With obesity as one of the predicaments the United States is facing, it seems that there is a need for new weight loss strategies. A new study shows that eating one half of a fresh avocado with lunch would supress hunger in overweight individuals. This will prevent them from eating a snack after each meal.
Obesity is a worldwide predicament and approximately 35% of the United States population are classified as obese. Hence, a new study suggests that consuming ½ slice of a fresh avocado would satisfy the hunger in overweight individuals preventing them from snacking after a meal.The study, which was published in the journal, Nutrition, was led by Dr. Joan Sabaté of Nutrition at Loma Linda University in California, suggests that avocados may help regulate blood sugar levels. This fruit is from a tree that is native in Mexico, Central America and Asia. Usually used in salads and dips, it is the main ingredient in the famous guacamole.
The Hass Avocado Board (HAB) funded the study and revealed that a whole fresh avocado contains around 250 calories and 23 grams of fat. Even though its fat content is high, it mainly contain natural good fats like monounsaturated fat which was proven to reduce levels of bad cholesterol and reduce the risk of stroke and cardiovascular disease.
The study revealed that eating half of a fresh avocado has increased satiety in healthy and overweight individuals. Hence, it reduced their urge to snack for up to 5 hours after the meal.
There are many health benefits of avocados that were all proven by research. One particular research has linked avocados to better weight management and lower body mass index. Another study showed the association of eating avocados in the protection of the body against cancer.To reach their results, the researchers studied 26 healthy and overweight individuals. The results revealed that participants who ate half of a fresh avocado after lunch reported 40% decreased urge to eat during the first three hours after lunch and a 28% decreased desire to eat after 5 hours. The results were compared to subjects who ate a standard lunch without avocado. "This leads us to believe that avocados' potential role in blood sugar management is worth further investigation," say Dr. Sabaté.