Eating Avocados Twice a Week Linked to Lower Risk of Heart Disease, New Study Finds
Researchers believe this is the first large-scale, long-term study to show a strong connection between high avocado consumption and reduced risk of cardiovascular events such as coronary heart disease and stroke.
Avocados are rich in dietary fiber and heart-healthy fats—especially monounsaturated fats—which are known to support cardiovascular health. Previous clinical trials have also shown that avocados can help reduce risk factors like high cholesterol.
'This is particularly noteworthy given how avocado consumption has increased sharply in the U.S. over the past 20 years,' said Dr. Lorena S. Pacheco, a nutrition expert at Harvard University. 'According to data from the U.S. Department of Agriculture, more people are making avocados a regular part of their diet.'
The researchers followed over 68,000 women (ages 30–55) from the Nurses' Health Study and more than 41,000 men (ages 40–75) from the Health Professionals Follow-Up Study for over 30 years. All participants were free of cancer, coronary heart disease, and stroke at the start of the study.
During the study, the team documented 9,185 cases of coronary heart disease and 5,290 strokes. Participants filled out food frequency questionnaires at the beginning of the study and every four years after that. Avocado intake was measured by asking how often and how much they consumed. One serving was defined as half an avocado or half a cup of avocado.
The results showed that those who ate two or more servings per week had a significantly lower risk of heart-related illnesses compared to those who rarely or never ate avocados.
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