Low-fat avocados could be the new “in” thing

By Dr. Ananya Mandal, MDOct 16 2017

Avocados have been hailed as a wonder fruit packed with nutritional values and something diet experts and customers swear by.

A Spanish company Isla Bonita has come up with a new form of the popular fruit called the Avocado Light that has up to 30% less fat than the regular ones. According to Isla Bonita this new form of the fruit ripens faster and browns slower.

Halved avocados. Image Credit: Natali Zakharova / Shutterstock

The browning of the fruit is due to oxidation which means the fruit does not turn brown soon after cutting it open. Its faster ripening feature means that the fruit does not have to sit for 3-4 days to be edible. The company claims that these fruits are grown with special soil and climate conditions that maintain its nutritional benefits while bringing down its fat content significantly. This would be launched later this month at a trade fair in Madrid.

A regular avocado contains around 20-30 grams of fat. Most of this is monosaturated fat that can reduce cholesterol from the blood and also lower the risk of heart disease and cancers. A large avocado contains around 330 calories and the NHS recommends only half of an avocado as a portion size.

Ramón Rey, director of the International and Marketing area of Isla Bonita said that Avocado Light has a mild flavor and is a juicier with lesser amount of pulp. This means that the fruit could be easily made into soups and smoothies and cocktails. This means that the new version of the fruit is moister than before. He expects the new version of the fruit to be just as popular if not more. He called this a “second big jump in the development of the avocado market”. Avocado consumption has doubled between 2012 and 2016.

Nutritionists are not too happy with this change. The omega 3 fats that this fruit contains are its best feature they say. They enumerate several reasons why avocados should be part of regular diet.

Benefits of avocadoes in diet – scientific evidence

A group of researchers in the United States, collected avocado consumption and nutrition data from 17,567 US adults over 19 years of age (around half were females). The data was collected using 24-hour dietary recalls by trained NHANES interviewers using the USDA Automated Multiple Pass Method (AMPM). Diet quality was calculated using the USDA’s Healthy Eating Index-2005. There were 347 avocado consumers (half of them females) in the study group.

Results showed that those who took avocados had significantly higher intakes of vegetables and fruits in their diets. They had a better quality of diet rich in monounsaturated fats (MUFA) and polyunsaturated fats (PUFA), dietary fibers, vitamins E, K, magnesium, and potassium.

Overall they had lower body weights and healthier body mass index. Their waists were leaner and they had a higher concentration of good cholesterol (HDL). The risk of their getting metabolic syndrome (a combination of diabetes and obesity and impaired glucose tolerance) was also lower compared to those who did not take avocadoes.

Reference: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3545982/