By clothing-bag, 23/12/2022

An avocado a day can help reduce abdominal fat

On toast, in sushi, in salads, in sandwiches: the avocado can be incorporated into multiple preparations. But beyond its flavor, its texture and its versatility, it is also a recommended food for its contribution of healthy fats with cardioprotective properties. Now, a new study adds evidence linked to its ability to help reduce abdominal fat.

"Lower the belly" is a much-sought goal, especially when the warmer weather begins to approach. But the aesthetic purpose should take second place if one takes into account that the greatest benefit is associated with health, since a waist circumference outside of healthy parameters is an indicator of cardiovascular risk.

In this sense, the consumption of avocados as part of a balanced diet could help, according to the study carried out by researchers from the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, in the United States, which concluded that an avocado a day could help redistribute abdominal fat in women towards a healthier profile.

Subcutaneous and visceral fat

The study included 105 overweight and obese adults who, in the framework of a randomized controlled trial, were divided into two groups that were given one meal a day for 12 weeks. The daily menu of one of these groups included avocado -also called avocado- and it was the women assigned to it who experienced a reduction in the most profound visceral abdominal fat.

"Weight loss was not the goal; we were interested in understanding what effect avocado consumption has on the way people store their body fat. The location of fat on the body plays an important role." on health," said Naiman Khan, an Illinois professor of kinesiology and community health who led the work published in the Journal of Nutrition.

"In the abdomen there are two types of fat: the fat that accumulates just under the skin, called subcutaneous fat, and the fat that accumulates deeper in the abdomen, known as visceral fat, which surrounds the internal organs Khan differed.

He added: "People with a higher proportion of that deeper visceral fat tend to be at higher risk of developing diabetes (N of R.: other cardiovascular diseases as well). So we were interested in determining if the ratio of subcutaneous to visceral fat changed with avocado consumption," he said.

Avocado makes a difference (in women)

Participants were divided into two groups. One group received meals that incorporated one avocado per day, while the other group received a meal that had nearly identical ingredients and similar calories, but no avocado.

At the beginning and end of the study, the researchers measured the participants' abdominal fat and glucose tolerance, a measure of metabolism and a marker of diabetes.

Women who ate an avocado a day as part of their meal had a reduction in visceral abdominal fat, the hard-to-reach fat associated with increased risk, and experienced a reduction in the ratio of visceral fat to subcutaneous fat, indicating a redistribution of fat away from the organs.

But the same results were not seen in men: the distribution of fat in them did not change. And neither men nor women improved glucose tolerance.

"While daily avocado consumption did not change glucose tolerance, what we learned is that a dietary pattern that includes an avocado every day affected the way people store body fat in a way that is beneficial for their health, although the benefits were mainly in women," Khan said.

"It is important to demonstrate that dietary interventions can modulate fat distribution. Knowing that the benefits were only apparent in women tells us a bit about the potential for gender to play a role in responses to these interventions," added.

"Our research not only sheds valuable light on the benefits of daily avocado consumption on the different types of fat distribution between genders, but it provides us with a foundation for further work to understand the full impact that avocado consumption has." avocado on body fat and health," said study co-author Richard Mackenzie, a professor of human metabolism at the University of Roehampton in London.

How do I know if I have too much belly fat?

For women, a waist measurement of more than 35 inches ​and for men more than 40 inches indicates an unhealthy concentration of fat in the womb and an increased risk of health problems.

Specialists from the Mayo Clinic (United States) advise step by step how to correctly measure the abdominal perimeter:

✔Stand up and place a tape measure around your stomach (with no clothes on), just above your hipbone.

✔Pull the strap until it fits comfortably around you. Make sure it is level all the way around.

✔Relax, exhale and measure your waist; don't "get" belly.

Lower the Belly

Visceral fat, say the authors of the Mayo Clinic article, responds positively to the same diet and exercise strategies that help you lose weight and reduce total body fat:

➪I followed a healthy diet. Based on fruits, vegetables and whole grains. I chose lean sources of protein and low-fat dairy products. Limit the amount of added sugar and saturated fat, which is found in meat and high-fat dairy products, such as cheese and butter.

Choose moderate amounts of monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats instead, which are found in fish, nuts, and certain vegetable oils.

➪Replace sugary drinks. Drink water. If you are going to consume sweet drinks, it is preferable to opt for those sweetened with sweeteners.

➪Control portion sizes. At home, I have reduced portion sizes. At restaurants, share meals, or eat half your food and take the rest with you.

➪Incorporate physical activity into your daily routine. For most healthy adults, 150 to 300 minutes of moderate to vigorous aerobic activity per week is recommended.

Recipes to incorporate avocado into your diet

-Guacamole

-Avocado toast

-Roasted avocados

-Avocado mayonnaise

-Avocado gnocchi

-Avocado soup

See also

Before and after the heart attack: lose weight, a key objective that very few achieve

Spring challenge: what can you do to start taking care of yourself

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