A study published in Nutrition Journal shows that adding one-half of a fresh avocado to lunch may help increase satiety the rest of the day. The study compared the effects of incorporating fresh avocado into a lunch, either by replacing other foods or by simply adding it to the meal to the effects of eating a standard lunch to determine how avocado consumption would influence satiety, blood sugar and insulin response, and subsequent food intake.
Of the 26 healthy, overweight participants, those who added half of a fresh avocado to their lunch reported a 40% decreased desire to eat over a three-hour period. In addition, 28% had a decreased desire to eat over a five-hour period after the meal, compared to their desire to eat after a standard lunch without avocado. They also reported increased feelings of satisfaction over the three hours following the meal.
“Satiety is an important factor in weight management, because people who feel satisfied are less likely to snack between meals,” said Joan Sabate, Chair of the Department of Nutrition who led the research team at Loma Linda University, California, United States. “We also noted that though adding avocados increased participants’ calorie and carbohydrate intake at lunch, there was no increase in blood sugar levels beyond what was observed after eating the standard lunch. This leads us to believe that avocados’ potential role in blood sugar management is worth further investigation.”
More research is needed to determine whether the conclusions drawn from this study can be applied to the general public.