It turns out avocados aren’t just a healthy fat, but a great tool to kick-start weight loss. The Center for Nutrition Research at Illinois Institute of Technology released a new study citing that substituting avocados for refined carbohydrates suppresses hunger and increases meal satisfaction in overweight adults.
Researchers evaluated 31 overweight adults in a randomized clinical trial to monitor the effect of Hass avocados on hunger, fullness, and satiation over six hours. Not only did the subjects feel more satiated, but the substitution limited insulin and blood glucose excursions, aiding in reducing the risk of diabetes and cardiovascular disease.
“For years, fats have been targeted as the main cause of obesity, and now carbohydrates have come under scrutiny for their role in appetite regulation and weight control,” said Britt Burton-Freeman, Ph.D., director of the Center for Nutrition Research at Illinois Tech. “There is no ‘one size fits all’ solution when it comes to optimal meal composition for managing appetite. However, understanding the relationship between food chemistry and its physiological effects in different populations can reveal opportunities for addressing appetite control and reducing rates of obesity, putting us a step closer to personalized dietary recommendations.”
Not only did the researchers find that eating one avocado instead of a refined carb significantly reduce hunger, but they also found that the change triggered an intestinal hormone called PPY, an essential messenger of physiological response.
