This fruit is called a "super food"! It can help lower cholesterol

There are a lot of cardiovascular and cerebrovascular diseases, and they often have a common source - excessive cholesterol.

Cholesterol is divided into two types - low-density lipoprotein cholesterol and high-density lipoprotein cholesterol.

Elevated cholesterol levels can damage the vascular endothelium and cause the formation of lipid plaques (i.e. atherosclerosis) on the blood vessel walls. The plaques gradually grow larger, leading to blood vessel stenosis, thereby causing ischemic cardiovascular and cerebrovascular diseases such as coronary heart disease and stroke.

Recently, a meta-analysis published in the Journal of the American College of Dietitians provided a simple way to lower cholesterol - eat some avocados.

New research confirms that avocados can help lower blood lipids

The researchers used people who did not eat avocados as a control group and systematically analyzed the effects of eating avocados on cholesterol levels in healthy people and patients with hypercholesterolemia. Specifically:

1. Studies without the participation of patients with hypercholesterolemia

Avocado consumption had no significant effect on cholesterol and triglycerides, but slightly reduced total cholesterol levels.

2. Studies involving patients with hypercholesterolemia

Avocado consumption can significantly reduce total cholesterol levels without negatively affecting body weight.

When patients with hypercholesterolemia consumed 99 to 330 grams of avocado per day, **there was a significant negative correlation between avocado intake and total cholesterol. **That is, the more avocados you eat (99 to 330 grams), the lower your total cholesterol level.

The average weight of a single avocado is about 200g, which means that eating half an avocado (99g) a day can lower the total cholesterol level of patients with hypercholesterolemia without making people fat.

Avocado is like the deep-sea fish of fruit

The taste of avocado is almost incomparable to that of fruit, because its green flesh is not only not juicy, but also not sweet at all. Among many bright, sweet and sour fruits, avocado seems a bit "weird", and those who are not used to eating it may even find it unpalatable, but this does not in any way damage the positive image of avocado as "super healthy".

So, what nutrients are hidden under this "cold" appearance?

The health advantage of avocado is its fat composition.

70% of the fatty acids in avocado are monounsaturated fatty acids, of which oleic acid has the highest content, accounting for more than 61% of the total. "China Oils and Fats" published an article stating that oleic acid, as a monounsaturated fatty acid, is not easily oxidized and rancid, and has the effects of lowering blood sugar, regulating blood lipids, protecting the heart, and reducing cardiovascular and cerebrovascular diseases .

This is very similar to deep-sea fish, so avocado can be called the "deep-sea fish" among fruits.

In addition, avocados are rich in trace elements, as well as folic acid and oleic acid, which further solidifies avocado’s reputation as a “healthy fruit”.

Many benefits, the leader in the light meal industry

1. Improve the intestinal tract

A study from the University of Illinois suggests that including avocados as part of your daily diet may help improve your gut health.

Avocados are high in dietary fiber, and researchers have found that people who ate avocados as part of a meal daily had greater gut microbial diversity.

Avocados can help lower bile acid and increase the level of short-chain fatty acids produced by fiber fermentation through intestinal flora. They can not only provide energy for intestinal mucosal cells, but also reduce inflammation and immune regulation in the body, which helps with blood sugar control, heart health, relief of gastrointestinal disease symptoms, and weight loss and weight management.

2. Good for cardiovascular health

Avocados are rich in monounsaturated fatty acids, and using them instead of animal oil is beneficial to cardiovascular health.

A paper published in the Journal of the American Heart Association used statistical analysis to show that after correcting for lifestyle and other dietary factors, during a 30-year follow-up period, people who ate more than two servings of avocados per week (the amount of one avocado) had a 16% and 21% lower risk of cardiovascular disease and coronary heart disease, respectively, compared with those who did not eat avocados.

3. Antioxidant

Avocado contains antioxidant vitamin E, vitamin C and antioxidant polyphenols, which are all natural antioxidants. They can not only moisturize the skin, but also improve the body's antioxidant capacity and slow down the aging of cells.