Do Avocados Improve Cholesterol?
Q: Hi Liz! I love eating avocados! Are avocados healthy for me?
A: Yes, Avocados are delicious, and offer some very definite health benefits.
Q: What are the health benefits from eating avocados?
A: Avocados improve cholesterol health, stabilize blood sugar, and are rich in Potassium.
Q: Do avocados lower cholesterol?
A: Avocados do lower small Dense LDL cholesterol in our blood. This is the most super dangerous type of cholesterol in our blood. Yep, it’s the worst of the worst type of cholesterol. And yes, Avocados help lower this type of cholesterol.
Q: What is it about Avocados that makes them so unique?
A: Avocados are a type of a fruit. It is found that by adding avocado to a diet, whether you are a meat eater or a vegetarian, avocado do help to lower the small dense LDL cholesterol. The size distribution of the cholesterol becomes more benign as well.
Q: Does extra virgin help with this?
A: No, it does not. Clinical studies demonstrate that this is not just a monounsaturated fat thing.
Q: Do other foods help lower LDL cholesterol?
A: Yes, Nuts and seeds such as walnuts are excellent to lower LDL cholesterol too. Walnuts also can help keep your blood vessels healthy. Most nuts are healthy for your heart in general including hazelnuts, peanuts, almonds, pistachios and walnuts.
Q: Is all LDL cholesterol bad?
A: Yes. All LDL cholesterol is bad. Small Dense cholesterol LDL is the worst of the worst.
Q: Wow! What are the additional benefits that avocado offers that other vegetables and foods don’t offer as effectively?
A: It’s important to understand that Avocados do lessen the small Dense LDL cholesterol. Not all cholesterol lowering foods do address this particular type of LDL cholesterol.
Q: I see. Thank you, Liz!
A: You bet.
Q: How do we prevent blood sugar and triglyceride spikes after meals?
A: Standard American meals lead to exaggerated spikes of sugar and fat in the blood, which generates oxidative stress inducing inflammation, and thickening of our blood. One lousy breakfast could double your C-reactive protein in one day. You may not even know what’s going on because your doctor measures your cholesterols or lipid panel after a fasting state but what happens 4 hours after you have eaten a meal? Yup, you could be having a major spike in your cholesterol and blood sugar.
Q: What is the best thing to do to avoid this?
A: A diet high in fiber rich in fruits, vegetables, beans and sprouts and avocados is the answer.
Q: Can nuts blunt insulin spikes?
A: Yes. Nuts can blunt sugar spikes, insulin spikes. Almond butter after a bad meal or a handful of nuts can help blunt these spikes.
Q: So what about the avocado?
A: I thought you would never ask? Yes! If you add a half of an avocado to a meal, you can help lessen these spikes measurably too!
Q: Thanks for the information!
A: You’re very welcome!
About Dr. Liz Perry
Dr. Liz is a primary care provider with a Doctor of Oriental Medicine and a Master’s degree in Business Management from Harvard University. For over 22 years, Dr. Liz has worked as an international healthcare consultant, has traveled the world, and has written hundreds of published articles as a health journalist.