Eating one per day as part of a certain heart-healthy, cholesterol-lowering diet can help improve “bad” LDL cholesterol levels in people who are overweight or obese, according to a small study in the Journal of the American Heart Association.
Cholesterol is a type of fat made by the body. It’s key for good health. But high levels, often caused by an unhealthy diet, can raise the risk of heart disease and stroke. Being overweight raises your risk of having high LDL levels.
Avocados are a source of monounsaturated fat, which is good for you when eaten in moderation. They’re also rich in vitamins, minerals, fiber, compounds that block cholesterol absorption in the body (phytosterols), and antioxidants that can play a role in preventing cancer and heart disease (polyphenols).
Researchers replaced saturated fatty acids from an average American diet with unsaturated fatty acids from avocados.
Forty-five healthy, overweight, or obese men and women between the ages of 21 and 70 were put on three different cholesterol-lowering diets:
Lower-fat diet without avocado
Each participant ate each of the three test diets for 5 weeks.
The researchers used Hass avocados – the ones with bumpy green skin