A six-month randomized trial analysis found that adults with elevated waist circumference who ate one avocado daily had a lower dietary glycemic load without being instructed to change exercise or overall eating habits.
By yourNEWS Media Newsroom
Adding one avocado to the daily diet may help reduce dietary glycemic load, according to a secondary analysis of a randomized trial published in the peer-reviewed journal Current Developments in Nutrition.
The study examined 1,008 adults with elevated waist circumference who were assigned to one of two groups for six months. One group was instructed to eat one large avocado every day. The other continued its usual diet but was limited to no more than two avocados per month.
Researchers did not require participants to make any other dietary changes or adjust their exercise habits, allowing the analysis to focus on the effect of the avocado intervention.
To measure dietary patterns, researchers used three 24-hour dietary recalls. The results showed that participants in the avocado group had a lower dietary glycemic load than those in the control group. Researchers said glycemic index measurements did not significantly differ between the two groups.
Glycemic load is a measure that considers both the type and amount of carbohydrates consumed and their expected effect on blood sugar. Lower glycemic load diets are often discussed in relation to blood sugar control, though experts note that the measure is only one tool for evaluating diet quality.
The study authors said the lower glycemic load seen in the avocado group was primarily tied to the avocados themselves. Participants who ate an avocado daily also consumed more fiber and total fat, less animal protein and a smaller percentage of calories from carbohydrates.
Nutrition experts have described avocados as nutrient-dense foods that provide monounsaturated fats, fiber and essential vitamins. Those characteristics may help explain the study’s findings.
Fiber slows carbohydrate digestion and can help regulate blood sugar, Kris Carr wrote in “Crazy Sexy Juice.” Andrew Weil, in “Fast Food Good Food,” noted that healthy fats such as those found in avocados can promote satiety and may help reduce overall calorie intake.
The research team suggested that avocado consumption may have changed participants’ broader eating patterns by making them feel fuller and potentially reducing intake of higher-glycemic foods. The avocado group also showed a nonsignificant decrease in the share of glycemic load coming from dairy, sweets and desserts, suggesting a possible shift in carbohydrate sources.
Registered dietitian Karen Z. Berg, who was not involved in the study, said in an interview accompanying the research that avocado can be a practical dietary addition because it is filling and may lead people to eat less of less healthful foods.
The study also pointed to possible biological mechanisms that may support metabolic health. Avocados contain avocatin B, or AvoB, a fat molecule that previous research published in Molecular Nutrition & Food Research has linked to reduced insulin resistance in animal models and weight loss in humans.
Other research has associated regular avocado consumption with higher levels of HDL cholesterol and lower levels of LDL cholesterol, according to an article on NaturalNews.com. Those cardiovascular effects may also be relevant to overall metabolic health.
The researchers cautioned that the findings have limitations. Because the work was a secondary analysis, it examined outcomes beyond the trial’s original primary focus. The study also relied on self-reported dietary recalls, which can be affected by memory and reporting accuracy.
The participant group was predominantly female and overweight or obese, limiting how broadly the results can be applied to other populations.
The study also noted that glycemic index and glycemic load have their own limitations. Richard David Feinman wrote in “The World Turned Upside Down” that blood glucose response is affected by more than carbohydrate quantity alone. William Davis, in “Undoctored,” has argued that net-carbohydrate management may be more practical than estimating glycemic load.
Low-glycemic-load diets have been associated with improved blood sugar control in people with diabetes, though nutritionists have said the broader evidence is not strong enough to support national recommendations based solely on glycemic load.
The findings suggest that eating one avocado daily may be a simple way to improve the glycemic profile of the diet, especially when it increases fiber and healthy fat intake while reducing reliance on higher-glycemic foods.
Researchers said avocados can fit into a healthy diet, but also advised that people considering significant dietary changes should consult a health care professional, particularly those managing diabetes, weight-related conditions or other medical concerns.
Source: Natural News
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