Avocado fruit is life. Literally. Diabetes type 2 is a very common disease that doctors encounter worldwide. Indeed, today is World Diabetes Day. The statistics show more people die worldwide as a result of suffering from diabetes type 2 than those with AIDS and cancer combined. So what is the connection with avocado? There’s a compound found in avocado fruit that suggests you should make eating an avocado a daily habit. Apparently, this compound is a fat molecule that’s only found in an avocado. Researchers state that it shows signs of strengthening insulin sensitivity when tested in mice. This is big news for those who battle diabetes type 2.
No matter what you do, if you’re living an unhealthy lifestyle and eating a poor diet. The chances of developing diabetes type 2 will increase significantly. But with the addition of a clean eating plan and some creamy avocado, you could do wonders to protect yourself. Avocado fruit is great to include in your diet because it’s highly versatile and tastes incredible. Adding an avocado to your meal can make your meal much more satisfying because this fruit is full of healthy fats, antioxidants, it has a deliciously creamy texture and lots of fiber. Therefore, avocado fruit is more than a tasty addition to your diet. And according to recent studies, they contain a rare fat molecule that may safely reduce insulin resistance.
Researchers from the University of Guelph, in Canada, explain that this compound may delay or prevent the development of type 2 diabetes in mice. Remember that this compound is supposedly only found in avocado fruit. We’re not complaining. The more avos, the better. Right?
The research team also tested the safety of this compound in human participants. They have published a summary of their findings in the journal Molecular Nutrition & Food Research.
Avocado Fruit Is a Life-Saver
Diabetes type 2 is a big health problem
Firstly, we need to explain why this should be an area of concern for you in your life. Just because you think you’re invincible, it doesn’t mean you are. As humans, we are not perfect and will all encounter rough patches at certain stages of our lives. For this very reason, we need to try to remain as healthy as we can with our diet and daily habits.
Not sure what type 2 diabetes is? Basically, it’s a disease that prevents the body from successfully processing glucose, or sugar, in the blood. If you are somebody who does not have diabetes, your pancreas which produces insulin is what assists this process. However, if you do have diabetes, your body either does not produce enough of the hormone insulin, or it cannot use it effectively.
Either way, whether you have diabetes type 1 or 2, it can cause too much glucose to remain in the blood. This is a very unhealthy state for the body to be in. If you do not manage it, you can cause a range of serious issues, including heart disease, stroke, kidney or nerve damage.
A Balanced Lifestyle
“We advocate healthy eating and exercise as solutions to the problem, but that’s difficult for some people. We’ve known this for decades, and obesity and diabetes are still a significant health problem.” – Nawaz Ahmed, lead author of the paper
The study shows how a compound found only in avocados can inhibit cellular processes that normally lead to diabetes. The team also found that the substance was absorbed into the blood with no harmful effects on the kidney, liver, or muscle.
Why does insulin resistance happen?
Researchers state that this happens when mitochondria in cells cannot effectively burn fatty acids through oxidation. This is because when you have diabetes type 2, the oxidation is incomplete.
Understanding The Science Of Avocado Fruit and Diabetes
You’re probably wondering what this magical fat molecule compound found in avocado fruit is. According to scientists, it’s called avocatin B, or AvoB. This is what might potentially help reduce diabetes type 2 amongst the general population. If you’re not an avocado fan, then you need to reconsider.
According to the researchers, the study looked at the potential anti-obesity benefits of AVbob which is focused on Fatty Acid Oxidation (FAO) by mitochondria. These are energy powerhouses in the body’s cells that help regulate and prevent diabetes type 2. The researchers fed mice a high-fat diet for 8 weeks to promote obesity and insulin resistance. Then, the team added AvoB to the diet of half the mice over the next 5 weeks.
Normally, the fatty acid oxidation process allows your body to burn fat. However, diabetes type 2 prevents this process from happening. This is where AvoB comes in, as these researchers discovered how it can counter incomplete oxidation in skeletal muscles and the pancreas to reduce insulin resistance.
Interestingly, at the end of the 13 weeks, the mice that had ingested AvoB had gained weight at a slower rate than their counterparts. In addition, their insulin sensitivity had increased. This meant that their bodies were able to absorb and burn blood glucose which improved their response to insulin.
What About Avocado Fruit And Humans?
Once the researchers received positive results from testing the mice. They then performed a phase one clinical trial using humans. All of which ate a regular Western diet. Guess what? When you consume AvoB through dietary supplements it can be absorbed safely into the blood without affecting the liver, kidneys, or skeletal muscles.
The participants also lost some weight, but the results were not mind-blowing. Therefore, by improving your pancreatic performance, beta-cell functioning, and insulin sensitivity, the body as a whole will burn fat and digest optimally. Having demonstrated its safety in humans. Doctors plan to conduct clinical trials to test AvoB’s efficacy in treating metabolic ailments in people.
Know-How To Source Your Avocado Fruit
Researchers state that this was a very important safety trial. Mainly because it helped the team determine just how much AvoB to include in the supplement formulation. Dosages were either 50 milligrams (mg) or 200 mg. It’s possible to prevent diabetes type 2. This is because Health Canada has approved AvoB as a dietary supplement. Doctors will start selling AvoB in powder and pill forms in 2020. This will be done through SP Nutraceuticals Inc. This is a Burlington, Ontario-based natural health products company.
There is a downside to all of this new research though. You can’t just eat avocado fruit and think that it will be enough. Unfortunately, the amount of natural avocatin B varies from avocado fruit to fruit. Researchers also don’t fully understand exactly how we digest and absorb AvoB when we consume a whole avocado. The trick is to try to buy top-quality avocado fruit to reap the most health benefits. Sometimes the fruit might not even contain enough AvoB for you to properly absorb the avocado’s true benefits.
That’s why further research will reveal whether AvoB will turn out to be a missing piece of a difficult diabetes management puzzle. All the more reason to eat lots of avocado fruit!
References
- Diabetes Type 2: South Florida Reporter. https://southfloridareporter.com/a-compound-in-avocados-may-reduce-type-2-diabetes/
- Fat Molecule Avocados: Medical News Today. A Compound In Avocados May Reduce Type 2 Diabetes https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/326964.php?utm_source=newsletter&utm_medium=email&utm_country=ZA&utm_hcp=&utm_campaign=MNT%20Daily%20News%202019-11-11&utm_term=MNT%20Daily%20News#1
- Building Science: Daniells, S. 2019. NUTRA Ingredients-USA.Com. New Company to Commercialize Avocado Compound with Anti-Obesity and Anti-Diabetes Benefits. https://www.nutraingredients-usa.com/Article/2019/11/05/New-company-to-commercialize-avocado-compound-with-anti-obesity-anti-diabetes-benefits
- Fatty Acid Oxidation: Sci-Tech Daily. Compound Found Only in Avocados May Help Manage Obesity, Prevent Diabetes. https://scitechdaily.com/compound-found-only-in-avocados-may-help-manage-obesity-prevent-diabetes/
