Avocados Improve Cognition Health and Wellbeing

Researchers found that people who consumed one avocado per day for six months had higher serum lutein3 levels and greater MPD relative to baseline measurements. The avocado group also had significant improvements in cognition as measured by improvement in working memory.4 Additionally, as macular pigment density (MPD)5 increased, the improvements in working memory and efficiency of approaching a problem6 also significantly increased. The ability to retain spatial information and manipulate items in working memory significantly increased after 3 months of avocado intake. Spatial The randomized controlled trial tested the effects of 6-month daily consumption of a fresh medium Hass avocado2 vs control (1 medium potato or 1 cup of chickpeas a day) on cognitive function in 40 healthy adults, 50+ years of age. Participants were otherwise instructed to not change their dietary habits throughout the study period. Chickpeas and potatoes were used as a control because they provided a similar level of calories but provided a negligible amount of lutein and monounsaturated fat. Based on these findings, researchers concluded that one avocado per day may be effective at increasing neural lutein levels, which is related to better cognitive performance in older adults. Compared to previous lutein supplement studies, the authors suggest that the unique combination of monounsaturated fats, fibre, lutein and other bioactive make avocados particularly effective at enriching neural lutein levels. planning & working memory to solve problems significantly improved after 6 months of avocado intake.