Each of us has heard about the existence of such fruit as avocado. This fruit of the evergreen tree grows in Mexico, Colombia, Peru, and the Dominican Republic. For many, avocado is associated with a gastronomic delicacy; however, few people know that this fruit has unique healing properties. Moreover, the use of avocado can have a preventive effect on the most common disease in the world.
In this article, we will talk about how was discovered the connection between avocados and heart health, what were the results of this huge study, and figure out why avocado is so useful.
The Essence of the Study
The research involved 110,000 people aged 30 to 75 years. The condition for participation was the absence of cardiovascular diseases and cancer. Participants filled out questionnaires about their diet and then repeated this action every four years. Among other things, one of the questions was devoted to whether participants eat avocados. Half of the fruit was counted for one serving.
Research Results
After 30 years of observation, scientists recorded 9,185 cases of heart attacks and 5,290 strokes in the initial sample. At the same time, data analysis showed that people who consumed at least two servings of avocado per week, that is, one fruit per week, suffered from cardiovascular diseases by 16% less and reduced the likelihood of a heart attack by 21%.
The Benefits of Avocado
Such effect of avocado on human health is achieved because the fruit contains a lot of healthy fats, fiber, and trace elements, among which stand out:
- Oleic acid, which is also found in olives. This acid belongs to low saturated fats, so it is much healthier than fats that are contained in butter, cheese, or meat. Low-saturated fats do not lead to the formation of cholesterol plaques, which clog blood vessels and lead to ischemic disease. For reference, one tablespoon of olive oil contains as many grams of oleic acid as one avocado fruit.
- Half an avocado contains about 20% of the daily value of fiber, the use of which reduces the risk of heart disease by 30%. Eating fiber is also good for digestion, weight loss, and blood pressure.
- One serving of avocado contains 15% folic acid, 10% potassium, and 5% of the daily value of magnesium. These vitamins and useful trace elements significantly improve the functioning of the heart.
Thus, eating avocado becomes not only delicious but also useful activity. However, it is important to understand that avocado is a high-calorie product and will be effective only if you replace harmful foods with avocado consumption. Eating fatty foods with avocados will not be good for your heart.