Insights & Discussion
Incorporating avocados into the Mediterranean diet may enhance its benefits, offering greater health flexibility and adaptability for non-Mediterranean residents.
The research approach starts with an evaluation of the nutritional value of a Mediterranean diet, which is traditionally rich in fruits, vegetables, and oleic-acid-rich olive oil. This diet has been associated with lower risks of several chronic diseases. Simultaneously the paper introduces the subject of rising obesity rates globally. The study then evaluates the potential benefits of modifying the Mediterranean diet to include non-traditional fruits and vegetables that could provide more variety in food choices and greater adaptability for those living outside the Mediterranean region. The avocado, a fruit native to the Mediterranean climate and rich in beneficial nutrients like oleic acid and fiber, is proposed as a potential addition.
Discussion of the study reveals an interesting proposition: including avocado in the traditional Mediterranean diet, which is not commonly done. The avocado's health benefits and nutritional value are then analysed in depth, drawing from existing research studies, to substantiate the recommendation for incorporating this fruit into the Mediterranean dietary pattern. The discussion concludes by highlighting the potential enhanced health benefits that can result from this inclusion, thereby presenting a compelling case for the suggested adjustment.
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Nutrition, particularly an anti-inflammatory Mediterranean diet supplemented with oily fish and omega-3 supplements, can potentially reduce inflammation and improve symptoms of rheumatoid arthritis.
2023 Autoimmunity Reviews Nutrition and its role in prevention and management of rheumatoid arthritis Nikiphorou E, Philippou E
Review Article Mediterranean Diet Omega-3 Fatty Acids Sardine
The review examines evidence indicating a possible connection between nutrition and the risk and management of rheumatoid arthritis, an autoimmune disease having an immune-inflammatory response. The impact of different food types was considered, including pro-inflammatory and anti-inflammatory foods. Specifically, the research highlights the effectiveness of a Mediterranean diet, rich in fish and supplemented with omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids, in reducing inflammation and oxidation. Other factors such as herbs and spices, beverages, vitamin D, and probiotics were also taken into account. The research emphasizes the direct and indirect role of nutrition through the management of co-morbidity.
The disease activity was observed to improve with dietary changes, particularly a propensity to reduce inflammation, oxidation, and beneficial effects on gut microbiota. An anti-inflammatory Mediterranean diet, supplemented with consumption of oily fish at least twice a week, and daily intake of omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acid supplements of 2 g, has been recommended. The study also highlights the importance of rheumatologists working closely with registered dietitians to support patients in managing a well-balanced diet according to their individual needs.
Consumption of unripe avocado extract in the diet may lower postprandial insulin levels in overweight adults with previously elevated insulin levels.
2023 Nutrients Effects of an Unripe Avocado Extract on Glycaemic Control in Individuals with Obesity: A Double-Blinded, Parallel, Randomised Clinical Trial Zhao L, Ingram DK, Gumpricht E, De Paoli T, Teong XT, Liu B, et al.
Randomised Controlled Trial Avocado Blood Sugar Glucose
In this study, a double-blinded, randomised controlled trial was performed on 60 non-diabetic adults (with a majority of 47 being women, average age 48 years, BMI 34.0 kg/m). The participants were stratified by sex and randomised into two groups. One group daily consumed an extract from unripe avocado (10 g finely ground, freeze-dried unripe avocado), while the other took a placebo (10 g finely ground cornmeal supplemented with 5% spinach powder) over a period of 12 weeks. The primary outcome measured was the change in glucose area under the curve (AUC) in response to a 75 g oral glucose tolerance test.
The results showed no significant differences between both groups in terms of glucose AUC, insulin AUC, or cardiovascular outcomes. However, in a subgroup analysis focusing on participants with above median baseline postprandial insulin levels, there was a notable reduction in insulin AUC in those who consumed the avocado extract compared to the placebo. This suggests that the daily consumption of an unripe avocado extract, enriched in MH, might not significantly impact glucose tolerance or insulin sensitivity in obese non-diabetic adults. Nonetheless, there seems to be a potential benefit of this intervention on postprandial insulin levels in individuals with initially elevated insulin responses.
Avocado consumption correlates with a wider variety of healthier food choices, offering potential benefits for weight control strategies.
2023 PLOS One Identifying usual food choices with avocados in a clinical trial cohort of overweight and obese adults in Australia Guan VX, Neale EP, Probst YC
Clinical Study Avocado Obesity
The study created a comprehensive database of avocado-containing foods and drinks based on the AUSNUT 2011-13 food composition structure. The data pulled from four food-based clinical trials consisted of the usual food intake information from overweight and obese volunteers. The Apriori algorithm of association rules was employed as a two-step descriptive methodology to identify the associations between avocado consumption and choices of various foods at each mealtime using a nested hierarchical food group classification scheme.
The findings revealed 34 separate avocado and avocado-inclusive foods and beverages. Avocado intake was prevalent within the studied cohort, with more than half consuming avocados regularly. Avocados were invariably associated with other food groups in main meal occasions, and during breakfast, lunch, and dinner, 68 food items containing avocados were identified for avocado consumers. This avocado-specific database offers insights into the variety of foods and beverages that incorporate avocados, reflecting broad food choices among regular avocado consumers.
Avocado consumption is linked to better glucose regulation, with metabolomic biomarkers of avocado intake showing even stronger associations with lower glycemia.
2023 The Journal of Nutrition Associations between Metabolomic Biomarkers of Avocado Intake and Glycemia in the Multi-Ethnic Study of Atherosclerosis Wood AC, Goodarzi MO, Senn MK, Gadgil MD, Graca G, Allison MA, et al.
Cohort Study Avocado Blood Sugar
The study used baseline data from 6224 multi-ethnic older adults, including self-reported avocado intake, fasting glucose and insulin. Untargeted plasma proton nuclear magnetic resonance contributed to metabolomic features, with data available for a subset of 3438 participants. The researchers then assessed the incidence of type 2 diabetes over approximately an 18-year follow-up period. They conducted a metabolome-wide association study comparing avocado consumers to nonconsumers and examined the features' associations with glycemia, both cross-sectionally with fasting insulin and glucose, and longitudinally with the incidence of type 2 diabetes.
The research identified three highly-correlated spectral features associated with avocado intake at metabolome-wide significance levels and grouped into a single biomarker. These features didn't demonstrate any strong associations with overall dietary quality or any of the 47 other food groups, reinforcing their validity as an avocado intake biomarker. While avocado intake had a modest effect on lowering fasting insulin, this effect was not significant when adjusting for participants' body mass index. However, the avocado intake biomarker was noticeably related to lower fasting glucose, lower fasting insulin, and a lower incidence of type 2 diabetes, even after adjusting for BMI. This illustrates the considerable influence of metabolomic insights in determining diet-health relationships and the importance of considering individual metabolic differences for health outcomes.
The Mediterranean diet and reduced intake of trans fatty acids, saturated fatty acids, and discretionary foods like fast food and sugar-sweetened beverages may improve fertility rates.
2023 Human Reproduction Update Assessing the influence of preconception diet on female fertility: a systematic scoping review of observational studies Alesi S, Habibi N, Silva TR, Cheung N, Torkel S, Tay CT, et al.
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This title represents a systematic scoping review of four electronic databases, namely Medline and EMBASE via Ovid Processing, CAB Direct, and CINAHL via EBSCO. The researchers included observational works, consisting of prospective and retrospective cohort, cross-sectional, and case-control studies, up to September 27, 2021. The criteria for study inclusion were women of reproductive age in the preconception stage who were examined for the connection between preconception diet and fertility outcomes.
From the total of 36 studies that were found eligible for review, the one diet that stood out with the most significant and consistent association with increased clinical pregnancy rates was the Mediterranean diet. Dietary factors such as reducing trans fatty acids, saturated fatty acids, and discretionary food intake, which includes fast food and sugar-rich drinks, were found to lead to an improvement in live birth, clinical pregnancy rates, and associated ART outcomes. However, this study also found that elements like seafood, dairy, and soy showed varying findings across a few studies. Despite the mixed results, it was noted that following some of these dietary regulations, notably Mediterranean diet, shows consistency with healthy eating guidelines, implying potential benefits in fertility.
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