The Benefits of Eating One Avocado Daily

The study was a randomized trial and examined the health benefits of eating one avocado daily over six months. Researchers wanted to see if eating a daily avocado helped people to reduce visceral adiposity in participants with an elevated waist circumference (“a waist circumference of ≥35 inches for women and ≥40 inches for men”).

They also looked at the impact on several other health outcomes, including cholesterol levels, body weight, body mass index, and health-related quality of life.

To be included in the study, participants had to have an elevated waist circumference and regular consumption of two or fewer avocados per month. The intervention group (505 participants) consumed one avocado daily, while the control group (503 participants) continued their typical diet. Researchers collected data about dietary intake at the start of the study and at 8, 16, and 26 weeks and used MRI scans to look at levels of visceral adipose tissue or the body fat that lines abdominal organs.

Researchers found that there weren’t many significant differences between the control and intervention groups. The exception was in cholesterol levels. The intervention group had lower total cholesterol levels and lower “bad” cholesterol levels.

There were also slight differences in diet between the two groups, with the intervention group having higher healthy eating index scores. The intervention group took in higher levels of fiber and fat and lower levels of carbohydrates and protein.