Study Overview
The pilot study on 11 healthy men (18-35 years old) was conducted by researchers at the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA), and supported by the Hass Avocado Board, has been published in the November 2012 issue of the journal Food and Function1. The study investigated the effects of adding one-half of a fresh medium Hass avocado to a hamburger (90 percent lean) on peripheral arterial blood flow (the movement of blood to different parts of the body) and inflammation compared to a burger without avocado.
Published: Food and Function
Study funded by Hass Avocado Board
Category: Cardiovascular Health
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Key Takeaways & Findings
Eating one-half of a fresh medium Hass avocado with a burger (90 percent lean), rather than eating a burger alone, may curb the production of compounds that contribute to inflammation.
After eating a burger with one-half of a fresh medium Hass avocado, some of the after-meal effects observed after eating a plain burger, specifically inflammation and narrowing blood vessels, were reduced within hours.
When fresh avocado was eaten with a burger there was no increase in triglyceride levels beyond what was observed after eating the burger alone despite the extra calories and monounsaturated fat from the avocado.
Researchers believe that the study’s positive outcomes may be a result of the combination of monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats and antioxidants found in avocados.
METHOD:
Eleven healthy subjects on two separate occasions consumed either a 250 g hamburger patty alone (ca. 436 cal and 25 g fat) or together with 68 grams of avocado flesh (an additional 114 cal and 11 g of fat for a total of 550 cal and 36 g fat), a common culinary combination, to assess effects on vascular health.
CONCLUSION:
While these are initial findings from a single study, they provide promising clues and a basis for future research to determine whether avocados can play a role in the areas of vascular health and heart health. More research is needed to determine whether fresh avocado plays a role in maintaining or improving blood flow.
Hass Avocado Board Supports Nutrition Research
The Hass Avocado Board (HAB) is a promotion, research and information organization under supervision of the United States Department of Agriculture. HAB has a science research pipeline of ongoing clinical studies investigating the relationship between fresh avocado consumption and weight management and risk factors for cardiovascular disease and diabetes. And, based on their nutrition and phytochemical components, emerging research suggests that avocados may play benefit many emerging areas, including skin, eye, joint and cellular health.
Reference:
1. Li Z, Wong A, Henning SM, Zhang Y, Jones A, Zerlin A, Thames G, Bowerman S, Tseng CH, Heber D. Hass avocado modulates postprandial vascular reactivity and postprandial inflammatory responses to a hamburger meal in healthy volunteers. Food Funct. 2013 Feb 26;4(3):384-91.
