A recent study suggests that eating one avocado every day could positively impact sleep quality. As scientific evidence increasingly underscores the importance of sleep—equally vital as nutrition and exercise for overall health—this new research offers fresh insights into the benefits of avocado consumption. In a secondary analysis of the largest randomized controlled trial conducted on avocado intake to date, researchers observed that adults who ate one avocado daily for six consecutive months reported better sleep quality compared to those who consumed fewer than two avocados per month.
According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), sufficient sleep helps reduce risk factors associated with heart disease. These findings add to a growing body of evidence supporting the cardiovascular benefits of avocados and mark the first time that avocado intake has been linked to improved sleep. The American Heart Association (AHA) lists healthy sleep as one of the “Life’s Essential 8” factors crucial for maintaining optimal heart health. Enhancing sleep duration and quality is recognized as a key strategy for promoting cardiovascular wellness.
Sleep is increasingly recognized as a critical lifestyle factor affecting heart health. This study prompts a closer examination of how nutrition—and foods like avocados—contribute to cardiovascular improvement. While no single food is a cure-all, avocados provide multiple nutrients that support various aspects of heart health. The research represents an encouraging step forward in expanding the scientific understanding of avocado’s potential health benefits.
Dr. Christina Peterson, associate professor of nutritional sciences at Pennsylvania State University and lead author of the study, emphasized the significance of these findings.
Funded by the Avocado Nutrition Center, the study included 969 racially and ethnically diverse U.S. adults with larger waist circumferences, a risk factor impacting nearly 60% of American adults. Participants were randomly assigned either to consume one avocado daily or to maintain a low intake of fewer than two avocados per month, while otherwise keeping their usual diet for six months.
Researchers assessed cardiovascular health using the American Heart Association’s Life’s Essential 8™ framework, a tool designed to help healthcare professionals and individuals better understand and mitigate risk factors. This framework highlights eight key behaviors and factors: diet quality, physical activity, nicotine exposure, sleep, body weight, blood pressure, blood lipids, and blood glucose. Improvements in these areas are associated with better health outcomes.
Daily avocado consumption correlated with improved diet quality, measured by the 2015 Healthy Eating Index, modest reductions in LDL (“bad”) cholesterol and total cholesterol levels, and enhanced sleep health based on self-reported increases in sleep duration. No significant changes were observed in the other seven Life’s Essential 8 components.
Although sleep was not the primary outcome of the study, the findings open an exciting avenue for future research. Subsequent investigations will employ more rigorous methodologies and advanced tools to better understand how nutrients in avocados support cardiovascular health. The study design has notable strengths, but its results are not conclusive and may not be generalizable to all populations.
Each serving of avocado (approximately one-third of a medium avocado) contains several nutrients that may aid sleep:
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Tryptophan: 13 mg, a precursor to melatonin, which regulates sleep
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Folate: 45 mcg (10% Daily Value), involved in melatonin production
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Magnesium: 15 mg (4% Daily Value), important for muscle contraction and relaxation
Additionally, the combination of fiber and monounsaturated fats in avocados offers cardiovascular benefits:
Fiber: 3 grams (11% Daily Value), with one-third being soluble fiber, which helps prevent cholesterol absorption in the digestive tract, lowering heart disease risk
Monounsaturated fat: 5 grams, which helps reduce LDL cholesterol, thereby decreasing the risk of heart disease and stroke
To support healthcare providers and other professionals in promoting healthy eating habits and integrating the benefits of avocados into dietary recommendations, the Avocado Nutrition Center has released a free cookbook titled Heart-Healthy Recipes Featuring Avocados. This initiative also aligns with the broader “food as medicine” movement.
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