A modest modification of daily dietary habits resulted in a visible change within the human body in only two months.
Research conducted by the Illinois Institute of Technology showed that adults who were prediabetic and increased their daily intake by adding one medium-sized avocado and one cup of diced mango demonstrated a significant improvement in blood flow and a reduction in diastolic blood pressure compared to individuals who consumed a similar diet that did not include these two fruits.
The improvement occurred without the participants experiencing weight loss or consuming more calories than those in the experimental diet.
This finding was especially important because more than 30% of Americans currently have prediabetes, and maintaining adherence to complicated dietary modifications over time can be difficult for most.
The individuals involved in this study ranged in age from 25 to 70 years and had elevated fasting glucose levels (100 mg/dL to 125 mg/dL). The participants were randomly assigned to either an intervention group eating one Hass avocado and one cup of mango daily or a control group eating matched calorie amounts of similar carbohydrate foods for an 8-week period.
Both diets were similar to the American Pattern of Eating. Additionally, the researchers prepared meals for part of the participants’ daily caloric intake, whereas participants obtained the other half of their daily caloric intake from their own food selections. Women received 1,500 calories per day, and men received 1,750 calories per day.
Daily fruit consumption increased from an average of 0.9 cups per day to around 3 cups during the avocado-mango study. This increase in fruit intake resulted in fiber consumption that was twice as much as before (3 cups = 2×). It also increased vitamin C, potassium, and monounsaturated fat consumption significantly.
The level of adherence to the intervention protocol was high at 93% in the fruit group and 87% in the control group.
The primary outcome of the intervention was endothelial dysfunction, which measures how well blood vessels expand and relax. Researchers measured endothelial dysfunction using the flow-mediated dilation (FMD) test through a noninvasive ultrasound examination of the brachial artery.
After eight weeks, the participants consuming an avocado-mango diet showed an FMD improvement of 6.7%, while the control group showed only a decline of 4.6%. The difference between the two groups was statistically significant.
Endothelial dysfunction is an early sign of cardiovascular disease progression and is often found in those with prediabetes.
Diastolic blood pressure changes were also noted. The control group’s men experienced an average increase in their central diastolic blood pressure of approximately 5 mmHg, while males consuming the fruit group’s diet decreased their central diastolic blood pressure by approximately 1.9 mmHg. It is important to note that an ongoing increase of 5 mmHg to 6 mmHg or more may raise the risk of stroke and coronary disease in the long term.
There was no significant difference in systolic blood pressure between the two groups.
The authors concluded, “These data suggest that an increase in fruit intake, in particular (avocados & mangos), results in a change in vascular function, which are important for healthy cardiovascular function in a population of people who are high risk for cardiovascular disease.”
No significant differences were found between the groups regarding blood glucose, insulin, and inflammation markers during the eight-week study period. Cholesterol and triglyceride levels trended in a better direction in the avocado-mango group but were not found to be statistically significant.
Participants’ body weight was also stable across the two groups.
Markers related to the kidneys showed some improvement in the fruit group, specifically a slight increase in the estimated glomerular filtration rate. However, these improvements were exploratory.
Researchers speculated that antioxidant activity, increased availability of nitric oxide, and higher dietary fiber intake may have caused the observed improvements in vascular function. This study did not directly investigate the mechanisms of antioxidants, nitric oxide, or dietary fiber.
Both avocados and mangos have distinct nutrient profiles with very little overlap.
Avocados are a source of dietary fiber, potassium, and unsaturated fats, all contributing to maintaining good cardiovascular health. Mangos provide vitamin C, dietary fiber, and polyphenolic compounds (such as mangiferin). By combining these fruit types, it provides the consumer with a greater variety of fruits, which has been associated with a decreased risk of developing diabetes in previous studies.
In addition to shifting carbohydrate sources, the participants in the control group increased their refined grain consumption. Participants in the fruit group exchanged whole fruit as an alternative carbohydrate source instead. This may have contributed to the blood pressure responses noted in both groups.
The intervention had several limitations. It had a limited sample size, and its length was only eight weeks. Researchers will need to conduct longer studies with larger sample sizes to investigate whether the benefits of the intervention will continue and whether there may be changes in metabolic markers.
The authors of this study also recommended that biomarkers confirming fruit intake in individuals would enhance subsequent research, particularly studies examining oxidative stress and nitric oxide activity.
The cost of acquiring fruits and vegetables may dictate whether they can be sustained over time as part of a diet plan. Estimates obtained suggested that meeting the suggested guidelines may cost between $2.10 and $2.60 each day.
Research findings are available online in the Journal of the American Heart Association.
The original story “Eating mangoes and avocadoes daily is good for your heart health, study finds” is published in The Brighter Side of News.
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