Eating One Avocado Per Week Can Reduce Risk of Heart Disease

Eating One Avocado Per Week Can Reduce Risk of Heart Disease

Those who eat at least one avocado per week have a 16 percent lower risk of cardiovascular disease.

Eating one avocado a week can cut the risk of heart disease by a fifth, according to new research.

Researchers have found that those who ate two or more servings (defined as half an avocado) per week had a 16 percent lower risk of cardiovascular disease (CVD) and a 21 percent lower risk of coronary heart disease compared to those who did not.

In addition, they found replacing half a serving per day of margarine, butter, egg, yoghurt, cheese, or processed meats with the equivalent amount of avocado was associated with a 16 percent to 22 percent lower risk of CVD.

Dr. Lorena Pacheco, lead author from the Harvard TH Chan School of Public Health in Boston, U.S., commented, “Our study provides further evidence that the intake of plant-sourced unsaturated fats can improve diet quality and is an important component in cardiovascular disease prevention.”

Pacheco and her team used data from more than 68,000 women and 41,000 men involved in two long-term studies. The participants were free from cancer, coronary heart disease and stroke at the start of the studies and completed dietary questionnaires every four years for 30 years.

The researchers observed no significant associations between avocado consumption and stroke. They also did not find a difference in risk reduction when a serving of avocado was swapped with an equivalent serving of olive oil, nuts, and other plant oils.

“Although no one food is the solution to routinely eating a healthy diet, this study is evidence that avocados have possible health benefits,” said Dr. Cheryl Anderson, chair of the American Heart Association’s Council on Epidemiology and Prevention.

The study was published in the Journal of the American Heart Association.

—Reuters

GREEN POWER BOWL

PREP TIME: 25 MINS • COOK TIME: 5 MINS • SERVES: 2-4

Ingredients

VINAIGRETTE

• 1 medium ripe avocado

• ¼ cup apple cider vinegar

• 1 tbsp Dijon mustard

• 1 tbsp lemon juice and zest of 1 lemon

• 1 tbsp nutritional yeast

• Salt and pepper to taste

• ¾ cup good olive oil

SALAD

• 2 avocados from Mexico, diced

• 2 tbsp lemon juice

• 2 cups washed and shredded kale leaves

• 1 cup salad niçoise or escarole

• 4 Brussel sprouts, thinly shaved

• ¾ cup thinly shaved cabbage

• 2 cups cooked broccoli

• 1 cup cooked green beans cut in 1 inch pieces

Directions

1 For the vinaigrette, in a food processor, combine all ingredients except the olive oil.

2 Once the mixture is smooth and creamy, slowly stream in olive oil until just combined.

3 Place in a sealed container that is easy to shake whenever you want a portion.

4 For the salad, toss all the salad ingredients into a large bowl. Top with desired amount of avocado vinaigrette and serve.

—NC