Regular consumption of avocado and mango can yield benefits for the cardiovascular system on several fronts. A daily serving of mango coupled with avocado resulted in a marked drop in blood pressure and enhanced blood vessel function in just eight weeks.*
A research team led by Britt M. Burton-Freeman from the Illinois Institute of Technology (USA) investigated the impact of daily mango and avocado intake on cardiovascular health, presenting encouraging findings in the Journal of the American Heart Association.
Various prior studies have clearly demonstrated that diet exerts extensive effects on our well-being, where even relatively minor adjustments can lead to substantial outcomes.
For instance, researchers recently reported in the European Journal of Nutrition that green leafy vegetables, thanks to their Vitamin K content, strengthen the cardiovascular system, with a daily portion protecting the heart and blood vessels.
It is also widely known that mangoes can improve heart health, a fact recently corroborated by investigators from the University of California.
Furthermore, Burton-Freeman and her group published a study last year concluding that eating avocado in the evening improves blood lipid profiles and safeguards heart health.
The researchers examined whether combining mango and avocado consumption could be particularly advantageous for cardiovascular health among 82 healthy adults aged 25 to 60 years who had prediabetes and were overweight or obese.
Participants were permitted to stick to their usual eating patterns, albeit with a reduction in overall caloric intake. One cohort consumed avocado and a portion of mango (about 160 grams) daily, whereas the alternative group was offered calorie-matched carbohydrate snacks.
Among other metrics, the investigators monitored the effect on flow-mediated dilation (a measure of endothelial function), as well as on blood pressure and various metabolic and inflammatory biomarkers.
Compared to the control group, those in the active group showed significant improvements in vascular function, which supports healthy blood flow, and diastolic blood pressure, a key determinant of long-term cardiac health, the team reported.
For example, flow-mediated dilation was substantially augmented by the intake of mango and avocado, whereas the control group experienced a further decline. Conversely, experts noted that blood pressure increased by an average of 5 mmHg in the men within the control group, while men in the intervention group experienced a decrease of approximately 1.9 mmHg.
No significant differences were observed between the two groups regarding calorie intake or body weight, suggesting that the avocado-mango combination might positively influence cardiovascular health irrespective of these factors.
“This study underscores the significance of dietary strategies for mitigating cardiovascular disease risk, especially in high-risk populations such as those with prediabetes,” Burton-Freeman summarized.
It is encouraging that even modest dietary adjustments, like incorporating avocado and mango into meals and snacks, can contribute to heart health without demanding strict regimens or drastic overhauls to one’s diet.
The group consuming avocado and mango also showed increased intake of fiber, Vitamin C, and heart-friendly monounsaturated fatty acids, potentially offering long-term health advantages.
Researchers also observed improvements in several indicators of kidney function but detected no significant shifts in cholesterol levels, blood sugar, or inflammatory markers.
Overall, the combination of mango and avocado clearly confers a favorable effect on cardiovascular health, as the nutritional attributes of these two fruits appear to complement and enhance one another. Consequently, dietary modification presents a promising avenue for cardiovascular protection.
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