Avocados: One of the HEALTHIEST foods? (Find out why)

As cynical as I can be sometimes, it’s rather remarkable that we’re seeing so much research on food, exercise, and nutritional supplements.

Of course, clinical research starts with a question—and then the study is designed to answer that single question, one way or another.

But sometimes, a surprising, new finding emerges. And that’s exactly what happened when researchers analyzed the health benefits of avocados…

Little fruit, BIG benefit

Researchers set out to explore if avocados can trim your waistline and shrink belly fat.

Their findings fell short. But something else smacked them in the face…

This humble little fruit can help improve diet quality and lower total cholesterol levels.

For the study, researchers recruited more than 1,000 adults who were overweight or obese—with a large waist. (At least 35 inches in women and 40 inches in men.)

Then, they were split into two groups. The first continued with their usual diet, but enjoyed one large avocado daily. The second group served as the control. These subjects added up to two avocados a month to their usual diet.

Researchers used MRI scans to measure participant’s belly and visceral fat at study onset, and again 6 months later.

And while the daily avocado group didn’t have less belly fat, they didn’t gain weight.

In fact, that once daily avocado helped TRANSFORM their diet and their health…

Total cholesterol levels fell by 2.9 points, and LDL (or “bad”) cholesterol dropped by 2.5 points!

FAT is good and healing

Now, you and I could have predicted these results. After all, avocados are a great source of fiber and healthy monounsaturated fats (MUFAs).

And given the mainstream’s hatred of fat (still), perhaps these findings will help them to open their eyes to the concept of GOOD and BAD fats.

I mean, it’s high time they realize that all calories are NOT created equal.

Because let’s face it… the avocado contains a lot of calories and it’s chockfull of fat and fiber. Yet, these participants didn’t gain weight. And their cholesterol levels didn’t skyrocket (quite the opposite).

And that’s the first thing I learned in the beginning of my career, working at the Atkins Center: Fat is good for us… and fat can heal.

Of course, just adding an avocado to a poor diet isn’t going to change your health. But adding it alongside healthy choices? Well that’s associated with a lower risk of several diseases.

So, start taking the quality of your diet seriously. Choose more whole foods and pass on the processed, junk foods.

Think grass-fed and -finished beef, organic poultry, and fresh produce (including avocados). And of course, don’t forget the nuts, especially macadamia nuts—another high-quality source of MUFAs.

To learn more about how healthy fat can help transform your health, check out the September 2022 issue of my monthly newsletter, Logical Health Alternatives (“Buttery oil from ‘down under’ WHIPS your heart and blood sugar into shape”). Not yet a subscriber? Click here to become one!

Until next time,
Dr. Fred

P.S. Pass the guac! Check out my cooking video featuring the humble avocado.

Source:

“An Avocado a Day Doesn’t Shrink Belly Fat, but Helps With Cholesterol.” WedMD, 07/11/2022. (webmd.com/diet/news/20220711/avocado-a-day-study)