Could an Avocado and Mango a Day Help Lower High Blood Pressure?

A new study suggests that eating one avocado and one cup of mango daily may help lower blood pressure and improve heart health in adults with prediabetes, according to research published in the Journal of the American Heart Association.

Researchers at the Illinois Institute of Technology conducted an eight-week trial involving adults with prediabetes who added one medium Hass avocado and a cup of fresh mango to their daily diet without changing their calorie intake or exercise habits. A control group consumed a similar number of calories but replaced the fruits with carbohydrate-based foods.

The avocado-mango group showed a significant improvement in flow-mediated dilation (FMD), a measure of blood vessel function, with scores rising to 6.7% compared to a decline to 4.6% in the control group. This indicates better vascular health in those consuming the fruit combination.

Diastolic blood pressure also improved, particularly among men. Men in the control group experienced an average increase in central blood pressure of 5 mmHg, while men in the avocado-mango group saw a reduction of approximately 1.9 mmHg.

Researchers noted that these benefits occurred without changes in body weight or calorie intake, suggesting the effects were due to the specific nutrients in the fruits rather than weight loss.

The study’s authors attributed the potential heart health benefits to a combination of fiber, potassium, vitamin C, and heart-healthy fats found in avocados, and mangoes. However, they emphasized that overall diet quality remains most important and that the fruits work best as part of a balanced eating pattern.

The research was funded by the National Mango Board and the Hass Avocado Board, which the authors acknowledged as a factor to consider when interpreting the findings.