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Is avocado good for your cholesterol?


Avocados have become an incredibly popular food in recent years. They are nutritious, delicious, and versatile. Many people enjoy avocados in salads, on toast, in smoothies, and more. Avocados provide a number of health benefits, but one question that arises is whether they are good for your cholesterol levels. High cholesterol is a major risk factor for heart disease, so it’s important to eat foods that support healthy cholesterol levels. In this article, we’ll take a detailed look at the research on avocados and cholesterol and help you understand whether avocados are good or bad for your cholesterol.

An Overview of Cholesterol

Before diving into the avocado-cholesterol connection, let’s start with a quick overview of cholesterol and why it matters for health. Cholesterol is a waxy, fat-like substance found in your blood. Your body needs cholesterol to build healthy cells, but too much cholesterol can build up in your arteries.

The two main types of cholesterol are:

– LDL cholesterol: LDL stands for low-density lipoprotein. This is known as “bad” cholesterol because high levels can lead to plaque buildup in your arteries and increase your risk of heart attack and stroke.

– HDL cholesterol: HDL stands for high-density lipoprotein. This is called “good” cholesterol because it carries cholesterol from other parts of your body back to your liver where it can be removed from your body. Higher levels of HDL reduce your risk for heart disease.

When we talk about cholesterol levels, we’re usually referring to total cholesterol, LDL cholesterol, and HDL cholesterol. Here are the target ranges:

Type of Cholesterol Healthy Level
Total cholesterol Less than 200 mg/dL
LDL cholesterol Less than 100 mg/dL
HDL cholesterol 60 mg/dL or higher

Keeping your total and LDL cholesterol within healthy ranges and having higher levels of HDL cholesterol protects your heart health. Now let’s see how avocados fit into the cholesterol picture.

Avocados Contain Heart-Healthy Fats

Avocados have a creamy, rich texture thanks to their high fat content. A 1/2 cup serving of mashed avocado contains about 10 grams of fat (1). However, the type of fat matters more than the total amount. Avocados provide predominantly monounsaturated fats (2).

Monounsaturated fats are heart healthy fats that can improve your cholesterol profile. They lower total cholesterol and LDL cholesterol but maintain or increase HDL cholesterol.

By replacing saturated fats (found in foods like fatty meats, butter, and cheese) with monounsaturated fats from avocados, you can reduce your risk of high cholesterol and heart disease. According to one study, people who ate an avocado every day for one week experienced a 17% drop in LDL cholesterol (3).

Some of the specific monounsaturated fats in avocados that benefit your cholesterol levels include (4):

– Oleic acid: This omega-9 fat can reduce inflammation while improving HDL cholesterol levels.
– Palmitoleic acid: This monounsaturated fat can lower LDL cholesterol.

So the type of fats in avocados seems to tick all the right boxes when it comes to improving cholesterol. But what does the research say? Let’s take a closer look.

Avocado Research on Cholesterol Levels

A number of studies have been conducted looking directly at the impact of avocados on cholesterol levels. The evidence is promising that avocados can keep your cholesterol in the healthy range.

In one study, 45 adults with overweight or obesity participated in a moderate-fat diet for 5 weeks. For the next 5 weeks, participants replaced some fats in the diet with 1 avocado per day. After eating an avocado daily, they experienced significant reductions in total cholesterol, including a 6.9% drop in LDL cholesterol (5).

Another study found that including one avocado per day in a moderate-fat diet for 4 weeks reduced LDL cholesterol in adults with overweight or obesity (6).

Research also shows positive effects in healthy populations. One study placed participants on three cholesterol-lowering diets: a low-fat diet, a moderate-fat diet, or a moderate-fat diet that included 1 avocado per day. The moderate-fat diet with daily avocado consumption resulted in higher HDL cholesterol and lower LDL cholesterol compared to both other diets (7).

The beneficial effects appear strong enough to counteract the cholesterol-raising effects of other foods. In one study, 12 adults followed 3 cholesterol-lowering diets for 5 weeks each. On two of the plans, participants ate 100 grams of butter, cheese, or both per day. When avocados were added to balance the fatty acids, the avocados prevented about 75% of the average increase in total cholesterol (8).

Based on the research, adding an avocado per day to your diet can lower LDL cholesterol by 5-16% while raising HDL cholesterol by about 7-15% (9). Over time, this beneficial shift in cholesterol levels reduces your risk for heart disease.

Avocados Provide Cholesterol-Lowering Fiber, Phytosterols, and Antioxidants

Avocados offer cholesterol benefits not just from their monounsaturated fats but also from other protective components. Some of the substances in avocados that support lower cholesterol include:

– **Fiber:** Each avocado provides about 7 grams of fiber (10). Fiber binds to cholesterol in your digestive tract and eliminates it from your body before it can enter your bloodstream.
– **Phytosterols:** Avocados contain 115 milligrams of phytosterols per 100 grams, mainly in the form beta-sitosterol (11). Phytosterols are plant-based compounds that block cholesterol absorption in the intestines like cholesterol-lowering fiber.
– **Antioxidants:** Carotenoids like beta-carotene, lutein, and zeaxanthin and vitamins C and E in avocados act as antioxidants. They protect LDL cholesterol from becoming oxidized and damaging your arteries (12).

Should You Avoid Avocados If You Have High Cholesterol?

With all of this strong evidence that avocados can improve cholesterol, is there any reason someone with high cholesterol should avoid them?

Given that avocados are high in fat, some people wonder if they should limit avocados to reduce their saturated fat intake. However, research has found that avocados do not increase levels of saturated fat in the bloodstream (13).

As long as you are consuming avocados in moderation as part of an overall heart-healthy diet, there is no need to avoid them if you have high cholesterol. The fruits can be part of an effective dietary approach to lowering cholesterol levels.

One note is that most cholesterol-related research on avocados uses about one avocado per day, which equates to about 1/4 to 1/3 of an average-sized fruit. While avocados are very nutritious, you don’t necessarily need to eat more than this amount to achieve cholesterol-lowering benefits.

Tips for Adding Avocado to a Cholesterol-Lowering Diet

If you have high cholesterol, here are some simple tips for incorporating avocado into your diet:

– Use avocado instead of mayonnaise or cheese on sandwiches.
– Include sliced avocado in salads or chili.
– Mash avocado and use as a spread on toast or flatbread.
– Blend avocado with onion, cilantro, and spices for a heart-healthy dip or dressing.
– Top fish, chicken, or veggie tacos with avocado.
– Swap sour cream for mashed avocado in baked potato toppings.
– Blend avocado into smoothies for creaminess.
– Slice and add avocado to omelets, frittatas, or scrambles.

Focus on getting at least 1/4 avocado in your daily diet. And balance it with other heart-protective foods like fruits, vegetables, whole grains, legumes, fish and nuts.

Other Dietary Steps to Improve Cholesterol

While avocados can be a cholesterol-lowering addition to your diet, they are only one piece of the puzzle. Here are some other dietary strategies to help get your cholesterol into a healthy range:

– **Eliminate trans fats:** Trans fats raise LDL and lower HDL cholesterol, increasing your risk for heart disease. Remove sources like fried foods, baked goods, and shortening.

– **Choose healthy fats:** Focus on monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats like olive oil, nuts, seeds, and fatty fish. Limit saturated fat from red meat and full-fat dairy.

– **Increase soluble fiber:** Soluble fiber lowers LDL cholesterol. Get 10-25 grams daily from oats, barley, beans, apples, and Brussels sprouts.

– **Eat soy:** 25 grams of soy protein daily can lower LDL cholesterol. Try soy milk, edamame, tofu, and tempeh.

– **Increase antioxidants:** Fruits, vegetables, and whole grains provide antioxidants that prevent LDL cholesterol from oxidizing. Aim for 8-10 servings per day.

– **Lose excess weight:** Losing just 5-10% of your body weight can improve all cholesterol numbers.

– **Get moving:** Regular aerobic exercise can boost HDL cholesterol while lowering LDL cholesterol. Aim for 150 minutes per week.

– **Drink moderately:** Excessive alcohol intake can damage liver function, leading to higher LDL and lower HDL cholesterol.

Should You Take Statins If You Have High Cholesterol?

Along with diet and lifestyle changes, medication is often recommended for lowering cholesterol if levels are very high. Statins are usually the first-line medication prescribed.

Statins lower LDL cholesterol by blocking an enzyme in your liver that makes cholesterol. This forces your liver to pull LDL cholesterol out of your blood.

Statins are effective at lowering LDL cholesterol by 30-50% usually (14). They also have some modest benefits for raising HDL cholesterol.

Statins may be prescribed if (15):

– Your 10-year risk of heart attack or stroke is over 10%
– Your LDL cholesterol remains above 190 mg/dL
– Your LDL cholesterol stays above 130 mg/dL after dietary changes

Of course, medications come with side effects and costs. So dietary approaches like adding avocado are ideal as a first treatment option. But statins can provide additional benefits for those at highest risk for heart disease and stroke.

The Bottom Line

Avocados provide heart-healthy monounsaturated fats as well as fiber, antioxidants, and phytosterols. Numerous studies show that eating one avocado per day significantly lowers LDL cholesterol while raising HDL cholesterol. Avocados are safe to consume even if you have high cholesterol and can be a beneficial addition to a cholesterol-lowering diet. Along with an avocado-rich diet, reducing saturated fat, losing excess weight, and exercising regularly can help optimize your cholesterol levels and reduce your heart disease risk.