- More than 110,000 health professionals described their diet and lifestyle over a 30-year period.
- Those who ate an avocado a week had a lower risk of heart disease compared to peers who did not eat avocados.
- Avocados are well-known sources of healthy fats, fiber, and antioxidants.
Avocado eaters generally have superior heart health compared to their peers who avoid the fat-rich fruit, according to a study published Wednesday in the Journal of the American Heart Association.
The study, which was funded by the National Institutes of Health, is the most comprehensive look at avocados and heart health yet.
Researchers at the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health looked back on data from a study of more than 110,000 health professionals followed over a 30-year period. Beginning in 1986, participants answered lifestyle- and health-related questionnaires every two years; initial results of the study were published in 2011.
Since then, researchers have continued to use the study data to examine associations between specific lifestyle and health factors. In the latest analysis, they took a close look at avocados, which are known to contain healthy fats and dietary fiber.
They found that health professionals who ate at least two servings of avocado — which comes out to one cup or approximately one avocado — per week had a 16% lower risk of cardiovascular disease and a 21% lower risk of coronary heart disease, compared to those who never or rarely ate avocados.
Replace butter, bacon, and cheese with avocado for better heart health
The survey asked about how much avocado people consumed and how often, as well as similar questions about other foods.
Based on the data, researchers calculated that replacing even half a serving of animal fats — like butter, cheese, or bacon — with the same amount of avocado was linked to a significantly lower risk of heart disease and heart failure.
However, the researchers noted that substituting avocados for plant oils or nuts was not linked to an additional benefit.
Compared to other fat-filled foods, avocados contain more monounsaturated fatty acids, which are proven to benefit heart health by lowering bad cholesterol. Avocados are also rich in dietary magnesium, which is associated with a lower risk of coronary artery disease.
The healthy fats and fiber in avocados also can help you feel full for longer, making it a popular feature of the Mediterranean diet and some fat-focused eating plans.
Avocados are not accessible for all
The researchers noted a couple of limitations of the data. Most of the health care professionals surveyed were white, and self-reported diet information always comes with some bias.
Because the study was observational, it can't prove a cause-effect relationship between avocados and heart health. Still, the American Heart Association recommends avocados, among other fruits and vegetables, as an important part of any healthy diet.
"Although no one food is the solution to routinely eating a healthy diet, this study is evidence that avocados have possible health benefits," Cheryl Anderson, chair of the AHA's Council on Epidemiology and Prevention, said in a press release.
Anderson, who was not involved in the research, added that avocados are "popular, accessible, desirable, and easy to include in meals."
But as the fruit is centered in an often fraught trade relationship between the US and Mexico, avocado prices continue to rise as Americans demand more. When considered along with the hefty environmental toll of growing avocados, the potential health benefits come at a cost.