If avos are a part of your staple food or even if you do eat twice a week, you're doing a great job for your heart!
The new research has provided evidence that avocados can improve diet quality and is an important component in cardiovascular disease prevention.
The researchers did a follow-up study for 30 years. A the beginning of the study, the participants were free of cancer, coronary heart disease, and stroke. Every four years, researchers asssed participants' diet by using the food frequency questionnaires which were given at the beginning of the study and every four years after.
The study discovered that eating two or more avocados each week lowered the risk of cardiovascular disease by 16% and lowered coronary heart disease by 21%.
Replacing half a serving daily of margarine, butter, egg, yogurt or processed meats such as bacon with half a serving of avocado was linked to a 16% to 22% lower risk of cardiovascular disease.
No additional benefits were found in substituting half a serving of avocado for an equal amount of olive oil, nuts and other plant oils.
"Although no one food is the solution to routinely eating a healthy diet, this study is evidence that avocados have possible health benefits" said Cheryl Anderson, chair of the American Heart Association's Council on Epidemiology and Prevention.
"This is promising because it is a food item that is popular, accessible, desirable and easy to include in meals eaten by many Americans at home and in restaurants".
Previous research has also found that eating avocados have a positive impact on high cholesterol.
