New research has revealed that eating an avocado a day can boost sleep, a lifestyle factor that is important to heart health.
Experts say that good sleep is as vital to general health as nutrition and exercise, with the American Heart Association highlighting that sleep duration is one of eight factors that can support cardiovascular health.
Researchers carried out an analysis of one of the largest trials involving avocados and discovered that participants who ate an avocado a day for six months had better sleep than individuals who had fewer than two a month.
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Study author Dr Kristina Petersen, associate professor of nutritional sciences at Penn State University, said: “Sleep is emerging as a key lifestyle factor in heart health, and this study invites us to consider how nutrition – and foods like avocado – can play a role in improving it.
“Cardiovascular health is influenced by many factors, and while no single food is a silver bullet, some – like avocados – offer a range of nutrients that support multiple aspects of heart health.
“This is an encouraging step in expanding the science around avocados and the potential benefits of consumption.”
The study, which was supported by the Avocado Nutrition Center, involved 969 adults from diverse ethnic backgrounds with a larger waist circumference, a known cardiovascular risk factor.
The participants were divided into two groups – one which ate an avocado a day and the other which consumed less than two avocados per month over a period of six months.
Along with better sleep, eating an avocado a day was also linked to improved diet quality and blood lipids, with small reductions in total cholesterol levels.
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Avocados contain several nutrients which help to promote better sleep, through mechanisms such as muscle relaxation and playing a role in melatonin production, which helps to regulate sleep. They include tryptophan, folate and magnesium.
In addition, avocados can support cardiovascular health through the combination of fibre and monounsaturated fats.
Read more in the Journal of the American Heart Association.
