Half an avocado to snack less?
In a small study, adding half an avocado to lunch made participants feel fuller and less inclined to eat in the following hours. A simple idea for afternoon cravings.
Against the 4 p.m. hunger pangs, go for a lunch that keeps you going.
The study
At Loma Linda University in California, 26 healthy but overweight adults ate, on different days, three versions of their lunch: without avocado, with half an avocado added, or with half an avocado replacing other foods.
When they added half an avocado, they reported less desire to eat over the following three hours, about 40% less, and felt more satisfied.
To keep in perspective
The study is small, it measures feelings rather than weight loss, and it was funded by an avocado growers' organisation. So it does not make the avocado a miracle food. But it confirms a well-known idea: meals rich in fibre and good fats keep you fuller.
In practice
- Half an avocado on toast, in a mixed salad or in a whole-grain bowl.
- Other allies of fullness: pulses, nuts (a small handful), vegetables, whole grains, protein (eggs, fish, yoghurt).
- Avocado is quite high in calories: it replaces other fats rather than being added to them.
Sources
- Wien M. et al., "A randomized 3×3 crossover study to evaluate the effect of Hass avocado intake on post-ingestive satiety, glucose and insulin levels, and subsequent energy intake in overweight adults", Nutrition Journal, 2013. See on PubMed
- Programme national nutrition santé (French national nutrition programme), mangerbouger.fr.
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