Swapping out carbs for avocado can suppress hunger, study finds

13 May 2019 --- Meals that include fresh avocado as a substitute for refined carbohydrates can significantly suppress hunger and increase meal satisfaction in overweight and obese adults. This is according to a new study released by the Center for Nutrition Research at Illinois Institute of Technology. The study was supported by the Hass Avocado Board.

“There is no ‘one-size-fits-all’ solution when it comes to optimal meal composition for managing appetite. However, understanding the relationship between food chemistry and its physiological effects in different populations can reveal opportunities for addressing appetite control and reducing rates of obesity, putting us a step closer to personalized dietary recommendations,” says Britt Burton-Freeman, Ph.D., Director of the Center for Nutrition Research at Illinois Tech. 

Published in Nutrients, the study assessed the underlying physiological effects of including whole and half fresh Hass avocados on hunger, fullness and how satisfied subjects felt over a six-hour period. Researchers evaluated these effects in 31 overweight and obese adults in a randomized three-arm crossover clinical trial. These dietary changes were also shown to limit insulin and blood glucose excursions, further reducing the risk of diabetes and cardiovascular disease by adding healthy fats and fibers into a regular daily diet.

“For years, fats have been targeted as the main cause of obesity, and now carbohydrates have come under scrutiny for their role in appetite regulation and weight control,” she adds. 

The research found that meals that included avocado not only resulted in a significant reduction in hunger and an increase in how satisfied participants felt, but it also found that an intestinal hormone called PYY was an important messenger of the physiological response.

The recognition of fat as a healthy and crucial dietary component has increased in recent years, in part spurring the popularity of low-carbohydrate approaches such as the keto diet, which diet is based on the premise of the body entering ketosis. The body reaches a ketogenic state when carbohydrate intake is so low that the body shifts to producing ketones to help fuel organs, which reportedly leads to fat burning.

Innova Market Insights reports strong growth in the percentage of new food & beverage launches with several dietary related claims (Global, 2017 vs. 2016), with a 76 percent rise reported in “keto” product launches, albeit from a small base. In this space, for example, keto supplements provider Ketologie has released a new nutritional supplement that is touted as able to boost ketone levels while supporting gut health.

As well as following more specific diets, consumers are also choosing their fuel more carefully than ever before with foods that are specifically adapted to their needs. Personalized nutrition is on the rise and moving even beyond tailored diets into technology and even personalized gadgets.

In this space, opportunities for consumers to learn how to tailor their own diets is also growing. Oakland-based Habit, for example, develops nutritional recommendations based on a person’s biology, metabolism and personal goals. Start-ups tapping into the microbiome are also making waves, such as Finnish company GutGuide, which seeks to offer patient-specific treatment and supplementation to a variety of afflictions connected to the gut, based on the company’s research into oral and gut microbiota.