An Avocado A Day Keeps The Doctor Away
TAURANGA, Tuesday 3 February 2015: One of the United States’ leading nutrition experts says everyone should eat an
avocado a day after proving the super fruit can reduce bad cholesterol which causes heart disease.
New research, published last month by the Journal of the American Heart Association, studied the effect avocados had on
cardiovascular risk factors by replacing saturated fatty acids from an average American diet with unsaturated fatty
acids from avocados.
They concluded the good fats found in avocados can help lower bad cholesterol levels, particularly for people who are
overweight and obese.
The research has been lauded by Australian health coach and ‘I Quit Sugar’ guru, Sarah Wilson, who on her blog * says
the news is a great reason to celebrate.
“Just as we’ve long suspected, a diet that includes an abundance of these creamy green treats is now proven to help
stave off bad cholesterol,” she says.
In the US study, 45 healthy but overweight or obese patients between the ages of 21 and 70 were put on three different
cholesterol-lowering diets for five weeks.
One group ate a lower fat diet without avocado, one consumed a moderate-fat diet without avocado, while the last group
had a moderate-fat diet plus one avocado every day.
Dr Penny M. Kris-Etherton, senior study author, chair of the American Heart Association's Nutrition Committee and
Distinguished Professor of Nutrition at Pennsylvania State University, says the subsequent blood results were clear.
Those who ate a moderate-fat diet plus an avocado every day had lower bad cholesterol levels than those on a similar
diet without the avocado or those on the lower-fat diet.
“We need to focus on getting people to eat a heart-healthy diet that includes avocados and other nutrient-rich food
sources of better fats," Dr Kris-Etherton concluded. (http://newsroom.heart.org/news/an-avocado-a-day-may-help-keep-bad-cholesterol-at-bay).
“Avocados can also be eaten with salads, vegetables, sandwiches, lean protein foods (like chicken or fish) or even
whole."
New Zealand Avocado CEO Jen Scoular welcomed the new research findings, saying Kiwis can easily take advantage of the
health advice because we grow an abundance of avocados here in New Zealand.
“New Zealand produces some of the finest avocados in the world, and we’re used to seeing them on our supermarket
shelves.”
Kiwis love experimenting with avocados in the kitchen, using them to make simple snacks like avocado on toast, delicious
summer salads, smoothies and desserts, and people are more confident about cooking with them than ever before.
“Avocados are getting a lot of positive media coverage these days which is wonderful. Consumers are learning more about
their nutritional benefits and are really getting the hang of choosing and using avocados.”
Scoular says it’s easy to incorporate avocados into your daily diet. “They’re amazing anytime, and you can enjoy them
for breakfast, lunch and dinner. Avocado oil is a healthy and tasty replacement for canola or vegetable oils when
cooking. Or try swapping mayonnaise for avocado next time you make a sandwich or salad,” she suggests.
Avocados are cholesterol free so they’re a perfect wholefood and great for maintaining a healthy heart.
Avocado also help your body to absorb more of the nutrients from other foods when eaten together, which is why it’s
regarded as one of the most nutritionally complete foods in the world.
About New Zealand Avocado
Avocados are the third-largest fresh fruit export from New Zealand. All avocados sold in New Zealand are locally grown.
They are available all year round, with peak harvesting occurring during summer months. New Zealand Avocado works with
the New Zealand industry to set export standards, facilitate market access, promote avocados from New Zealand and
provide technical information to all New Zealand growers, of which there are more than 1600, based mainly in the Bay of
Plenty and Northland. www.nzavocado.co.nz/industry/
ends