Avocados benefit moms and babies, studies find
Avocados contain higher amounts of folate and potassium - which pregnant and breastfeeding women often consume too little of - than other fruits and vegetables, according to research funded by the Hass Avocado Board.
University of California, Davis nutrition researcher Kevin Comerford and three colleagues also identified nutrition benefits in avocados for infants and toddlers. Their findings are reported in two papers in the journal Nutrients.
The Hass Avocado Board has separately published a graphic with nutritional insights for healthcare workers, caregivers and mothers.
Avocados also contain higher amounts of nonessential compounds such as fiber, monounsaturated fats, and lipid-soluble antioxidants, all linked to improvements in maternal health, birth outcomes or breast milk quality, according to the university researchers. The fruit should be considered for inclusion in future dietary recommendations for expecting and new mothers, they said.
The number and amount of nutrients varies among different fruits and vegetables, and not all are considered nutrient-rich, according to the authors.
Many infants and toddlers in the U.S. do not consume any fruits or vegetables on a daily basis, they said. The research recommends that nutritional guidance emphasize produce items with the greatest potential for health benefits.
Unsaturated oil-containing fruits such as avocados are lower in sugar and higher in fiber and monounsaturated fatty acids than most other fruits, according to the study, and also have the proper consistency and texture with a neutral flavor spectrum.
"Taken together, avocados show promise for helping to meet the dietary needs of infants and toddlers, and should be considered for inclusion in future dietary recommendations for complementary and transitional feeding," the authors say.
