Boost Your Cardiovascular Health With This Delicious Fruit

Avocado has high nutritional value. It helps reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease and minimizes the body's inflammatory response and oxidation, improving intestinal health. Ulises Ruiz/Getty Images

Avocados have exceptionally high nutritional value. They help reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease, minimize the body’s inflammatory response, and improve our gut health. Avocados also can repair cartilage damage and have other positive effects.

However, avocado has more fat than other fruits, so those managing their weight should avoid excessive consumption.

Major Benefits of Avocado

Lowers the Risk of Cardiovascular Disease

According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), 100 grams of avocado pulp contain about 14.7 grams of lipids, with about 9.8 grams of unsaturated fatty acids.

Unsaturated fatty acids and phytosterols in avocados lower bad cholesterol (LDL) levels while boosting good cholesterol (HDL) levels, thus reducing the risk of cardiovascular disease.

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A study on avocado consumption and human health published in the Journal of the American Heart Association in 2022 collected and analyzed data from 68,786 women and 41,701 men over the past 30 years.

Researchers concluded that people who consumed two or more avocados a week were 16 percent less likely to develop cardiovascular disease than those who did not. The risk of coronary heart disease was also lowered by 21 percent in those who ate avocados.

Reduces Inflammation and Inhibit Cancer

Avocado is rich in polyphenols and carotenoids, as well as multiple vitamins. The combination of nutrients decreases the body’s response to inflammation, repairs damaged cells, and even inhibits cancer cells from growing.

A study by Ohio State University discovered that the nutrients extracted from avocados inhibit the proliferation of human oral cancer cells.

The result proved that while a soluble chloroform extract (D003) in avocado induced human oral cancer cell apoptosis, the carotene in avocado extract increased the protein expression of the tumor suppressor gene p27, which prevented the prostate cancer cell cycle from moving beyond the G2/M stage. This means that, following the replication of its DNA and after completing a second growth phase, the cell begins mitosis, physically dividing itself into two daughter cells.

A research report published in the journal Biomolecule in 2021 also pointed out that the skin, seed bark, and seed extracts of avocado contain phenolic compounds, which have antioxidant and anti-proliferation properties. These parts of avocados can potentially be developed into drugs, treating diseases related to oxidative stress, such as cancer.

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Avocados at a produce market in San Francisco, Calif., on April 2, 2019. Justin Sullivan/Getty Images

Supercharges Gut Health

The dietary fiber in avocado aids intestinal peristalsis and promotes smooth metabolism.

Moreover, several studies found that avocado improves the human intestinal environment. It changes the gastrointestinal bacterial abundance and the concentration of microbial metabolites.

In 2021, a study in The Journal of Nutrition detailed a 12-week experiment on 163 adults between 25 and 45 years old with BMIs ≥25.

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The result revealed that daily consuming avocado reduces the bile acid concentration in feces. Additionally, avocado increases the richness of bacteria that carries out fiber fermentation, proving that avocado significantly impacts digestive physiology, intestinal microbiome composition, and metabolic function.

Anti-Arthritis

Many studies on avocados have discovered a substance called beta-sitosterol in avocado that is effective for arthritis inflammation.

Rat experiments showed that the substance regulates macrophages. In addition, beta-sitosterol reduces inflammation of rheumatoid arthritis and improves swollen joints and damaged cartilage of mice with collagen-induced arthritis.

In 2020, Biomedicine & Pharmacotherapy published a study that showed beta-sitosterol is a bioactive compound found in plant cell membranes with a chemical structure similar to the cholesterol derived from mammalian cells.

Beta-sitosterol has a variety of biological properties, such as protecting our livers. While it calms anxiety and nerves, beta-sitosterol is also considered an analgesic. Its bioactive compound can also improve immune regulation and fat reduction. Beta-sitosterol is also an antibacterial, anti-cancer, anti-inflammatory, and antioxidant.

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In addition, avocado is rich in vitamins, carotenoids, and polyphenols. Studies have proven that these are beneficial to our retinas and skin.

Because of their endless health benefits, avocado seeds are popularly used to brew tea in Japan. Add a halved avocado to boiled water and cook. Some people believe it can regulate blood sugar levels and blood lipids. However, its effectiveness needs to be further studied.

Who Should Not Eat Avocado?

Dr. Li Jianwa, a Japanese traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) doctor, said in an interview with The Epoch Times that although avocado has many benefits, its fat content is higher than other fruits. Li said people who are managing their weight should steer away from overeating.

In addition, avocado contains vitamin K, which produces a blood-clotting protein. Therefore, those who take anticoagulants should avoid eating a large amount of avocado.

In an article, Rina Kambara, a Japanese nutritionist, shared that avocado has a high lipid content. If consumed in excess, it will cause fat accumulation, acne, and other health problems.

Kambara said that based on a person’s daily intake of 2,000 calories, the fat intake should be between 400 and 600 calories, or 44 to 67 grams. Hence, limit the amount to about 50 grams, equivalent to a quarter to half of an avocado.

Kambara added that fat accumulates more likely at night, so it is best to enjoy avocados in the morning or noon.