(ORDO NEWS) — Eating two or more servings of avocado every week reduces the risk of heart disease by one-fifth, according to a new study.
Experts found that eating one avocado a week (equivalent to two servings) reduced the risk of coronary heart disease by 21% compared to people who didn’t eat avocados.
Replacing half a serving per day of margarine, butter, eggs, yogurt, cheese, or processed meats with an equivalent amount of avocado has also been linked to a 16-22% reduction in heart disease risk.
Avocados contain dietary fiber, healthy monounsaturated fats, and other key vitamins and minerals, including magnesium and vitamins C, E, and K.
The new study, published in the Journal of the American Heart Association (JAMA), involved 68,786 women from the NHS Nurses’ Health Study and 41,701 men from the Health Professionals Follow-up Study.
During the study, people were asked about their diet and completed meal frequency questionnaires at baseline and every four years thereafter.
During the 30-year follow-up, 9,185 cases of heart attack and 5,290 strokes were registered.
Dr. Lorena Pacheco, lead author of the study at the Harvard T. Chan School of Public Health in Boston, USA, said: “Our study provides additional evidence that plant-based unsaturated fat intake can improve nutritional quality and is an important component of cardiovascular disease prevention. “.
The study found that replacing half a serving of avocados a day with an equivalent amount of olive oil, nuts, and other vegetable oils provided no additional benefit.
No association has been found between avocado consumption and stroke risk.
Dr. Cheryl Anderson, chair of the American Heart Association’s Council on Epidemiology and Prevention, said: “We are in desperate need of strategies to improve the intake of healthy diets recommended by the American Heart Association – such as the Mediterranean diet – rich in vegetables and fruits.
“While no single food is the solution to a healthy diet on a regular basis, this study provides evidence that avocados have possible health benefits.
“It’s promising because it’s a popular, affordable, desirable food that’s easy to incorporate into the diet… at home and in restaurants.”
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