The 2013 epidemiological study carried out by the "National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey" (NHANES), funded by the "Hass Avocado Board", has shown that American avocado consumers have a better overall dietary quality, greater nutrient intake and are less predisposed to developing Metabolic Syndrome; however, the mechanism by which the avocado improves the state of health has not yet been demonstrated.
In a preliminary study, high dietary intake of avocado has been shown to lower blood cholesterol levels. To be precise, following a weekly diet rich in avocado, patients suffering from mild hypercholesterolemia showed a 17% decrease in cholesterol levels in blood serum. These showed a 22% decrease in LDL lipoproteins ("bad" cholesterol) and in triglycerides, together with an 11% increase in HDL lipoproteins ("good" cholesterol).
In another study carried out on obese patients with a 34% fat diet (estimated on total calories), the additional consumption of an avocado per day (about 136g) for just over 5 weeks produced a significant reduction in circulating LDL lipoprotein . According to the authors, this beneficial effect could be attributable to the combination of: monounsaturated fats, dietary fiber and phytosterols (beta-sitosterol) brought by the fruit.
