
Can I simply say what a comfort to uncover a person that truly understands what they’re discussing on the internet. You certainly understand how to bring a problem to light and make it important. More and more people need to check this out and understand this side of your story. I was surprised you aren’t more popular since you most certainly possess the gift.
Hmm it appears like your blog ate my first comment (it was extremely long) so I guess I’ll just sum it up what I wrote and say, I’m thoroughly enjoying your blog. I as well am an aspiring blog writer but I’m still new to the whole thing. Do you have any suggestions for inexperienced blog writers? I’d certainly appreciate it.
Having read this I believed it was extremely informative. I appreciate you taking the time and effort to put this informative article together. I once again find myself personally spending a significant amount of time both reading and commenting. But so what, it was still worthwhile!
Having read this I believed it was rather informative. I appreciate you finding the time and energy to put this information together. I once again find myself spending a significant amount of time both reading and posting comments. But so what, it was still worth it!
Pretty! This was an incredibly wonderful article. Thanks for supplying these details.
Heya i’m for the first time here. I came across this board and I to find It truly helpful & it helped me out much. I am hoping to offer something back and aid others such as you helped me.
Title
[…]Here are a number of the internet sites we advocate for our visitors[…]
Excellent article. I will be experiencing a few of these issues as well..
Hello there, You have done a great job. I will certainly digg it
and personally recommend to my friends. I’m confident they
will be benefited from this web site.
You should take part in a contest for one of the best websites on the net. I will recommend this website!
After looking over a few of the blog posts on your website, I honestly appreciate your way of blogging. I book-marked it to my bookmark webpage list and will be checking back soon. Please check out my website as well and tell me your opinion.
Sweet blog! I found it while browsing on Yahoo News. Do you have any tips on how to get listed in Yahoo News? I’ve been trying for a while but I never seem to get there! Cheers
It’s an remarkable post designed for all the internet visitors; they will take advantage from it I am sure.|
Good post. I learn something new and challenging on websites I stumbleupon every day. It will always be interesting to read through content from other authors and use a little something from other web sites.
You are a very intelligent person!
Great post! We are linking to this particularly great article on our website. Keep up the good writing.
This blog was… how do you say it? Relevant!! Finally I have found something which helped me. Many thanks!
Next time I read a blog, Hopefully it does not disappoint me as much as this particular one. I mean, I know it was my choice to read through, nonetheless I really believed you’d have something useful to talk about. All I hear is a bunch of whining about something you could fix if you weren’t too busy looking for attention.
Right here is the perfect web site for anyone who wants to find out about this topic. You understand a whole lot its almost tough to argue with you (not that I really would want toÖHaHa). You certainly put a fresh spin on a topic that has been written about for decades. Excellent stuff, just excellent!
Hi there! This blog post could not be written much better! Going through this post reminds me of my previous roommate! He always kept preaching about this. I’ll send this information to him. Fairly certain he will have a good read. Thank you for sharing!
Title
[…]always a major fan of linking to bloggers that I adore but really don’t get lots of link really like from[…]
Hi colleagues, how is the whole thing, and what you want to say regarding this piece of writing, in my view its actually remarkable in support of me.|
I’m also writing to make you know of the beneficial experience our daughter undergone browsing yuor web blog. She mastered a wide variety of issues, including what it is like to possess a very effective helping nature to let the mediocre ones just know just exactly some extremely tough issues. You actually exceeded our desires. I appreciate you for distributing such good, trusted, explanatory and easy thoughts on your topic to Kate.
Excellent site you have got here.. Itís hard to find good quality writing like yours these days. I truly appreciate individuals like you! Take care!!
Oh my goodness! Amazing article dude! Thanks, However I am experiencing issues with your RSS. I donít know why I can’t subscribe to it. Is there anyone else getting the same RSS problems? Anybody who knows the solution will you kindly respond? Thanks!!
Oh my goodness! Incredible article dude! Thanks, However I am encountering issues with your RSS. I donít know the reason why I cannot join it. Is there anyone else getting the same RSS problems? Anyone that knows the solution can you kindly respond? Thanks!!
Howdy! I just want to give you a huge thumbs up for the great information you have here on this post. I’ll be coming back to your website for more soon.
I need to to thank you for this good read!! I absolutely enjoyed every little bit of it. I have got you saved as a favorite to look at new stuff you postÖ
Hi there! This article couldnít be written much better! Going through this post reminds me of my previous roommate! He constantly kept talking about this. I will send this article to him. Pretty sure he will have a great read. Many thanks for sharing!
Oh my goodness! Amazing article dude! Many thanks, However I am going through troubles with your RSS. I donít understand why I am unable to join it. Is there anyone else getting similar RSS issues? Anyone that knows the answer can you kindly respond? Thanks!!
Excellent web site you have got here.. Itís difficult to find high-quality writing like yours nowadays. I seriously appreciate individuals like you! Take care!!
Can I just say what a relief to uncover someone who actually understands what they’re discussing over the internet. You certainly understand how to bring an issue to light and make it important. A lot more people ought to check this out and understand this side of the story. I can’t believe you aren’t more popular since you certainly have the gift.