by Eating avocados may be helpful when it comes to avoiding diabetes.
A new study published in the Journal of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics identified a link between eating avocados and a reduced risk of diabetes in some Mexican adults.
Researchers studied dietary habits and diabetes diagnosis data from the Mexican National Survey of Health and Nutrition in the years 2012, 2016 and 2018.
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Of the 25,640 qualified respondents aged 20 and over, approximately 59% were women and more than 60% had abdominal obesity.
About 45% of participants reported eating avocados daily – an average of 34.7 grams for men, and 29.8 grams for women.
According to Medical News Today avocado eaters of both genders have a more nutritious overall diet. (iStock)
“Among women, this study showed that compared to non-consumers of avocado, avocado consumers had more than 20% lower odds of diabetes even after adjusting for various factors such as age, education level, weight body, physical activity and more,” the study said. author Feon Cheng, PhD, a nutritional epidemiologist at the Avocado Nutrition Center in Mission Viejo, California, in a statement to Fox News Digital.
(Cheng noted that her affiliation with the Avocado Nutrition Center did not influence the research methods or analysis.)
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“This research is especially important since Hispanic adults are more likely to develop diabetes in their lifetime than US adults overall and at a younger age,” Cheng said.
The same diabetes-reducing effects were not observed in men.
“It is interesting that there were differences between men and women, which can be attributed to different lifestyle factors,” Cheng noted.
Diabetes-reducing effects were observed in female study participants – but the same benefits were not found in men, according to this research. (iStock)
“Although we did not compare lifestyle factors in this study, future research is needed to see if they could help explain the difference seen between men and women.”
They also noted that avocados “have many vitamins, minerals and phytochemicals, which can contribute to reducing the risk of metabolic syndrome and diabetes.”
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Tanya Freirich, a registered dietitian nutritionist in Charlotte, North Carolina, was not involved in the study, but told Fox News Digital that avocados are an “extremely healthy food choice.”
The fruit is “full of omega-3 fats, low in carbohydrates, and high in fiber, magnesium, potassium and vitamins C, E and K,” the nutritionist said.
Diabetes is the second leading cause of death in Mexico, according to the National Institute of Health. (iStock)
Eating avocados, however, won’t completely negate unhealthy food and lifestyle choices, Freirich said.
“While it makes sense that this low glycemic index and nutritious food may be associated with a reduced risk of diabetes, I encourage people to consider the rest of their diet as well,” she said.
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“To further reduce your diabetes risk, in addition to adding avocados to your overall healthy eating pattern, also work on reducing added sugars, choosing high-fiber whole grains and eating plenty of vegetables.”
People should stick to a well-balanced diet to reduce the risk of diabetes, a nutritionist has suggested. (iStock)
Michelle Routhenstein, a New York-based preventive cardiology dietitian at EntirelyNourished.com, supported the notion that avocados alone won’t help lower diabetes risk. (She was not involved in the study.)
“We need to consider the overall diet, balance of meals and snacks, timing of eating, and other lifestyle factors such as stress management, sleep quality and physical activity,” she told Fox News Digital.
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New Jersey-based registered dietitian Erin Palinski-Wade told Fox News Digital that she is “not surprised” by the new study’s conclusions regarding reduced diabetes risk and fresh avocado consumption.
“Unlike most other fruits, avocados contain zero grams of naturally occurring sugar per serving and do not affect the glycemic response,” she said.
Avocados are a source of “good fats, fiber and a variety of vitamins and minerals,” according to a nutritionist. (iStock)
“A serving of avocado (one-third of a medium avocado or 50 grams) also provides a good source of fiber, which helps manage blood sugar levels,” Palinski-Wade said.
Previous research has shown that it “may offer a variety of benefits, such as lower post-meal glucose levels and improved satiety,” the nutritionist told Fox News Digital.
Eating avocados won’t completely negate unhealthy food and lifestyle choices, experts warn.
Scientists in a clinical trial supported by the Avocado Nutrition Center found that including half or a whole avocado at breakfast “reduced participants’ glucose and insulin,” according to Palinski-Wade.
“That shows how adding avocado to a meal could support blood sugar management,” she noted.
“The body of evidence on avocados and diabetes is exciting, and this new study adds to the evidence supporting the role of avocados in the care and prevention of diabetes.”
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Although the results are positive, Palinski-Wade emphasized that the research has limitations, as it does not generalize the results to everyone.
“More research is still needed in some areas,” she said.
Scientists in a clinical trial supported by the Avocado Nutrition Center found that including half or a whole avocado at breakfast reduced glucose and insulin. (iStock)
“Avocados can be a great way to add more variety to your plate while increasing your intake of good fats, fiber and a variety of vitamins and minerals, all nutrients that help reduce the risk of chronic illness, with including type 2 diabetes.”
The study had several limitations, the researchers noted.
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“Although the food frequency questionnaire is validated and used to assess how often study participants consumed avocados in the past seven days, self-reported avocado consumption may overestimate or underestimate actual intake,” said Cheng with Fox News Digital.
“Furthermore, the cross-sectional nature of the study cannot establish causation.”
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