Avocados, as a substitute for carbohydrates can aid weight loss

Washington: Suffering from obesity? It's time to add avocado to your daily diet. Meals that include fresh avocado as a substitute for refined carbohydrates can significantly suppress hunger and increase meal satisfaction in overweight and obese adults, a recent study suggests.

The findings suggest that simple dietary changes can have an important impact on managing hunger and aiding metabolic control.

As part of the study published in the Journal of Nutrients, the team of researchers assessed the underlying physiological effects of including whole and half fresh Hass avocados on hunger, fullness, and how satisfied subjects felt over a six-hour period.

Researchers evaluated these effects in 31 overweight and obese adults in a randomised three-arm crossover clinical trial. These dietary changes were also shown to limit insulin and blood glucose excursions, further reducing the risk of diabetes and cardiovascular disease by adding healthy fats and fibres into a regular daily diet.

"For years, fats have been targeted as the main cause of obesity, and now carbohydrates have come under scrutiny for their role in appetite regulation and weight control," said Britt Burton-Freeman, lead researcher of the study.

"There is no 'one size fits all' solution when it comes to optimal meal composition for managing appetite. However, understanding the relationship between food chemistry and its physiological effects in different populations can reveal opportunities for addressing appetite control and reducing rates of obesity, putting us a step closer to personalised dietary recommendations," Burton-Freeman added.

The research found that meals including avocado not only resulted in a significant reduction in hunger and an increase in how satisfied participants felt, but also found that an intestinal hormone called PYY was an important messenger of the physiological response.