New information shows avocados can very much lower heart disease and is a great substitute for butter, mayonnaise and cheese.
Alexander Spatari/Getty ImagesYou're seeing them as an option on many menu entrees. There are recipes you can use them for both as the main ingredient or a substitute — even in a smoothie. And they've even made their way to children's kitchen playsets.
Avocados used to just be the green stuff that makes up guacamole, but within the past decade they've been everywhere from toast to tacos, and as it turns out they're great for your cardiovascular health. The new information comes from a report in the Journal of the American Heart Association.
In short, more avocado intake lowered the risk of cardiovascular disease and coronary heart disease in two cohorts of men and women, and replacing avocados with certain fat-containing foods also lowers the risk of CVD.
Researchers examined nearly 69,000 women ages 30-55 and nearly 42,000 men ages 40-75 over the course of 30 years.
"Compared with non-consumers, those with higher consumption of avocados had 16% lower risk of CVD and 21% lower risk of CHD," the report says. "Findings were consistent across all subgroups. Additionally, compared with margarine, butter, egg, yogurt, cheese, and processed meats, avocados were associated with lower risk of CVD and CHD, whereas when compared with olive oil, nuts, and other plant oils combined, avocados were not associated with CVD and CHD."
Substituting a serving of avocados for butter, mayonnaise, cheeses, and processed meats lowered saturated fat intake and lowered several heart and cardio risks. One cup of avocado is one serving.
