According to the latest statistics, more than 100 million Americans are living with diabetes or prediabetes. The condition is more than high blood sugar — long-term effects can result in blindness, heart attack, stroke and even death. Lifestyle choices are the best strategies to controlling your blood sugar, reducing your risk of diabetes and preventing secondary health problems from the condition. Diet plays a big role in diabetes prevention, and according to a recent study, there’s a certain fruit that may specifically help stave off the condition.
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Researchers at the University of Guelph in Canada fed mice a high-fat diet for eight weeks to promote obesity and insulin resistance. Then, they added acovatin B to their diet— a compound found in avocados. In the five weeks the mice were fed acovatin B, researchers noted significant weight loss and a spike in insulin sensitivity. The study showed that the compound aided mitochondrial fatty acid oxidation, which improved insulin and glucose sensitivity.
Previous research has shown that avocados are indeed worthy of their superfood status. They can effectively combat nearly every aspect of metabolic syndrome. Avocados contain about 22.5 grams of fat, and two-thirds of that is monounsaturated. Other essential nutrients include fiber, vitamins, folic acid, vitamin E and more potassium than you'd find in a banana.
Avocado also contains small amounts of magnesium, manganese, copper, ion, zinc, phosphorous and vitamins A, B1 (thiamine), B2 (riboflavin) and B3 (niacin). All these factors are what help make avocados an incredibly healthy food to add to your diet. Avocados are extremely versatile, whether they’re used as a base for guacamole, sliced in salads or chopped up and added to scrambled eggs. Considering the amount of ways you can enjoy them, there’s no excuse not to add them to your diet. Check out our recipe page for new ways to incorporate avocados into your meals.