Lose weight "super fast" by… eating avocados

Many people still think of avocados as one of the "culprits" that can cause obesity. However, recent research indicates that eating half a fresh avocado at lunch can help reduce hunger in obese individuals and decrease their cravings for snacks after their main meal.

In the U.S., with over 35% of the population estimated to be obese, it seems the country needs new strategies for weight loss. A new study has suggested that eating half a fresh avocado at lunch can help reduce hunger in obese individuals and decrease their cravings for snacks after their main meal (according to research published in the Nutrition Journal).

The research team, led by Dr. Joan Sabate, head of the nutrition department at Loma Linda University in California, stated: “Their research could also help regulate blood sugar levels, a finding that could be important for people with diabetes.”

According to the Hass Avocado Board (HAB), which funded this research, a fresh avocado contains approximately 250 calories and 23g of fat. Although avocados are high in fat, these are naturally occurring fats, particularly monounsaturated fats. Studies have shown that this type of fat can lower blood cholesterol levels, as well as reduce the risk of stroke and cardiovascular disease.

The medical journal Medical News Today recently reported on the health benefits of avocados. Previous studies have shown a link between avocados and better weight management and lower body mass index (BMI), and have suggested it may be a fruit that fights cancer.

Based on their research, these researchers investigated how avocado consumption affects body safety, blood sugar levels, insulin response, and post-meal food consumption. The researchers recruited 26 healthy, overweight adults to participate in this experiment. Participants were asked to eat a normal breakfast and then choose one of three experimental lunch options:

1. A standard lunch meal does not include avocado.

2. For lunch, fresh avocado replaces another dish.

3. A regular lunch with half a fresh avocado.

Fresh butter increases appetite.

Participants in the trial who ate an extra half avocado with their standard lunch reported a 40% reduction in snacking during the 3 hours following their lunch and a 28% reduction in snacking during the 5 hours following their lunch, compared to those who ate a standard lunch without the avocado.

The group that ate half an avocado with their lunch also reportedly felt 26% less hungry after lunch compared to the group that did not eat avocado.

Furthermore, experts noted that, although adding half an avocado to a meal increased the calorie and carbohydrate intake of the trial participants, no increase in blood sugar levels was found compared to those who ate a standard lunch without avocado.

"This leads us to believe that the potential role of avocados in blood sugar control is worth further research," said Dr. Sabate.

These findings provide support for the newly discovered benefits of avocados, said Nikki Ford, director of nutrition at the HAB committee. She further revealed: “These results add to our research efforts in weight management and diabetes management. Our next step is to explore even more of the benefits that fresh avocados offer when consumed as part of a healthy daily diet.”

The research team points out that while their study yielded positive results regarding the digestion of avocado, further research needs to be conducted to verify whether these findings are applicable to the general population.

According to suckhoevadoisong