A new study looked at data on more than 6,000 adults, aged 45 to 84, and found eating avocados may reduce the risk of type 2 diabetes – most notably in people with an ‘avocado intake biomarker’ in their blood.
The findings, published in The Journal of Nutrition, suggested the way we metabolise foods may have a direct impact on our health.
Analysing data from 6,224 older adults, the researchers took particular interest in how many avocados a person consumed as well as their fasting blood sugar and insulin levels.
They looked at avocado-specific metabolites in the blood, which indicate someone had eaten an avocado.
It showed for some people, avocados may be beneficial for blood sugar balance, but not necessarily for everyone.
Previous studies have also found avocados to have a positive impact on type 2 diabetes risk.
Earlier this year, researchers at Baylor College of Medicine studied how avocado intake impacts the chance of developing the condition.
Dr. Alexis Wood, assistant professor of pediatrics – nutrition at the USDA/ARS Children’s Nutrition Research Center at Baylor and Texas Children’s Hospital, said: “A healthy diet and physical activity are the most effective lifestyle changes to manage and prevent type 2 diabetes. I’m interested in identifying foods that can be incorporated into the diet that are popular and easy to prepare and eat.”
The study, published in the Journal of Diabetes Mellitus, used existing data sets from a large population of Hispanic adults across the United States, and participants were classified as avocado consumers and non-consumers based on reports of what they ate across two typical days.
The participants were asked to recall all the food and drinks consumed in the preceding 24 hours, including how these foods were prepared, for two typical days with the help of a registered dietician.
They estimated the association of avocado consumption with whether the participant developed type 2 diabetes over a six-year follow-up period.
It was found consuming avocados was associated with a 20 percent reduction in the risk of developing type 2 diabetes over six years.
As well as having a positive impact on blood sugar levels, avocados may help people lose weight and lower cholesterol.
The healthy fats, known as monounsaturated fats, can help you feel full for longer.
The fats also help maintain levels of ‘good’ HDL cholesterol while reducing levels of ‘bad’ LDL cholesterol in your blood.