Avocado Benefits: Nutrition, Heart Health & Side Effects

Dr. Josh Axe · Free quiz

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Slice an avocado open and you get a fruit that eats like a healthy fat: buttery green flesh rich in monounsaturated fat, fiber and potassium, with less than half a gram of sugar in the whole fruit.1 It's the base of guacamole, the best part of avocado toast, and one of the easiest ways to make a plate of vegetables more satisfying.

When Jordan Rubin and I picked the foods we'd want on a desert island for The Biblio Diet, avocado made the short list.6 Its fat also does something useful for the rest of your plate. In a study where 11 healthy adults each ate the same salad with and without avocado, they absorbed several times more of the salad's carotenoids when avocado was added.4

Avocado now has large human trials of its own, including a six-month trial of more than a thousand adults in which half ate a large avocado every day.5 Here's what that research found, how much avocado to eat, and who should be careful with it.

Did you know?

• Avocado remains recovered from El Gigante, a rock shelter in Honduras, span the last 11,000 years.7

• Florida avocados are bigger and leaner than California avocados: per 100 grams, 120 calories and 10.1 grams of fat, against 167 calories and 15.4 grams.18

• In a national survey of 17,567 U.S. adults from 2001 to 2008, only 347, about 2%, reported eating avocado in their one-day food record.9

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What is an avocado?

The avocado you're most likely to buy is a Hass: small, with pebbly skin that darkens to purple-black as it ripens. Most of the trials on this page used Hass avocados, and the nutrition numbers here come from USDA's record for California avocados, at 136 grams of flesh per fruit without the skin and seed.1 Florida avocados, the large, smooth, bright-green kind, carry about 304 grams of flesh each and less fat per bite.8

A short history of avocados

Avocado is a New World food. At El Gigante, archaeologists found that by about 7,500 years ago, the people living there were already favoring larger avocados with thicker rinds, and the same study points to the fruit being domesticated more than once across the Americas.7

Avocado nutrition facts

Calculated from USDA FoodData Central record 171706 (avocados, raw, California) at USDA's weight of 136 grams per fruit without skin and seed; % Daily Value uses FDA reference values.12

Most of that fat is oleic acid, at 12.3 grams per fruit, and a whole avocado also carries 103 milligrams of beta-sitosterol, a plant sterol.1 Avocado is on our list of nutrient-dense foods for its monounsaturated fat, potassium, folate, vitamin E and fiber.10

What is avocado good for?

How does avocado work in your body?

Avocado works in three main ways, and each one comes from the whole fruit: its fat, its fiber and the nutrients that travel with them.

• Better fats in place of worse ones. When avocado's monounsaturated fat takes the place of saturated fat and refined carbohydrates, LDL particles and triglycerides fall. In a trial that compared avocado with a diet matched for the same fatty acids, avocado still came out ahead, which suggests the rest of the fruit, such as its fiber and plant sterols, contributes too (a proposed explanation).3

• A carrier for fat-soluble nutrients. Carotenoids such as beta-carotene and lutein dissolve in fat, and avocado's fat helps move them from the rest of your meal into your blood.421

• Fiber for your gut bacteria. Avocado's fiber reaches the colon, where bacteria ferment it into short-chain fats such as acetate, which was higher in stool after 12 weeks of daily avocado than without it.12

Avocado benefits, ranked by evidence

From the strongest research to the newest, avocado helps most with blood fats, nutrient absorption, gut health, fullness and weight, long-term heart health, blood sugar after meals and blood pressure, in that order.

Does avocado lower cholesterol?

Avocados are number eight on my list of top heart foods, for their monounsaturated fat,28 and the controlled feeding trials show why they belong there. When I look at heart risk, I pay more attention to ApoB, cholesterol ratios, triglycerides and CRP than to LDL alone, and avocado's strongest results show up in particle counts, ratios and triglycerides.

In a 2015 trial, 45 adults with overweight or obesity (54 enrolled) ate each of three cholesterol-lowering diets for five weeks, with every meal supplied and a break between diets. One diet was lower in fat, one got its monounsaturated fat from high-oleic oils, and one got it from a fresh Hass avocado (136 grams) a day. On the avocado diet, LDL fell 13.5 mg/dL, compared with 8.3 on the oil diet and 7.4 on the lower-fat diet. Only the avocado diet significantly lowered the number of LDL particles, by 80.1 nmol/L, along with small dense LDL (by 4.1 mg/dL) and the LDL-to-HDL ratio (by 6.6%). Triglycerides rose 17.6% on the lower-fat diet and didn't rise on the avocado diet.3 In the same trial, oxidized LDL fell 8.8% on the avocado diet, a change neither comparison diet matched.29

The newest trial is also the best designed. Researchers baked and blended about 180 grams of avocado a day into muffins, granola bites, dressings, salsa and pesto, in place of the saturated fat and added sugar in a typical American diet, and dyed the comparison foods green, so neither the 42 adults with high triglycerides nor the researchers knew which version they were eating. Each person ate both versions for three weeks, and 37 finished the avocado period and 39 the comparison period. On the avocado foods, triglycerides fell 17.4%, small LDL cholesterol 13.9%, VLDL cholesterol 9.3%, the total-to-HDL ratio 6.56% and non-HDL cholesterol 4.65%, while fasting blood sugar, insulin and blood pressure didn't differ.11

LDL still came down over six months of everyday eating. In the six-month trial of adults with large waistlines described in the weight section, a large avocado a day added to people's usual diet lowered LDL 2.5 mg/dL and total cholesterol 2.9 mg/dL compared with their usual diet.5 In the 786 participants whose particles were counted, LDL particle number fell 49.1 nmol/L, while ApoB didn't differ between the groups.30

The pooled reviews point the same way. An umbrella review of eight earlier reviews found avocado lowered LDL by 9.4 to 17 mg/dL in people with high cholesterol,18 and across all adults the pooled LDL drops run from 3.75 mg/dL in a 2025 review of 10 trials to 6.16 mg/dL in the newest review.1617 Measured from where people started, a 2016 review of 10 trials found LDL 16.5 mg/dL and triglycerides 27.2 mg/dL lower on avocado diets.13 A review of nine trials found total cholesterol 5.08 mg/dL lower overall and rated the certainty of the evidence low.15 One review also found HDL, the protective cholesterol, rose 2.84 mg/dL.14 Avocado sits alongside the other cholesterol-lowering foods as one of the easiest to eat every day.

Is avocado good for your heart over the long term?

Yes, by the long-term data. Researchers followed 68,786 women and 41,701 men in two long-running U.S. studies of nurses and health professionals for 30 years, asking about their diets every four years. People who ate two or more servings a week, a serving being half an avocado, had a 16% lower risk of cardiovascular disease and a 21% lower risk of coronary heart disease than people who ate none; stroke risk didn't differ. Swapping half a serving a day of margarine for avocado was linked to a 16% lower cardiovascular risk, and swapping butter, a 22% lower risk, while avocado, olive oil and nuts came out even with each other.20 This kind of study shows a link rather than cause and effect, which is why the feeding trials above matter. For the full story, see eat avocado twice a week for heart health.

Does avocado help with weight loss?

The Habitual Diet and Avocado Trial enrolled 1,008 adults with large waistlines (at least 35 inches for women and 40 for men) at four U.S. research centers. Half received one large avocado (168 grams) a day for 26 weeks to add to whatever they normally ate, with no other diet advice; the other half kept their usual diet and ate no more than two avocados a month. People knew which group they were in.5

Its main target, the visceral fat stored around the organs, measured by MRI, didn't change between the groups, and neither did liver fat. The avocado added no weight: both groups gained less than a pound over six months (0.382 versus 0.378 kilograms), even though one group was eating an extra avocado every day.5 Diet quality, scored on a 100-point index, rose 4.74 points more in the avocado group, with the gain coming from women (6.50 points); men's scores didn't change.31

Avocado's fat and fiber also help keep you full. Avocado is number seven on my list of foods that support your body's own GLP-1, a gut hormone involved in satiety, because it's rich in fiber and healthy fat.32 In a breakfast trial, 31 adults with overweight or obesity each ate three breakfasts on different days: a low-fat meal, and the same meal with half or a whole avocado in place of some of its carbohydrate. After the whole-avocado breakfast, hunger stayed lower, people felt more satisfied, and their PYY and GLP-1 ran higher than after the low-fat meal, which drew a bigger insulin response.33 In a lunch trial where each of 26 adults with overweight ate three versions of the meal, people reported 23% more satisfaction and a 28% smaller desire to eat over the next five hours when half an avocado was added, a meal that carried 112 more calories.23 GLP-1 came out lower in that lunch trial,34 so the fullness hormones seem to respond best when avocado takes the place of carbohydrate rather than sitting on top of it.

Avocado may also help with belly fat in women. In a 12-week trial of 105 adults with overweight or obesity, women who ate a daily meal with a fresh avocado lost 32.9 grams of visceral fat, while women eating a matched meal without avocado gained 1.6 grams; the men's results didn't differ.35 And inside a reduced-calorie diet, an avocado a day didn't slow weight loss: in a 12-week trial of 51 adults, who knew which diet they were on, both groups lost similar amounts (2.3 versus 2.6 kilograms).36

For breakfast, a protein shake with avocado blended in is one of the options I suggest,32 and it follows the same idea as the breakfast trial: fat and fiber in place of some of the carbohydrate.

Does avocado help you absorb more nutrients?

Carotenoids, the yellow, orange and red pigments in carrots, tomatoes and leafy greens, dissolve in fat. In two studies, 11 healthy adults each ate the same salad, or the same salsa, with and without avocado, and researchers measured the carotenoids that reached their blood over the next 9.5 hours. Adding 150 grams of avocado to the salad raised absorption of beta-carotene 15.3-fold, alpha-carotene 7.2-fold and lutein 5.1-fold, and adding avocado to salsa raised lycopene 4.4-fold and beta-carotene 2.6-fold. Half as much avocado, 75 grams, worked as well as 150 grams, and 24 grams of avocado oil worked as well as the fruit.4

Later studies took the next step. In two studies of 12 healthy adults each, avocado eaten with a high-beta-carotene tomato sauce raised beta-carotene absorption 2.4-fold, and eaten with raw carrots it raised beta-carotene 6.6-fold and alpha-carotene 4.8-fold. It also raised the vitamin A the body made from those carotenoids: 4.6-fold with the sauce and 12.6-fold with the carrots.21

Put avocado where the colorful vegetables are: in a salad of spinach and tomatoes, beside roasted carrots, or mashed into guacamole with tomato and onion.

Eyes and brain

Eaten every day, avocado raises lutein, the carotenoid that collects in the macula of the eye. In the 2015 feeding trial, blood lutein rose 68.7% on the avocado diet in five weeks, significantly more than on either comparison diet.29 In a six-month trial of 40 healthy older adults, one avocado a day raised blood lutein 25%, against 15% with a daily potato or cup of chickpeas, and raised macular pigment density, a measure of the lutein in the eye, which didn't change with the comparison foods; sustained attention also improved only in the avocado group.26 See macular carotenoids for why that pigment matters.

The brain research is still early. In the six-month trial of adults with large waistlines, cognitive scores in the 241 people tested at one site didn't differ between the avocado and usual-diet groups,37 while in a 12-week trial of 84 adults with overweight or obesity, a daily meal with avocado raised blood lutein and improved accuracy on an attention test.27

Is avocado good for your gut?

Yes. One avocado carries 9.2 grams of fiber, and in two randomized trials a daily avocado made gut bacteria more diverse and increased the species that ferment fiber.11222

In a 12-week trial, 163 adults with overweight or obesity ate a daily meal with or without avocado (175 grams for men, 140 grams for women), and the researchers measuring the results didn't know who had eaten it. Compared with the group that ate no avocado, the avocado group ended up with more diverse gut bacteria, 26% to 65% more of fiber-fermenting groups such as Faecalibacterium, Lachnospira and Alistipes, and 18% more acetate, a short-chain fat these bacteria make, in their stool. Two bile acids the liver makes, cholic and chenodeoxycholic acid, were 91% and 57% lower in their stool, and more fat left the body in the stool.12

The six-month avocado trial found the same direction in the 230 participants whose stool was analyzed: diversity rose by week 4 and stayed higher through week 26, Faecalibacterium prausnitzii increased, and the biggest gains came in people whose diets were lowest in quality to begin with.22 That's what prebiotic foods do: feed the bacteria that keep your microbiome healthy. Avocado is one of the foods I point people to for fiber.38

Is avocado good for blood sugar?

Yes, it helps keep blood sugar steadier after meals, especially when it takes the place of carbohydrate. Most of a whole avocado's 11.8 grams of carbohydrate is fiber, which leaves just 2.5 grams of net carbs.1

In a trial where each of 31 adults with overweight or obesity ate three breakfasts, swapping half or a whole avocado for some of the meal's carbohydrate kept post-meal blood sugar and insulin lower than the low-fat meal did, and blood vessels kept more of their ability to relax after eating.24

Over longer stretches, the picture is encouraging. In a 12-week trial of 93 adults with overweight and insulin resistance, eating avocado in place of carbohydrate foods lowered CRP by week 12, and fasting insulin and HbA1c moved in a better direction, though the trial's main measure of insulin sensitivity didn't change significantly.39 In the six-month trial, the glycemic load of the avocado eaters' diets, calculated from food records of 961 participants, fell 13.7 points.40

To balance insulin, I want women getting healthy fats from avocado, a little coconut and lots of extra virgin olive oil.41 My Insulin Resistance & Prediabetes protocol builds meals the same way, with avocado beside a veggie omelet at breakfast and on the shopping list with olive oil and nuts.42

Is avocado good for blood pressure?

Yes, as part of a potassium-rich diet. One avocado carries 690 milligrams of potassium,1 and both pooled trials and a study that followed women over time point to healthier blood pressure.1625

In my High Blood Pressure Protocol, avocado is number four of the top 10 blood-pressure-healing foods: one of the most potassium-dense foods there is, with more potassium than a banana, and monounsaturated fat, to help balance sodium with potassium.43 By USDA's numbers, a medium avocado's 690 milligrams beats a medium banana's 422.144

Across five randomized trials with 2,216 people, pooled in a 2025 review, avocado lowered systolic pressure 1.15 mmHg,16 and an umbrella review found modest improvements in people with high blood pressure.18 In a six-week weight-loss trial of 61 adults (55 finished), blood pressure didn't change differently when avocado replaced other fats.45 Over the long term, in the Mexican Teachers' Cohort, 67,383 women were followed for a median of 2.2 years, and those who ate five or more servings a week had a 17% lower risk of developing high blood pressure than those who ate little or none.25 For the full food plan, see the high blood pressure diet.

Avocado for women: hormones, pregnancy and skin

Avocado shows up in several of my recommendations for women: for hormone balance, in pregnancy and for skin.

Hormones

Avocado is number six on my list of foods that support progesterone.41

I put avocados among the healthy fats I recommend for hormone balance,46 and the way to think about them is as raw material: your body builds its own hormones from the fats and nutrients you eat. No trial has yet measured progesterone or other sex hormones after people ate avocado, so its place here rests on what it supplies. My Hormone Balance for Women protocol works avocado into its meal plan, with turkey lettuce wraps and sardines over mixed greens.47

Pregnancy

An avocado is shaped a little like a uterus, a fitting reminder of its place in a diet for reproductive health.6 It earns that place with folate, the B vitamin pregnancy depends on: one avocado carries 121 micrograms, 30% of the daily value, along with fiber and potassium.1248 In a Finnish observational study of 2,272 mothers and their babies, mothers who ate any avocado during pregnancy had children with 43.6% lower odds of a parent-reported food allergy at 12 months; three of its authors work for the avocado industry.49 See the pregnancy diet and the signs of folate deficiency.

Skin

Avocado is one of the healthy fats I suggest when skin starts to dry out in menopause, and I do like whole avocados; for skin, they come right after my top fats, the omega-3s from fish and extra virgin olive oil.50 In a pilot trial of 39 women aged 27 to 73, an avocado a day for eight weeks increased forehead skin firmness compared with their usual diet, and elasticity improved in the avocado group; hydration and other skin measures didn't differ.51 For more, see the vitamins for skin guide, or put avocado on the outside with a homemade avocado face mask.

How much avocado should you eat a day?

A whole medium avocado has 227 calories,1 so it works best as a swap: in place of butter or margarine on toast, mayonnaise in a sandwich, or part of the bread, rice or crackers in a meal. That's how the cholesterol trials used it.311 See avocado calories for portions by size. One of my fat swaps is avocado-based mayonnaise in place of mayonnaise made with soybean oil, part of moving away from refined seed oils.6

How to eat avocado

Avocado shows up all through the meal plans in my protocols,4247 and my own dinners tend to be a little lower carb: something like chicken with plenty of steamed or sautéed vegetables, some extra virgin olive oil and some avocado.52

For more ideas, see these avocado recipes.

Pick an avocado that yields to gentle pressure if you'll eat it today, or a firm one to ripen on the counter over a few days. Store ripe avocados in the refrigerator and eat them within a few days. Once cut, squeeze lemon or lime juice over the exposed flesh, wrap it tightly, refrigerate it and use it within a day or two.

How does avocado compare with avocado oil and olive oil?

Extra virgin olive oil is the everyday fat I recommend using freely, and after it, avocado oil is the next best cooking oil, because it's mostly monounsaturated fat.28 Avocado oil's high smoke point makes it a good fit for high-heat searing, stir-frying and roasting.53 When you buy it, choose a trusted brand that's third-party tested.54

The whole fruit and its oil do different jobs. The cholesterol, gut and fullness trials on this page used the whole fruit, which brings fiber, potassium and folate that the oil doesn't carry, so those results belong to the fruit.1 For carotenoid absorption, avocado oil worked as well as the fruit,4 which makes it a good base for a salad dressing. Reach for avocado oil when the heat is high, and for whole avocado as a food on the plate.

Avocado side effects and who should be careful

Interaction check: Moderate, for warfarin and for potassium-raising blood pressure medicines (ACE inhibitors, ARBs and potassium-sparing diuretics), especially with kidney disease. Interactions are reported separately and don't change the score.

If your diet has been low in fiber, add avocado gradually and drink more water, since a fast jump in fiber can cause gas.

Latex and avocado allergy

In people with a latex allergy, avocado is one of the fruits that most often cross-reacts, along with banana, kiwi and papaya. A 2024 review put this latex-fruit syndrome at anywhere from 4% to 88% of latex-allergic patients, depending on the study, and 73% of the reported fruit reactions it gathered were systemic, affecting the whole body.55

If you have a latex allergy or have reacted to avocado, banana or kiwi, avoid avocado unless an allergist has cleared it, and don't test it at home. Learn the food allergy symptoms to watch for. Hives, swelling, wheezing or trouble breathing after eating any food is an emergency: use your epinephrine if you carry it, and call 911.

Potassium, kidney disease and blood pressure medicines

One avocado has 690 milligrams of potassium, 15% of the daily value.1 ACE inhibitors, ARBs and potassium-sparing diuretics can raise blood potassium, and so can kidney disease, because the kidneys clear the excess.56 If either applies to you, count the potassium in your avocado and follow the limit your care team sets; the renal diet guide explains how.

Warfarin

Case reports, going back to a 1991 letter titled "Warfarin antagonism by avocado," have linked eating avocado to a weaker effect of the blood thinner warfarin, and a 2015 review of fruit and warfarin interactions advises asking about avocado intake when INR results swing.5758 You don't need to avoid avocado on warfarin. Keep the amount you eat steady from week to week, and tell the clinic checking your INR if you change it.

The bottom line

Avocado: frequently asked questions

References

1. U.S. Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service. Avocados, raw, California. FoodData Central, SR Legacy, FDC ID 171706 (NDB 09038). Published April 1, 2019.
2. U.S. Food and Drug Administration. Daily Value on the Nutrition and Supplement Facts Labels.
3. Wang L, Bordi PL, Fleming JA, Hill AM, Kris-Etherton PM. Effect of a moderate fat diet with and without avocados on lipoprotein particle number, size and subclasses in overweight and obese adults: a randomized, controlled trial. J Am Heart Assoc. 2015;4(1):e001355. doi:10.1161/JAHA.114.001355. PMID:25567051
4. Unlu NZ, Bohn T, Clinton SK, Schwartz SJ. Carotenoid absorption from salad and salsa by humans is enhanced by the addition of avocado or avocado oil. J Nutr. 2005;135(3):431-6. doi:10.1093/jn/135.3.431. PMID:15735074
5. Lichtenstein AH, Kris-Etherton PM, Petersen KS, Matthan NR, Barnes S, Vitolins MZ, et al. Effect of Incorporating 1 Avocado Per Day Versus Habitual Diet on Visceral Adiposity: A Randomized Trial. J Am Heart Assoc. 2022;11(14):e025657. doi:10.1161/JAHA.122.025657. PMID:35861827
6. Axe J, Rubin J. The Biblio Diet. Hachette Book Group; 2025. ISBN 9781546008439.
7. VanDerwarker AM, Thakar HB, Hirth K, Domic AI, Harper TK, George RJ, et al. Early evidence of avocado domestication from El Gigante Rockshelter, Honduras. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 2025;122(10):e2417072122. doi:10.1073/pnas.2417072122. PMID:40030019
8. U.S. Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service. Avocados, raw, Florida. FoodData Central, SR Legacy, FDC ID 171707 (NDB 09039). Published April 1, 2019.
9. Fulgoni VL 3rd, Dreher M, Davenport AJ. Avocado consumption is associated with better diet quality and nutrient intake, and lower metabolic syndrome risk in US adults: results from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) 2001-2008. Nutr J. 2013;12:1. doi:10.1186/1475-2891-12-1. PMID:23282226
10. Top 20 Nutrient-Dense Foods and Their Benefits. DrAxe.com. 2024 ("1. Avocado": "Rich in healthy monounsaturated fats, avocados are a great source of potassium, folate and vitamin E. They also contain fiber").
11. Gletsu-Miller N, Wilcox ML, Spence LA, Wright AJ, Guarneiri LL, Nadeem MM, et al. Effects of replacing solid fats and added sugars with avocado in adults with elevated cardiometabolic risk: a randomized, double-blind, controlled feeding, crossover trial. Am J Clin Nutr. 2026;123(2):101137. doi:10.1016/j.ajcnut.2025.101137. PMID:41397527
12. Thompson SV, Bailey MA, Taylor AM, Kaczmarek JL, Mysonhimer AR, Edwards CG, et al. Avocado Consumption Alters Gastrointestinal Bacteria Abundance and Microbial Metabolite Concentrations among Adults with Overweight or Obesity: A Randomized Controlled Trial. J Nutr. 2021;151(4):753-762. doi:10.1093/jn/nxaa219. PMID:32805028
13. Peou S, Milliard-Hasting B, Shah SA. Impact of avocado-enriched diets on plasma lipoproteins: A meta-analysis. J Clin Lipidol. 2016;10(1):161-71. doi:10.1016/j.jacl.2015.10.011. PMID:26892133
14. Mahmassani HA, Avendano EE, Raman G, Johnson EJ. Avocado consumption and risk factors for heart disease: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Am J Clin Nutr. 2018;107(4):523-536. doi:10.1093/ajcn/nqx078. PMID:29635493
15. James-Martin G, Brooker PG, Hendrie GA, Stonehouse W. Avocado Consumption and Cardiometabolic Health: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis. J Acad Nutr Diet. 2024;124(2):233-248.e4. doi:10.1016/j.jand.2022.12.008. PMID:36565850
16. Hamednia S, Shouhani Z, Tavakol S, Montazeri N, Amirkhan-Dehkordi M, Karimi MA, et al. Effects of Avocado Products on Cardiovascular Risk Factors in Adults: A GRADE-Assessed Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis. Food Sci Nutr. 2025;13(7):e70547. doi:10.1002/fsn3.70547. PMID:40612140
17. Mostafazadeh P, Etesamnia S, Nasiraei-Moghadam M, Jahan-Mihan A, Haghighi A, Zendedel A, et al. Exploring the effect of avocado on lipid profile modulation: a systematic review and dose-response and meta-analysis of clinical trials. Crit Rev Food Sci Nutr. 2026;66(4):780-790. doi:10.1080/10408398.2025.2531222. PMID:40749705
18. Candeloro BM, Barbalho SM, Laurindo LF, Raimundo RD, Stevanato BL, Assumpção MCB, et al. Is avocado beneficial for lipid profiles? An umbrella review of systematic reviews and meta-analyses. Clin Nutr ESPEN. 2025;69:673-685. doi:10.1016/j.clnesp.2025.08.019. PMID:40876535
19. Conceição AR, Fraiz GM, Rocha DMUP, Bressan J. Can avocado intake improve weight loss in adults with excess weight? A systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials. Nutr Res. 2022;102:45-58. doi:10.1016/j.nutres.2022.03.005. PMID:35405602
20. Pacheco LS, Li Y, Rimm EB, Manson JE, Sun Q, Rexrode K, et al. Avocado Consumption and Risk of Cardiovascular Disease in US Adults. J Am Heart Assoc. 2022;11(7):e024014. doi:10.1161/JAHA.121.024014. PMID:35352568
21. Kopec RE, Cooperstone JL, Schweiggert RM, Young GS, Harrison EH, Francis DM, et al. Avocado consumption enhances human postprandial provitamin A absorption and conversion from a novel high-β-carotene tomato sauce and from carrots. J Nutr. 2014;144(8):1158-66. doi:10.3945/jn.113.187674. PMID:24899156
22. Yang J, Lei OK, Bhute S, Kris-Etherton PM, Lichtenstein AH, Matthan NR, et al. Impact of daily avocado consumption on gut microbiota in adults with abdominal obesity: an ancillary study of HAT, a randomized controlled trial. Food Funct. 2025;16(1):168-180. doi:10.1039/d4fo03806a. PMID:39641169
23. Wien M, Haddad E, Oda K, Sabaté J. A randomized 3×3 crossover study to evaluate the effect of Hass avocado intake on post-ingestive satiety, glucose and insulin levels, and subsequent energy intake in overweight adults. Nutr J. 2013;12:155. doi:10.1186/1475-2891-12-155. PMID:24279738
24. Park E, Edirisinghe I, Burton-Freeman B. Avocado Fruit on Postprandial Markers of Cardio-Metabolic Risk: A Randomized Controlled Dose Response Trial in Overweight and Obese Men and Women. Nutrients. 2018;10(9). doi:10.3390/nu10091287. PMID:30213052
25. Monge A, Stern D, Cortés-Valencia A, Catzín-Kuhlmann A, Lajous M, Denova-Gutiérrez E. Avocado consumption is associated with a reduction in hypertension incidence in Mexican women. Br J Nutr. 2023;129(11):1976-1983. doi:10.1017/S0007114522002690. PMID:35979778
26. Scott TM, Rasmussen HM, Chen O, Johnson EJ. Avocado Consumption Increases Macular Pigment Density in Older Adults: A Randomized, Controlled Trial. Nutrients. 2017;9(9). doi:10.3390/nu9090919. PMID:28832514
27. Edwards CG, Walk AM, Thompson SV, Reeser GE, Erdman JW Jr, Burd NA, et al. Effects of 12-week avocado consumption on cognitive function among adults with overweight and obesity. Int J Psychophysiol. 2020;148:13-24. doi:10.1016/j.ijpsycho.2019.12.006. PMID:31846631
28. Axe J. The Truth About LDL & Heart Disease. The Dr. Josh Axe Show. 2026 (Dr. Axe speaking at 18:01-19:17 and 40:58-41:03; YouTube MpzqVv_b4OU).
29. Wang L, Tao L, Hao L, Stanley TH, Huang KH, Lambert JD, et al. A Moderate-Fat Diet with One Avocado per Day Increases Plasma Antioxidants and Decreases the Oxidation of Small, Dense LDL in Adults with Overweight and Obesity: A Randomized Controlled Trial. J Nutr. 2020;150(2):276-284. doi:10.1093/jn/nxz231. PMID:31616932
30. Damani JJ, Kris-Etherton PM, Matthan NR, Li Z, Sabaté J, Reboussin DM, et al. Effect of incorporating 1 avocado per day on lipoprotein particle concentrations compared to habitual intake in adults with abdominal obesity: An ancillary study of the Habitual Diet and Avocado Trial, a randomized controlled trial. J Clin Lipidol. 2026;20(8):1636-1647. doi:10.1016/j.jacl.2026.06.005. PMID:42364969
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Dr. Josh Axe, DC, DNM, CNS

Doctor of Natural Medicine · Founder, DrAxe.com

Dr. Axe is a certified doctor of natural medicine, clinical nutritionist, and multiple New York Times bestselling author. He has spent 20+ years in clinical practice helping people heal at the root cause and founded one of the most-visited natural-health platforms in the world.

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