This One Food May Lower Your Diet’s Glycemic Load, Study Finds
The adage, "an apple a day keeps the doctor away," may need an update to "an avocado a day." Studies have consistently shown (yes, even randomized controlled trials) that eating an entire avocado a day supports healthy cholesterol levels, promotes gut health, and lowers the risk of heart disease.
The most recent study? Well, it shows that adding this unique fruit to your plate (even when nothing else changes) may improve glycemic load. Here’s what you need to know.
About the study
Researchers wanted to determine whether adding one large avocado daily to the habitual diets of adults with overweight or obesity could lower the overall glycemic index and glycemic load of their diets. But wait. What’s the difference?
- Glycemic index is a measure of how quickly a carb-containing food raises blood sugar compared (compared to pure glucose).
- Glycemic load is a measure that considers both the quality and quantity of the carbs consumed (which takes into account things like fiber and sugar content). In turn, this helps provide a more comprehensive picture of the impact of that food or meal on blood sugar.
This particular study looked at data from the Habitual Diet and Avocado Trial (HAT), a six-month randomized controlled trial involving 1,008 adults with elevated waist circumference.
Participants were randomly assigned to one of two groups:
- An avocado group that consumed one large avocado (about 168 grams) daily while otherwise maintaining their usual diet
- A control group that continued their usual diet and limited avocado intake to fewer than two avocados per month
Researchers assessed participants' diets using three unannounced 24-hour dietary recalls throughout the study and calculated dietary glycemic index and glycemic load.
Avocado intake lowers glycemic load
After six months, participants who ate an avocado every day had a significantly lower dietary glycemic load than those in the control group.
Specifically, the avocado group had a glycemic load that was about 14 points lower on average. However, dietary glycemic index did not differ significantly between the groups. A diet with a lower glycemic load has been linked to better blood sugar and cardiometabolic health.
The avocado group also consumed:
- More fiber (avocados can have around 14 grams of fiber!)
- More monounsaturated fats
- More plant protein
- Less carbohydrate as a percentage of total calories
As participants weren't given any counseling to change the rest of their diet, researchers suggest that adding avocado may have naturally displaced some carbohydrate-rich foods while increasing intake of fiber and healthy fats.
What makes avocados so healthy?
Unlike many fruits, avocados are naturally low in sugar and rich in heart-healthy monounsaturated fats and fiber. They’re also a rich source of potassium, folate, and vitamin E, lutein, and zeaxanthin.
This combo makes avocados on their own a blood sugar-balancing snack (although adding a protein source would help to really round it out).
The takeaway
Avocado lovers (especially those who love eating an entire avo a day), this study offers even more of a reason to keep that habit up. While researchers continue to explore exactly how avocados influence cardiometabolic health, the combination of heart-healthy fats, fiber, and bioactive compounds makes them a simple addition to an overall healthy eating pattern.