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- A new study has shown that avocado seed extract could help reduce inflammation.
- Research is a promising development for the future treatment of cancer, arthritis, colitis, cardiovascular disease, etc.
- It is also a hope to reduce food waste.
- However, the researchers noted that additional research was needed and that it was not recommended to start gnawing the avocado seeds.
Every millennia worthy of their organic sea salt flakes know that avocados are an excellent source of monounsaturated fats (AKA in good health).
However, a new study, published in the journal Advances In Food Technology and Nutritional Sciences, revealed that the benefits of eating a staple for brunch go further than we thought, right at the heart of the fruit.
It turns out that avocado seeds could be as good for us as flesh.
Researchers at Penn State University have discovered that avocado seed extract could be used successfully to reduce inflammation caused by white blood cells.
Although they do not suggest that we start gnawing the seeds as an addition to our toast, the researchers hope that the extract can be added to food or pharmaceutical products in the future.
It is hoped that this development will advance in the treatment of diseases such as cancer, arthritis, colitis, cardiovascular disease and many others.
However, further research is needed in the first place, as previous studies have shown that consumption of avocado seeds in large quantities can be toxic.
Read more: A farmer in Hawaii grows avocados of record size that weigh as much as a newborn
Penn State researchers conducted their study in a laboratory, testing the extract on cells that stimulate the immune system and increase inflammation.
They cultivated a type of white blood cell called macrophages in petri dishes, then activated them with a pro-inflammatory molecule, with or without avocado seed extract.
Macrophages with the extract produce fewer inflammatory substances than those without.
"The level of activity we see in the extract is very good," said Joshua Lambert, co-director of the Penn State Center for Plant and Mushroom Foods for Health.
"We have observed inhibitory activity at concentrations in the range of micrograms per milliliter, which is an acceptable amount of activity to warrant further studies."
The study also reports a positive change in terms of food waste, since most people simply throw avocado seeds that account for 16 to 20% of the fruit's weight.
"If we could give value to avocado producers or lawyer processors, that would be a benefit," he said. "And if we could reduce the amount of this material dumped in landfills, that would be a good thing, given the huge amount of avocados consumed.
"This is encouraging because there is a market for other high value sources of bioactive compounds that we have tested in my lab, such as cocoa and green tea, while avocado seeds are essentially considered as waste. "
Read more: A starred chef says restaurants should stop serving avocados because they are "the blood diamonds of Mexico"
Eating avocado seeds is not uncommon, some food bloggers have published articles on their consumption for a while. Most tend to rinse and dehydrate the stone, remove the outer skin, dice and perform a blitz with the help of a blender before adding the powder to the smoothies and pastries.
But the authors of the study say that additional research is needed.
"The next step, before we can draw new conclusions about the anti-inflammatory activity of this avocado seed extract, will be to design studies on animal models," Lambert said.
"For example, we can examine a murine model of ulcerative colitis in which we formulate the avocado seed extract in the diet of the mouse and examine it if it is able to reduce the risk." ;inflammation."
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