AVOCADO: Overview, Uses, Side Effects, Precautions, Interactions, Dosing and Reviews (2024)

Overview

The avocado tree (Persea americana) produces a fruit with a creamy texture covered by a thick, green skin. It's a good source of potassium and healthy fats.

Avocado contains a lot of fiber, which might be the reason for its cholesterol-lowering effects. It's also rich in monounsaturated fats and is a good source of linoleic acid.

People use avocado for high cholesterol. It is also used for memory and thinking skills, aging skin, obesity, psoriasis, heart disease, and many other purposes, but there is no good scientific evidence to support most of these uses.

Don't confuse avocado with avocado soy unsaponifiables (ASU). These are not the same.

Uses & Effectiveness ?

Possibly Effective for

  • High cholesterol. Eating an avocado-rich diet seems to lower total cholesterol and low-density lipoprotein (LDL or "bad") cholesterol. It also seems to increase high-density lipoprotein (HDL or "good") cholesterol.

There is interest in using avocado for a number of other purposes, but there isn't enough reliable information to say whether it might be helpful.

Side Effects

When taken by mouth: Avocado is commonly consumed as food. There isn't enough reliable information to know if avocado is safe to use as medicine.

When applied to the skin: Avocado oil is possibly safe when used for up to 3 months. It's usually well-tolerated. Some people might experience itching after using a cream containing avocado oil and vitamin B12.

Special Precautions and Warnings

When taken by mouth: Avocado is commonly consumed as food. There isn't enough reliable information to know if avocado is safe to use as medicine.

When applied to the skin: Avocado oil is possibly safe when used for up to 3 months. It's usually well-tolerated. Some people might experience itching after using a cream containing avocado oil and vitamin B12.

Pregnancy and breast-feeding: Avocado is commonly consumed as food. There isn't enough reliable information to know if avocado is safe to use in larger amounts as medicine when pregnant or breast-feeding. Stay on the safe side and stick to food amounts.

Latex allergy: People who are sensitive to latex can have an allergic reaction to avocado.

Stomachallergy to certain foods that causes vomiting and diarrhea: Some infants and children have a stomach allergy to milk, oat, rice, and other foods. This allergy causes a lot of vomiting and diarrhea. Eating avocado may cause the same reaction in these infants and children.

Interactions ?

    Moderate Interaction

    Be cautious with this combination

  • Warfarin (Coumadin) interacts with AVOCADO

    Warfarin is used to slow blood clotting. Avocado has been reported to decrease the effects of warfarin. Decreasing the effects of warfarin might increase the risk of clotting. It is unclear why this interaction might occur. Be sure to have your blood checked regularly. The dose of your warfarin might need to be changed.

Dosing

Avocado is a popular fruit that's commonly eaten as food. It's most often consumed in amounts of 0.5-2 fruits daily. Speak with a healthcare provider to find out what dose might be best for a specific condition.

Next

CONDITIONS OF USE AND IMPORTANT INFORMATION: This information is meant to supplement, not replace advice from your doctor or healthcare provider and is not meant to cover all possible uses, precautions, interactions or adverse effects. This information may not fit your specific health circ*mstances. Never delay or disregard seeking professional medical advice from your doctor or other qualified health care provider because of something you have read on WebMD. You should always speak with your doctor or health care professional before you start, stop, or change any prescribed part of your health care plan or treatment and to determine what course of therapy is right for you.

This copyrighted material is provided by Natural Medicines Comprehensive Database Consumer Version. Information from this source is evidence-based and objective, and without commercial influence. For professional medical information on natural medicines, see Natural Medicines Comprehensive Database Professional Version.
© Therapeutic Research Faculty 2020.

AVOCADO: Overview, Uses, Side Effects, Precautions, Interactions, Dosing and Reviews (2024)

FAQs

Does avocado have any side effects? ›

Overeating avocados can cause adverse effects: Weight gain. Despite being an unsaturated fat, eating too many avocados can lead to weight gain due to the fat content. This can result in nutritional deficiencies because fat is digested more slowly and leaves you feeling fuller longer than other nutrients.

What medications does avocado interact with? ›

Warfarin (Coumadin) interacts with AVOCADO

Warfarin is used to slow blood clotting. Avocado has been reported to decrease the effects of warfarin. Decreasing the effects of warfarin might increase the risk of clotting. It is unclear why this interaction might occur.

What happens when you eat avocados every day? ›

In addition to a high quantity of fiber, avocados possess phytochemicals and other nutrients which aid in many physical health processes such as: Lowering blood pressure (due to high levels of potassium) Lowering cardiovascular inflammation. Prevention of cataracts and protection against UV light damage.

Who should not take avocados? ›

People under medication treatment

Certain types of medications, for example anticoagulants or nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, may lose their effects when being consumed with and reacting to avocados. Avocados may also increase the probability of side effects for those taking cholesterol-lowering drugs.

What not to mix with avocado? ›

The combination you want to stay away from is eating avocados (a fat) with nuts (a protein). The raw fat properties of the avocado have an inhibiting effect of the digestion of the protein in nuts.

When not to eat an avocado? ›

Avocados are rotten if they're mushy when squeezed, brown or moldy inside, and have developed rancidity or a sour smell. You may be able to salvage part of the fruit if it's just starting to brown inside and the rest of the fruit looks, smells, and tastes fine.

What diseases do avocados fight? ›

Research suggests eating avocados might help prevent cancer, arthritis, depression, and inflammation. They also contain fiber, potassium, and folate, among other important nutrients. Oil pressed from avocados is a neutral cooking oil; it's also used in cosmetics.

Can I eat eggs and avocados every day? ›

However, this mix should be eaten in moderation. "The ideal way not to risk exaggerating with fat and calories is to bring to the table half avocado combined with two eggs, preferably hard-boiled, no more than a couple of times a week," says the expert, who here shares 5 good reasons to choose this meal combination.

What are the pros and cons of eating avocados? ›

Avocados contain the fat-soluble vitamins — vitamin E and vitamin K — in large amounts, which is good because they also contain a lot of fat. However, their high fat content also equals a high calorie content.

Do avocados burn belly fat? ›

Studies show that women who regularly consume avocados typically have reduced abdominal (belly) fat. According to a recent study conducted by the University of Illinois, women who ingested avocados daily lost deep visceral abdominal fat.

Can too much avocado be bad for you? ›

Although avocados are nutritional powerhouses, they do have a high-fat content. So if you eat too many and go overboard, you will be consuming a lot of calories. “If you have a healthy weight, and good blood sugar and cholesterol levels, then eating half (or a whole small) avocado a day is fine.

How many avocados can you safely eat a day? ›

How much to eat: One avocado a day can help improve bad cholesterol levels in overweight and obese people, a study published in 2015 in the Journal of the American Heart Association found. Make avocados part of your daily healthy eating plan, but consider downsizing your servings to: half of a whole fruit, 120 calories.

What organ are avocados good for? ›

The vitamins, minerals, healthy fats, and fiber found in avocados all play a role in keeping the cardiovascular system healthy. Study findings suggest that an avocado-rich diet may help improve heart disease risk factors, which may help prevent the onset of heart disease.

What medications does avocado interfere with? ›

Avocado has been reported to decrease the effectiveness of warfarin (Coumadin). Decreasing the effectiveness of warfarin (Coumadin) might increase the risk of clotting. It is unclear why this interaction might occur. Be sure to have your blood checked regularly.

Is avocado bad for blood pressure? ›

Avocados are high in potassium and low in salt. Because of this they are recognized for their ability to lower blood pressure and protect against heart attack and stroke. Avocados are also recommended by the DASH Diet.In this post we bring to you several delicious avocado rich recipes.

What does avocado do to the body? ›

Eating avocados regularly may benefit health in several ways, including protecting against heart disease, improving overall diet quality, improving satiety, and promoting gut health. Plus, they're versatile and delicious.

Is too much avocado bad for cholesterol? ›

Avocados. Avocados are a good source of nutrients as well as monounsaturated fatty acids (MUFAs). Research suggests that the fiber from avocados can improve HDL cholesterol levels and the quality of LDL cholesterol. Adding two servings of avocado per week to a heart-healthy diet can lower your risk of heart disease.

What are the side effects of avocado on skin? ›

Side Effects of Avocado Oil:

Some clinical trials have shown that the following side effects may occasionally be associated with avocado oil: Avocado oil may cause contact allergy. It may cause dermatitis (skin irritation). On contact, avocado oil may also cause eczema (inflamed and itchy skin)

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