Eating avocados may lower diabetes risk for women: study

women’s health

by tracy swartz

Well, this is Waku Ward.

Eating a small amount of avocado every day may lower the risk of type 2 diabetes in women, but not men who consume the green, creamy fruit, a new study has found.

“There are several mechanisms that may explain the association between avocado intake and diabetes incidence observed in this study,” the international team of authors wrote last week. Published in Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics Journal.

“First, avocados have a lower glycemic index than other fruits, meaning they contain less sugars such as sucrose and glucose,” the researchers continued. “Their main sugar is…a unique seven-carbon sugar that may help control blood sugar.”

Researchers noted that avocados also contain antioxidants and nutrients that can help improve insulin sensitivity, a hallmark of type 2 diabetes.

Registered dietitian/public health doctor Wendy BazilianAlthough he was not involved in the research, he emphasized: To health line Last week, we announced that avocados are a heart-healthy food.

“Given what we know about the nutritional profile of avocados, we know that they contain good unsaturated fats, a good source of fiber, and a large number of vitamins, minerals, and phytonutrients. “I’m not surprised to see these findings that suggest that it may have a positive impact on health. It’s involved in lowering the risk of diabetes,” she said.

The study included 25,640 people who participated in the Mexican National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey, and more than 60% were considered overweight or obese.

Approximately 45% of participants were avocado consumers, with men eating an average of 34.7 grams a day and women eating an average of 29.8 grams a day.

A standard avocado is one-third the size of a medium avocado. Or about 50 grams.

A reduced risk of diabetes in women was observed even when factors such as age, education level, weight, and physical activity were taken into account.

As for why a similar association was not found for male participants, the researchers noted that this study had a higher proportion of male smokers (approximately 38%) than female smokers (approximately 12%). It was inferred that this is a characteristic feature.

“Nicotine exposure can make insulin less effective, so smokers are more likely to develop diabetes,” they write, before adding, “Men are more likely to binge drink than women.” This behavior is associated with increased risk of metabolic syndrome and diabetes.

The researchers suggest “deeper investigation” into the long-term effects of avocado consumption to better understand how avocados, gender, and diabetes risk are related.