JAHA: Avocados and Mangoes Improved a Measure of Blood Vessel Function

The trial involved 82 participants with an average age of approximately 45. They had prediabetes, a condition characterized by elevated blood sugar levels that do not yet meet the criteria for diabetes. The participants' average body mass index was around 30.

One group was assigned a diet that included one avocado and one cup of diced mango every day. The control group consumed foods with comparable calorie content but lower amounts of fat and fiber.

The primary outcome was flow-mediated dilation, which measures the ability of an artery to widen in response to increased blood flow. It reflects the function of the endothelium, the inner lining of blood vessels.

In the group following the fruit-based diet, this measure increased by approximately one percentage point, while it decreased in the control group. The difference in changes between the two groups was about 2.1 percentage points. The researchers also found differences in changes in diastolic blood pressure measured at the arm, particularly among men.

However, most of the other measures examined did not differ significantly between the groups. The observed benefits were not accompanied by significant changes in body weight. The diet containing avocados and mangoes increased the intake of fiber, vitamin C and monounsaturated fats, making it impossible to determine the individual contribution of each component.