Avocados ‘can help to reduce bad cholesterol levels’

A new study has shed light on the potential heart health benefits of eating avocado on a daily basis.

The Pennsylvania State University research saw 45 healthy, overweight or obese patients between the ages of 21 and 70 put on three different cholesterol-lowering diets, which they consumed for five weeks.

Compared to the baseline average American diet, bad cholesterol levels were shown to be lower after consuming a heart-healthy, cholesterol-lowering moderate-fat diet that included an avocado.

Cholesterol levels were also lower with the moderate fat diet without the avocado, but the results were not as pronounced as when the avocado was included.

Senior study author Penny Kris-Etherton said: "We need to focus on getting people to eat a heart-healthy diet that includes avocados and other nutrient-rich food sources of better fats."

The research is the latest piece of evidence that illustrates the health benefits of the Mediterranean diet, which includes fruits, vegetables, whole grains, fatty fish and foods rich in monounsaturated fatty acids, such as avocados.