Study finds avocados curb appetite and help with weight loss

LOS ANGELES - As it turns out, there just might be a good reason millennials put avocados on everything. A new study suggests that replacing carbs with avocados can help curb hunger and improve appetite satisfaction.

According to a study from the Center for Nutrition Research at the Illinois Institute of Technology, replacing refined carbohydrates with avocados for every meal helped curb hunger, cravings and increased meal enjoyment.

Researchers revealed in a press release that they wanted to find out whether or not avocados contributed to appetite control within a six-hour period. Their findings suggested that simple dietary changes affect hunger management and aid metabolic control.

The study analyzed 31 overweight or obese adults who were given one of three meals with identical calories: A high-fat meal with one avocado, a high-fat meal with half an avocado, or a low-fat meal.

Everyone who participated in the study reported that they felt less hungry from eating the meal with the whole avocado and even felt equally satisfied from the meal with half an avocado rather than the low-fat meal.

"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," said Britt Burton-Freeman, Ph.D., director of the Center for Nutrition Research at Illinois Tech.

The study also found that avocados assisted in raising levels of an intestinal hormone called PYY, which helps regulate hunger and increases appetite when levels of the hormone are low in your body.

While this study suggests that avocados may be a key to weight loss, Burton-Freeman says there is no "one size fits all" solution when it comes to managing your appetite.

"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," Burton-Freeman said.