Can avocados reduce belly fat? 150 overweight people tell you the answer

The surface is bumpy and it is neither sweet nor crispy. Its taste is as delicate as cheese... Among many bright, sweet and sour fruits, avocado seems a bit "weird".

Avocado, also known as alligator pear, is considered the "deep-sea fish" of fruits. If I tell you that such a recognized "high-fat" fruit can reduce abdominal fat, would you believe it?

Eat avocados regularly to reduce belly fat

A study published in the Journal of Nutrition by researchers at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign showed that women who eat an avocado a day can help redistribute abdominal fat and reduce deep visceral fat in the abdomen, thereby reducing the risk of certain metabolic diseases.

150 overweight or obese people took part in a 12-week randomized controlled trial. They were divided into two groups and provided one meal per day:

One group included fresh avocado on their menu;

The other group had a menu that was basically the same as the first, but without avocado.

At the beginning and end of the experiment, the researchers measured the participants' abdominal fat and glucose tolerance and found that women who ate avocados lost more abdominal visceral fat and changed the ratio of subcutaneous fat to visceral fat, but men did not.

Why can high-fat fruits help you lose weight?

Although avocado is a fruit, its nutritional characteristics are far from those of "low-energy, low-fat" fruits.

Its greatest advantage comes from its fat value.

About 70% of the fatty acids in avocado are monounsaturated fatty acids, of which oleic acid (which is also the main component of olive oil) accounts for more than 60% of the total fat content. It has the effect of lowering cholesterol and preventing the accumulation of abdominal fat.

In addition, avocados are rich in nutrients such as dietary fiber, potassium, niacin, calcium, and magnesium.

An avocado is about 130 to 150 grams, and eating one will provide you with about 200 kcal of calories.

Its energy is twice that of bananas, four times that of cherries, and 7.3 times that of watermelons, and its fat content is dozens of times that of ordinary fruits.

Although avocados are high in calories, they are very filling and can directly reduce your desire to eat snacks.

A randomized crossover study published in the Journal of Nutrition in 2013 involved 26 overweight people with an average BMI of over 28. The researchers divided them into groups, one of which added half an avocado to their lunch every day.

In the end, the researchers found that the group that consumed an extra half avocado had a 26% increase in satiety and a 40% decrease in the desire to snack.

If you are trying to lose weight, it is recommended that you eat no more than half an avocado a day.

How to eat avocados without gaining weight

Avocados are best eaten raw and fresh. Remove the shell and eat the flesh. In addition to eating directly, avocados can also be used in cooking. Here are some delicious ways to eat avocados:

As a vegetable salad

Cut half an avocado into pieces, add it to cherry tomatoes, lettuce, purple cabbage, bell pepper, chicken breast, and add sugar-free yogurt to make a salad.

Make into sandwiches

Instead of butter, spread it on whole wheat toast, and sandwich it with cheese, omelet, purple cabbage, etc. to make an avocado sandwich, which can be eaten for breakfast.

Add to rice

Add chopped avocado when the fried rice is almost ready to be served, and it will make avocado fried rice. Once melted, it will not only dye the rice a beautiful green, but the fragrance of the avocado will also permeate the rice, making the color and taste very fresh.

Make avocado sushi

Slice it or mash it, roll it into sushi together with other ingredients (such as egg rolls, cucumbers, meat floss, etc.) to make avocado sushi, which tastes wonderful.

Make into a milkshake

Make a milkshake with avocado and milk. It has the aroma of avocado and the mellowness of milk. It is very suitable for afternoon snack, replenishing energy and refreshing.

When choosing an avocado, the most important thing is to look at its color and feel its texture:

The greener the color, the more "green" it is, the less mature it is, and it feels harder;

The darker the color, the more "mature" it is, the more mature it is, and the softer it feels when pinched.

Choose an avocado that is moderately hard and soft, with a green skin and no black spots. You can eat it when it is slightly soft and dark green to black green in color.

If the skin is very dark and feels soft, it may have already developed black spots or even rotted.