A Cardiologist Shares How Much Avocado To Eat To Boost Your Heart Health

The amount of love the world has for avocados is immeasurable, but according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), we’ve found even more to love about the creamy green fruit in the last two decades. The U.S. consumption of avocados per capita has tripled over the last 20 years, and we’ve all reaped the health rewards of the many slices of avocado toast we’ve consumed. But if you’re wondering if your love for avocados translates to actual heart health, the answer may just be yes, according to a new study.

The meta-analysis, which was published in the Journal of the American Heart Association,looked at the existing data of over 68,000 women and 41,000 men from previous studies who were free of cancer, coronary heart disease, and strokes. The researchers assessed the diets of the participants using validated food frequency questionnaires when the study began, and every four years over a 30-year follow-up period. During that time, there were over 14,000 incident cases of cardiovascular disease, but those who ate more avocados had a few distinct health advantages.

Get this: Participants who ate two or more servings of avocado a week had a 16 percent lower risk of cardiovascular disease and a 21 percent lower risk of coronary heart disease. However, it’s worth noting that the study reflects correlation not causation. “Though the results were adjusted for diet and lifestyle, do not show a direct cause and effect, and are limited to self-reported dietary collection these findings further support avocados as a heart-healthy fruit,” says cardiologist David Sabgir, MD, founder of Walk With a Doc and spokesperson for Fresh Avocados – Love One Today.

That said, do any of us really need an excuse to eat more avocados? Besides the fact that they are—you know—incredibly delicious, they also have other benefits besides the ones explicitly explored in this study, says Dr. Sabgir. “Healthy eating patterns associated with heart health include plenty of fruits and vegetables and unsaturated fats. Avocados are a fruit, a good source of fiber, and more than 75 percent of the fat in avocados is unsaturated,” he explains.

Avos also happen to be free of sodium and cholesterol, and chances are they have more health secrets we’ve yet to uncover. “We learn more about the heart health benefits of avocados everyday thanks to the many published studies that support the growing body of evidence that avocados are heart-healthy,” adds Dr. Sabgir.

Until the next study confirming your boundless appreciation for avocados, let me be the first to wish you many satisfying toast moments in the future.

Learn more about those good, good avocado benefits below:

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