3 benefits of avocados for cholesterol control

If you have been told you have high cholesterol, your doctor probably recommended eating healthier foods and cutting back on unhealthy ones. High cholesterol happens when LDL (bad) cholesterol levels go over 190 milligrams per deciliter. The good news is that the foods you eat can play a big role in lowering cholesterol. So, if you looking for a tasty and natural way to manage your cholesterol, avocados might be just what you need! They are loaded with healthy fats and fibre, both of which can help lower bad LDL cholesterol and support heart health. Plus, they are delicious and easy to add to your meals. Let’s look at how to use avocados for cholesterol control.

What is good and bad cholesterol?

Cholesterol is a waxy, fat-like substance in your blood essential for building cells and producing hormones. However, having too much of it can lead to health problems. Cholesterol is categorised into good HDL (high-density lipoprotein) cholesterol and bad LDL (low-density lipoprotein) cholesterol.

• Good cholesterol (HDL): It helps remove excess cholesterol from your blood and carries it back to the liver, where it is broken down. High HDL levels are linked to a lower risk of heart disease because it prevents harmful buildup in arteries, reveals a study published by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
• Bad cholesterol (LDL): It can build up on the walls of arteries, forming plaques. Having too much LDL can force these plaques to narrow the arteries, leading to heart disease, stroke, or other cardiovascular problems, suggests a study published in StatPearls. It is also associated with diabetes and hypertension as well.

To manage cholesterol levels, balancing these two is key. Low HDL and high LDL levels are risk factors for cardiovascular diseases. To maintain healthy cholesterol levels, you should focus on a balanced diet, low in saturated and trans fats, exercise regularly, avoid smoking, and manage stress. Following a diet which includes healthy foods like avocados for cholesterol control can be beneficial.

3 benefits of avocados for cholesterol control

Avocados are a heart-healthy food that can play a key role in cholesterol control. Here are 3 benefits of avocados for cholesterol level control:

1. Packed with monounsaturated fats

Avocados for cholesterol control can be used because they are rich in monounsaturated fatty acids (MUFAs), a type of healthy fat. These unsaturated fats can improve heart health by reducing bad LDL cholesterol levels while maintaining or even increasing good HDL cholesterol, according to the American Heart Association. Other foods higher in unsaturated fats include olive oil, nuts, and oily fish. While saturated fats, found in dairy and meat, can raise cholesterol.

Also read: Sugar and cholesterol: How too much sweet intake affects your heart?

2. Rich in fibre

Apart from these fats, avocados are an excellent source of dietary fibre, states the US Department of Agriculture. Fibre has been shown to improve HDL cholesterol (the good cholesterol) and support the overall quality of LDL cholesterol (the bad cholesterol). Eating two servings of avocados for cholesterol control each week had a 16 percent lower risk of heart disease and a 21 percent lower risk of coronary heart disease, compared to those who never or rarely ate avocados, according to a study published in the American Heart Association.

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3. Lowers triglyceride levels

Triglycerides are fats in the blood that, when elevated, increase the risk of heart disease, especially when combined with high LDL or low HDL levels. A 2015 meta-analysis published in the Journal of Clinical Lipidology of 10 studies found that replacing animal fats with avocados led to an average reduction of 18.80 milligrams per deciliter (mg/dl) in LDL cholesterol and triglycerides. This shows that swapping unhealthy fats for avocados can effectively lower triglyceride levels and support heart health.

Is eating avocados enough to reduce cholesterol?

While avocados for cholesterol control are well known, research results are mixed. According to NutritionFacts.org, simply eating avocados alone may not directly lower cholesterol. Instead, a decrease in cholesterol might actually be the result of people replacing animal fats, like butter, with avocados.

Also read: Avoid these foods to keep heart diseases at bay

Another 2014 study published in the British Journal of Nutrition found that to effectively lower LDL cholesterol, individuals would need to consume between 600–3,300 milligrams of phytosterol per day. However, the amount of phytosterol in a single avocado is far below this range. This shows that no single food can determine if a diet is healthy. To manage cholesterol, it is better to focus on long-term lifestyle and dietary habits rather than depending on one specific food.

How to eat avocados for cholesterol control?

Here are 5 simple ways to eat avocados for cholesterol control:

1. Avocado toast: Swap butter or cream cheese with smashed avocado on whole-grain bread. Top with a sprinkle of salt, pepper, and chili flakes.
2. Smoothies: Add half an avocado to your morning smoothie with spinach, banana, and almond milk for a heart-healthy breakfast.
3. Salads: Toss avocado slices into your salads. They pair well with mixed greens, tomatoes, cucumbers, and olive oil dressing.
4. Guacamole: Enjoy fresh guacamole with carrot sticks, cucumber slices, or whole-grain crackers instead of chips.
5. Soups: Blend avocado into homemade soups, like creamy vegetable or chicken soup, for added texture and healthy fats.

These methods make eating avocados for cholesterol control easy, delicious, and heart-healthy!