TEMPO.CO, Jakarta – A new study published in the Journal of the American Heart Association confirms that consuming avocado — fruit rich in vitamins, minerals, fiber, and healthy monounsaturated fats — is associated with a reduced risk of cardiovascular disease and coronary heart disease. in both men and women.
Cardiovascular disease includes conditions such as heart attack, stroke, and coronary heart disease, in which the arteries of the heart become narrow or blocked and can no longer carry enough blood to the heart. While some of the risk factors for this disease are genetic, certain lifestyle factors such as how much you exercise and what you eat play an important role. Making heart-healthy choices—such as swapping butter, cheese, and mayonnaise for avocados every few days—can greatly reduce your risk heart disease.
For the study, researchers at the Harvard TH Chan School of Public Health examined the effect of avocado consumption on cardiovascular disease risk among two prospective cohort studies, 68,786 women from the Nurses’ Health Study and 41,701 men from the Health Professionals Follow-up Study.
The researchers found that those who ate two or more servings of avocado per week had a 16 percent lower risk of cardiovascular disease and a 21 percent lower risk of coronary heart disease compared to participants who didn’t eat (or rarely ate) avocados. For reference, one serving is equivalent to half an avocado. They also concluded that replacing certain foods that contain fat—margarine, mayonnaise, butter, eggs, yogurt, cheese, or processed meats—with half an avocado (a quarter of an avocado) could reduce the risk of heart disease by 16 percent. to 22 percent. However, they did not find a significant association for stroke.
“Our study provides further evidence that intake of fat Unsaturated plant sources can improve diet quality and are an important component in the prevention of CVD in the general population,” the study authors wrote.
Avocados are soft, filling, delicious, and nutrient-dense. To reap the heart health benefits of this superfood source of fat, crush a few avocados on whole grain bread instead of butter a few times a week; change topping your burger with avocado instead of cheese; or mix it into a smoothie instead of yogurt.
Also read: How to Store Ripe Avocado Long Lasting For Months
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