Avocados may be nature’s answer in helping to treat metabolic syndrome. This is a condition where a clustering of risk factors like abdominal obesity, low levels of high-density lipoprotein (HDL) or ‘good’ cholesterol, high triglyceride levels, high blood pressure, and high fasting blood sugar can lead to the increased chances of death from conditions like type 2 diabetes mellitus and cardiovascular diseases. The presence of at least three of these risk factors would be grounds enough for a diagnosis of metabolic syndrome.
A recent study in Iran revealed that avocados have beneficial effects on lipid profiles, with changes to phospholipids, triglycerides, LDL-cholesterol, HDL-cholesterol, and total cholesterol. The study found that overweight or obese adults who ate one avocado every day for six weeks lost a significant amount of body weight, body mass index (BMI) and percentage of body fat. The peel, seeds, flesh, and leaves of avocadoes also all have differing effects on the components of metabolic syndrome. Avocados are an abundant source of carotenoids, phenolics, fatty acids, minerals, and vitamins and also possess antihypertensive, antidiabetic, anti-obesity, antithrombotic, antiantherosclerotic, and cardioprotective properties.
The American Heart Association has stated that metabolic syndrome affects approximately 23 percent of adults in the U.S. Embracing a healthy diet is considered one of the key ways to prevent or treat metabolic syndrome and avocados are an integral part of any such diet. Medical News Today reported in 2014 that eating half an avocado with lunch may assist in weight loss as well as lower levels of low-density lipoprotein (LDL) which is ‘bad’ cholesterol. Avocadoes greatest impact on is on cholesterol levels.
