Avocado

1. What Is Avocado?

The avocado is the fruit of the avocado tree. The tree belongs to the Lauraceae family. The fruit is eaten raw. Oil, puree, and extracts are made from it. In human studies, mainly the fresh fruit flesh has been tested, less often extracts.

2. Where Is It Found, and What Is It Made From?

The avocado grows on trees in tropical and subtropical regions. Today it is cultivated in many parts of the world. The fruit flesh is eaten, often raw. Oil is pressed from the fruit flesh. Extracts can be obtained from fruit flesh, peel, and pit. Dried powder is also being studied.

3. What Does Avocado Do? What Research Shows

Blood Lipids

Total and LDL cholesterol decreased in several meta-analyses (summaries of multiple studies) compared with a diet without avocado 348. Another found only a small reduction in total cholesterol 7. In a feeding study, one avocado daily lowered LDL more than a diet with the same fatty acid mixture from oils 25. For triglycerides, the findings are mixed 378. Many studies tested replacement against other fat sources.

Digestion and Gut Microbiome

In adults with overweight, a daily avocado changed the gut flora in several controlled studies (with a comparison group) 13142426. Bacteria that break down fiber increased 142426. The diversity of gut bacteria rose compared with a diet without avocado 1314. In the stool, acetate and other short-chain fatty acids that gut bacteria form from fiber rose 141526. In one study, however, they also rose with a comparison diet that contained the same amount of oleic acid and fiber 26. A review supports these findings 9.

Cardiovascular and Metabolic Health

With daily consumption over months, most cardiovascular and metabolic values remained the same. Favorable differences appeared mainly directly after a meal. With avocado added to a hamburger, the vascular constriction that the hamburger alone triggered did not occur 34. Blood pressure remained without a difference with daily consumption 121727. Many studies found no benefit here; the evidence for an effect is low.

Body Weight and Body Composition

For body weight and body composition, there is predominantly no association with the consumption of avocado fruit flesh. Several controlled studies found no differences in body weight, body mass index, body fat percentage and visceral fat 2710121621. Waist circumference also remained without a difference 1633. The evidence for a benefit is low; extracts, oil and dried powder are hardly studied for this area.

Satiety and Appetite

When a whole avocado at breakfast replaced part of the carbohydrates, participants felt fuller afterward than after a low-fat meal with the same amount of energy 29. If someone received half an avocado in addition to lunch, they were more satisfied and had less desire to eat 32. However, this meal also contained more energy, which may explain the difference. This cannot yet be said with certainty: there are only four studies with random group assignment and a total of 134 participants, and the results do not fit together well.

Skin

In a small preliminary study with healthy women who had overweight, forehead skin became firmer with one avocado daily than with usual diet 28. Elasticity increased only compared with the starting value. For skin moisture, pigmentation, sebum, and UVB resistance, the same study showed no difference 28. This is not certain, because there is only this one small study. A larger replication is still pending.

Other Investigations

In the PATH study, a daily meal with avocado improved accuracy in an attention test compared with a meal without avocado 2223. In the large HAT study, by contrast, one avocado daily did not change cognitive performance 11. In families that received plenty of avocado, the adults moved more than in comparison families with little avocado 12. In people with gastric ulcers, the mucosa healed better when an aqueous extract from the avocado pit was added to usual treatment 20.

4. How Was Avocado Taken in the Studies?

The studies predominantly used fresh avocado fruit flesh. Usually, one avocado daily was eaten in addition to the usual diet. Sometimes it replaced a meal with the same energy.

5. Is Avocado Safe? Side Effects in the Studies

No serious side effects were reported in the studies. Avocatin B, a fat substance obtained from avocado, was well tolerated in a human safety test 35. In a study with plenty of avocado for entire families, there were no unfavorable changes in BMI or blood pressure 12. Several studies were co-funded by the Hass Avocado Board, an association of the avocado industry; such findings require independent replication 1517182330.

All details with tables and sources: full expert page on Avocado