01/22/2019 / By Ellaine Castillo
Avocado lovers are in for a treat. Researchers from Mashhad University of Medical Sciences in Iran found that eating this delicious superfood daily can significantly reduce a person’s risk of metabolic syndrome.
Metabolic syndrome is a health condition characterized by elevated blood sugar and cholesterol levels, high blood pressure, and obesity. People who suffer from this condition have a higher risk of developing cardiovascular diseases and Type 2 diabetes. Because of this, it has been deemed a major contributor to mortality and morbidity in many countries.
Although there are conventional medicines that treat the different components of metabolic syndrome, many of these are associated with adverse side effects. Take cholesterol-lowering medications, for example. These drugs cause side effects like diarrhea, constipation, nausea, stomach pain, muscle soreness, and even liver problems. Fortunately, there are other ways of improving metabolic syndrome, including medicinal plants, herbs, and food.
Avocado is a highly nutritious plant that is rich in carotenoids, fatty acids, minerals, phenolic and polyphenolic compounds, phytosterols and phytostanols, proteins, seven-carbon sugars, and vitamins. These compounds contribute to the many pharmacological benefits that avocados have, including its antifungal, anti-inflammatory, and antioxidant properties. Additionally, previous studies on phytosterols and phytostanols have revealed that they can lower cholesterol levels while carotenoids can inhibit the growth of cancer cells.
In this study, which was published in the journal Phytotherapy Research, the researchers evaluated the effects of avocado and its components on metabolic syndrome by reviewing and compiling the results of previous publications. They considered the different aspects of metabolic syndrome, including Type 2 diabetes, hypertension, dyslipidemia, and obesity. Overall, there are 129 in vitro and clinical studies included in this review.
The results of their study showed that avocados significantly improved glucose and cholesterol levels, as well as blood pressure. The superfood was also found to prevent obesity, abnormal blood clot formation, and oxidative stress, which contributes to cardiovascular disease. Among all these health benefits, the researchers revealed that the most potent effects of avocados are on the lipid profile, which they attributed to the fruit’s ability to regulate lipoprotein hydrolysis and their uptake. Moreover, the majority of the studies included in this review suggested that in order to enjoy these benefits, avocados should be consumed every day. (Related: The amazing health benefits of avocado and six delicious ways to eat it.)
Some of the other health benefits that you can enjoy from eating avocados include the following:
No matter how much you love avocados, it can get a bit tiring if you keep eating the same thing every day. To shake things up, here are some interesting ways to eat avocados.
Read more news articles on the health benefits of avocados by visiting Superfoods.news.
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anti-obesity, antiatherosclerotic, antidiabetic, antihypertensive, antithrombotic, avocados, blood pressure, blood sugar, cardioprotective, carotenoids, diabetes prevention, fatty acids, food cures, grocery cures, metabolic syndrome, minerals, Phenolics, prevention, Type 2 Diabetes, vitamins
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