Can Eating Avocados Help You Sleep?

The avocado hype may have peaked around 2019, but we shouldn’t forget about the green fruit. One of the most nutrient-rich foods out there, it’s packed with healthy fats, fibre and antioxidants, offering a whole host of benefits for body and mind. And now a new study has suggested another potential perk, linking avocado consumption to better sleep.

Avocados Can Help You Sleep Better – And 5 Other Benefits

Researchers at Penn State University found adults who included avocados in their diet for a period of six months reported better sleep than those who consumed less than two per month. On average, the avocado-eating group slept for 30 minutes more each night than the control group. Scientists assessed 969 US adults who had what is considered a larger waistline (35 inches or more in women, and 40 inches or more in men). 

Published in the Journal of the American Heart Association, the study initially intended to explore the heart health benefits of avocados, but sleep improvements were a surprising finding. Scientists used a modified version of the American Heart Association’s Life’s Essential 8 score to measure heart health, with higher scores suggesting better cardiovascular health, taking into account factors like diet, physical activity and sleep. Although avocado consumption wasn’t found to improve overall heart health score, there were significant improvements when it came to sleep.

‘This was a cardiovascular health trial, making the sleep benefits more credible since they emerged as unexpected secondary findings in a well-designed randomised controlled trial,’ said Dr. John Saito, a spokesperson for the American Academy of Sleep Medicine in an interview with Verywell.

Although the research was supported by the Avocado Nutrition Center, the organisation had no part in data collection or analysis. 

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Researchers believe the reason for the sleep improvements could be the high content of tryptophan, a precursor to melatonin, which is renowned for supporting better sleep. Avocados also contain folate, which is also involved with producing melatonin, and magnesium, a mineral which promotes muscle relaxation. 

‘Sleep is emerging as a key lifestyle factor in heart health, and this study invites us to consider how nutrition – and foods like avocado – can play a role in improving it,’ said Dr. Kristina Petersen of Penn State University.

What Are The Health Benefits Of Avocados?

Boosting Skin Health

Avocados are rich in monounsaturated fats – AKA, the good kind – as well as carotenoids, both of which are associated with improving skin health. A recent study published in J Cosmet Dermatol found eating a daily avocado boosts skin elasticity in firmness, which perhaps explains Victoria Beckham’s perennial glow: she famously eats four a day.

Supporting Heart Health

While Penn State University’s study into avocados and cardiovascular health pointed more towards the sleep benefits, there’s plenty of evidence to suggest avocados are good for your heart too. Monounsaturated fatty acids help improve cholesterol levels, and scientists previously found eating one avocado per week can cut the risk of developing coronary heart disease by 21 percent.

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Regulating Appetite

Avocados may be high in calories, but don’t let this put you off. They’re also high in fibre, which is beneficial for gut health while also supporting satiety, keeping you fuller for longer. 

Improving Eye Health

The fruit is also rich in vitamins A, E and K, which all play a crucial role in maintaining eye health. Avocados are also rich in carotenoids – a high percentage of which, researchers found, can cross the blood brain barrier to the eyes, protecting against conditions like cataracts and macular degeneration.

Supporting Brain Health

What we eat can have a big impact on our cognitive function, too. Avocados are one of the foods associated with improving brain health, thanks to their healthy fat content as well as being rich in polyphenols. This was supported by a study published in Nutrients, which found people who ate avocado daily for six months saw improvements in their memory and problem-solving efficiency.