Avocado consumption may lead to a reduction in total cholesterol and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol levels in people with high cholesterol without impacting body weight.
The study reviewed the impact of diets containing avocado on cardiometabolic risk factors compared with diets containing no or low amounts of avocado. Five electronic databases were searched aiming to identify studies published between 1990 and 2021. The selected studies included randomized controlled trials of three weeks or more and prospective cohort studies. In total, ten studies, nine controlled trials, and one observational study, met the inclusion criteria. Risk of bias was evaluated, and overall quality of the evidence was inspected. Meta-analyses were performed when there were three or more studies of the same design reporting the same outcome.
Upon reviewing the results, the study found a minor, noteworthy reduction in total cholesterol levels in the avocado group as opposed to the control groups. There was no significant difference found in low-density lipoprotein cholesterol, high-density lipoprotein cholesterol, or triglycerides. However, in populations with hypercholesterolemia, avocado consumption demonstrated significant reductions in both total cholesterol and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol levels. It is also worth noting that consumption of avocados did not negatively affect body weight or composition.
