Avocados and Cholesterol

A study done in Australia reported that eating avocados daily for three weeks improved blood cholesterol levels in middle-aged women more so than a low fat diet. The daily intake depended on the size of the women, about ½ an avocado for small women and 1 ½ for larger women. The avocado diet decreased total cholesterol by 8% compared to 5% for the low fat diet, more importantly the HDL levels improved by 15% on the avocado diet. The most significant reason that avocados are considered highly beneficial in lowering cholesterol is due to its content of monounsaturated fat and phyto nutrients. Monounsaturated fat has proven its ability to lower LDL levels, "bad" cholesterol, and increase HDL levels, "good" cholesterol. Avocados have the highest source of beta-sitosterol, four times more than any other fruit. Beta-sitosterol is known to reduce blood levels of cholesterol. The combination of the two makes this fruit an excellent cholesterol fighting food.