500 People Ate An Avocado Every Day For 26 Weeks—Here's What Happened

“An apple a day keeps the doctor away,” as the saying goes, is up for some competition. According to research, another fruit (that’s often mistaken for a vegetable) has been shown to improve overall diet quality.

An avocado a day improves overall diet quality

The sample included 1,008 participants (72% female) with an average age of 50. The participants also had a low avocado intake before the study, consuming two or fewer avocados each month. 

The group was split in half for the experiment—one group limited their avocado intake and the other committed to eating one avocado each day. To measure overall diet quality, researchers evaluated how closely the participants followed the Dietary Guidelines for Americans, which included prioritizing nutrient-dense foods and beverages, staying within caloric limits, limiting foods and beverages higher in added sugars, saturated fat, and sodium, and limiting alcoholic beverages.

When analyzing how the avocado group’s diet improved, researchers note a greater intake of vegetables and more favorable fatty acid intake—meaning they consumed more unsaturated fats than saturated fats.

The avocado group also experienced positive changes in their consumption of sodium, refined grains, and added sugars. However, the avocado group also showed some displacement of total protein (seafood and plant protein) with the avocado intervention. 

The message here is really not that you have to eat an avocado a day, nor that it’s right for everyone. Rather, incorporating more whole foods into your diet (avocados and otherwise) is one way to encourage a healthier plate without obsessing over restriction. 

In fact, while avocados are filled with healthy fats, vitamins, and minerals, consuming a wide array of plants is important—especially for gut health. Hence, why some health experts recommend trying to eat 30 or more different plants each week (yes, spices and herbs count) in pursuit of a thriving, diverse gut microbiome. 

5 ways to get more avocado in your diet

From omega-3s to vitamins C, E, and K, avocados pack a nutrient punch. As demonstrated in the study, adding more of them to your diet can be one way to replace some other fats without compromising flavor.

Plus, there’s a plethora of ways to use them. Below, some inspiration to take right to your kitchen.

The takeaway

A recent study published in the Current Developments in Nutrition found that eating one avocado a day increased participants’ adherence to a healthy diet, as the Dietary Guidelines for Americans defines it.