Avocados: More Than Just a Healthy Fat
We all know that avocados are a great source of healthy fats. People use it to make guacamole, they put it on toast, and some simply grab a spoon after cutting it open and go to town. But now, it appears there’s even more health benefits packed into this small package. Researchers from the Jean Mayer USDA Human Nutrition Research Center on Aging at Tufts University are now claiming that avocados can boost memory, enhance attention, and support eye health. Previous research has also been shown to improve brain health through the help of lutein in children all the way up through the elderly.
Ah, Avocados… I “see” what you did there
We can thank all of the above-mentioned benefits to the lutein content in avocados. Lutein is a naturally occurring carotenoid generally found in green leafy vegetables. Both the eye and the brain need lutein to function properly and to stay healthy. The research completed looked at avocado consumption over a six-month period and found that within that timeframe, lutein levels increased.
One researcher mentioned, “This study is an example of how practical dietary choices can be of benefit to healthy aging. A dietary intervention with avocados was particularly effective in increasing MPD (macular pigment density) levels, a biomarker of brain lutein. Increases in MPD were related to better cognitive performance. Therefore, avocados could be an effective dietary strategy for cognitive health in the aging population.”
Related Article: You Need Avocado Oil in Your Life & Here’s Why
This is extremely important because as we age, the common areas that begin to deteriorate are the mind and the eyes (sight). If we can supplement with an avocado and increase the levels of lutein in our diet, we have a greater chance of holding onto both over time.
The study and findings
As mentioned earlier, a six-month study was conducted and used 20 men and women. Each of the participants were randomly asked to either consume a cup of chickpeas or potato each day, or a whole avocado.
To be completely honest, I would think this study would be hard to complete in real life. No matter which food was consumed (chickpeas/potato/avocado), I don’t believe it’s realistic to consume one of those items every single day for six months like the researchers asked. If you told me to eat anything every day for six months I would probably get sick of it after a couple weeks, regardless of what it is.
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