Key Takeaways:
Avocados check multiple boxes in the Dietary Guidelines for Americans—from a healthy fat and a fresh fruit, to a good source of fiber which supports gut health guidance. Here are a few ways avocados can support your gut health if you include them in your diet this year:
- Eat more foods with fiber: The Dietary Guidelines for Americans recommend adults consume 22–34 grams of fiber per day, depending on age and sex. Fruits, vegetables, whole grains, legumes, and avocados provide dietary fiber that supports normal digestion.
- Stay hydrated: Adequate fluid intake supports normal digestion and helps the body absorb nutrients. Avocados are 72% water.
- Get enough sleep: Adults should aim for at least 7 hours of sleep per night to support overall health. Certain studies found that those who eat avocados are more likely to have better overall health and sleep quality than those who don’t.
- Practice mindful eating: Eating slowly and paying attention to hunger and fullness cues can support a balanced approach to meals. The nutrients in avocado may promote satisfaction from eating, which can support adherence to an enjoyable, nutrient-dense eating plan and sets you up for honoring the practice of mindful eating.
- Limit added sugars and highly processed foods: The Dietary Guidelines recommend limiting added sugars to less than 10% of daily calories. Avocados are naturally free of added sugars.
- Stay physically active: Adults should aim for at least 150 minutes of moderate-intensity activity each week, as recommended by federal guidelines. According to research, avocado consumption has been associated with higher reported levels of physical activity.
Building these habits over time can support digestive health and contribute to overall wellness.
Many people resolve to eat better at the start of each new year. Instead of extreme or short-lived dietary changes, we encourage you to focus on healthy eating habits that support gut health, such as eating avocados.
In a weight-loss study of 51 adults with overweight or obesity, researchers found that the gut microbiota differed in response to an avocado-inclusive compared to the control diet. Participants were advised to eat 500 calories less each day and to eat one avocado daily, compared to a control group following the same dietary guidance without avocado. Though more research like this study funded by the Avocado Nutrition Center is needed to confirm the findings, especially in a larger U.S. representative sample, the results suggest the fiber contained in avocados can be part of a balanced diet that supports a healthy gut.
Your intestines are home to your gut microbiome, a collection of beneficial bacteria with many important jobs that help keep you healthy. Besides breaking down the food you eat, your gut absorbs and produces nutrients and influences other parts of the body, including the immune system, brain, and heart. Research suggests that obesity, type 2 diabetes, inflammatory bowel disease, and colon cancer are all impacted by your gut’s health.
A healthy body starts with a healthy gut. Gut health starts with the food on your plate.
Here are six simple
gut health hacks.
Eat more fruits and vegetables
The USDA recommends eating 1.5 to 2 cups of fruit and 2-3 cups of vegetables daily. The easiest way to boost fruit and veggie intake is to include a serving of either — or both! — at each meal and snack. Fruits and vegetables provide important nutrition, including vitamins, minerals, antioxidants, and fiber.
The Dietary Guidelines for Americans recommends most adults consume 22 to 34 grams of dietary fiber per day, depending on age and sex. Fiber promotes regular bowel movements and provides food for the bacteria in your gut. The microbiome is alive and requires fuel to function optimally.
Did you know that most Americans do not eat enough dietary fiber? Avocados to the rescue!
They add fiber to the diet and are delicious. Since one 50 g serving contains 3 g of fiber, they are a good source of fiber. In addition, they are one of the few foods that contain both insoluble and soluble fiber. In fact, 65% of the fiber in avocados is insoluble. Both types of fiber are integral to your overall gut health. While insoluble fiber bulks up the stool, soluble fiber turns into a gel-like substance, aiding in nutrient absorption. Both of these processes can improve digestion.
Avocados also contain certain prebiotic fibers that feed healthy gut bacteria. One-third of an avocado has 1.2 grams of pectin. These healthy prebiotic compounds play a significant role in helping maintain a healthy gut microbiome.
Fiber also contributes to a feeling of fullness after a meal and helps to normalize bowel movements. Some studies suggest that high-fiber diets might also help with weight loss and regulating metabolism.
In a trial of 163 adults with overweight, researchers reported changes to gut bacteria and metabolite levels when participants ate one avocado a day for 12 weeks compared to a diet that excluded avocado. The Avocado Nutrition Center supported the study, and although the findings from one study cannot be generalized to larger populations, this finding supports a growing body of science that suggests avocados play a role in managing the digestive tract’s microbiome.
To include more avocados in your diet, spread avocados on toast for breakfast, add them to salads and sandwiches for lunch, and mash them into a dip for snacking.
Stay hydrated
Good hydration supports better gut health. Water helps your gut digest food, absorb nutrients, and eliminate waste.
Drinking water with meals, carrying a water bottle throughout the day, and eating plenty of fruits and vegetables can help you get enough.
Avocados are 72% water.
Prioritize Sleep
Sleep plays a critical role in maintaining a healthy gut. Poor sleep can negatively affect the diversity and balance of gut bacteria, which may impact digestion, immune function, and overall health.
The CDC recommends that the average adult, who is 18-60 years old, should receive at least seven hours of high-quality sleep each night; however, this requirement may fluctuate based on individual health needs. Creating a consistent sleep schedule, limiting screen time before bed, and maintaining a relaxing nighttime routine are all healthy sleep habits that have the potential to help improve sleep quality and, in turn, support your gut.
A six-month study of 969 American adults with elevated waist circumference investigated how eating one avocado per day affects cardiovascular health using blood and survey data to complete a modified American Heart Association’s Life’s Essential 8 (LE8) score. While the composite LE8 score did not change, avocado consumption improved diet quality and sleep health and reduced LDL-C and total cholesterol levels compared to adults who maintained their normal diet. The Avocado Nutrition Center funded the research. The findings are limited and cannot be applied to all audiences and though the study was not originally designed to examine sleep as a primary outcome, the results offer an exciting direction for future research.
Avocados have the following nutrients per serving (1/3 medium avocado) that may play a role in sleep:
- Tryptophan – 13mg, precursor to melatonin which plays a role in regulating sleep
- Folate – 45 mcg (10% DV), involved in the production of melatonin
- Magnesium – 15mg (4% DV), involved in muscle contraction and relaxation
Practice Mindful Eating
How you eat is just as important as what you eat. Mindful eating encourages you to slow down, pay attention to hunger and fullness cues, and fully experience your meals. This can help reduce overeating and digestive issues like heartburn or acid reflux.
Try eating without distractions like phones or television, chewing your food thoroughly, and taking time to enjoy flavors and textures. These small adjustments can make meals more satisfying and prevent any instances where you feel full to the point of discomfort, thus supporting your gut health.
To put the practice of mindful eating into action, it’s important to know what helps to make you feel full and satisfied. Foods with fiber, fat, protein, and water help promote satiety, or the physical feeling of fullness. Avocados are unique in this way because they are essentially the only fruit that contains good, unsaturated fat (6 grams per serving – one-third of a medium avocado). They also provide a good source of fiber (3 grams per serving).
By weight, avocados are almost 80% water and fiber. Avocados pair well with protein foods like eggs, cottage cheese, and beans which can help you feel fuller for longer.
Limit Processed Foods
Highly processed foods often contain added sugars, excess sodium, and unhealthy fats, which may negatively impact gut health when consumed in excess. The Dietary Guidelines for Americans recommend prioritizing whole, minimally processed foods, like fresh avocados and limiting added sugars to less than 10% of daily calories and reducing sodium intake to support overall health.
Fresh avocados do not contain any added sugars.
A study evaluated the impact of daily avocado consumption for 6 months on gut microbiota in 230 adults with abdominal obesity. The avocado group showed higher gut microbiota diversity and significant increases in Faecalibacterium prausnitzii and Bacterium AF16_15 compared to controls. The Avocado Nutrition Center supported this study. Improvements were more pronounced in participants with lower baseline diet quality, highlighting avocados’ potential prebiotic benefits.
Integrate Movement Into Your Daily Routine
Physical activity plays an important role in supporting gut health and overall wellness. Regular movement can help stimulate digestion, promote regular bowel movements, and support a healthy balance of gut bacteria.
Findings from a randomized controlled trial involving 72 Hispanic families show that increased avocado consumption was associated with higher reported levels of physical activity over six months. These findings align with several other research studies suggesting that avocados are a valuable part of a healthy lifestyle. The study received funding from the Avocado Nutrition Center, and more research is needed to understand how the results apply to other populations.
The Office of Disease Prevention and Health Promotion recommends that adults aim for at least 150 minutes of moderate-intensity, or 75 minutes of vigorous-intensity physical activity each week. This doesn’t have to mean structured workouts—simple activities like walking after meals, taking the stairs, stretching, or doing household chores all contribute to your daily movement.
A well-balanced diet can support gut health and overall wellness all year long and for years to come.
