The Super Bowl is next Sunday and people are busy making plans for the big game. For many, the most valuable player will be the avocado, which is quickly becoming a fan favorite.
In fact, it’s estimated that Americans will consume 120 million pounds or 240 million fresh avocados during the week leading up to the Super Bowl. This is a 20 percent increase from last year. It is also estimated that the amount of avocados consumed during the big game will be enough to fill an entire football field from end zone to end zone over 46 feet high.
Emerging nutrition research funded by the Hass Avocado Board, one of the research and promotion programs overseen by USDA’s Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS) may help continue these trends. The study examined three different types of diets: a low-fat diet, moderate fat diet with avocado and moderate fat diet without avocado to evaluate avocado’s effect on cholesterol levels. The results suggest that a moderate fat diet with avocado can improve the ratio of total cholesterol to high-density lipoprotein (HDL) -- or good cholesterol -- and the ratio of low-density lipoprotein (LDL) -- or bad cholesterol -- to HDL more than a moderate fat diet without avocado. The low-fat diet did not reduce these ratios.
This study followed recommendations from the 2010 Dietary Guidelines, which advised removing saturated fat from the diet and replacing it with foods like avocados that are rich in unsaturated fats. Working with Penn State University to conduct the study is part of the Hass Avocado Board’s effort to promote the nutritional benefits of consuming avocados. Since 2010, the board has used its nutritional program to educate others about the unique benefits of avocados to human health and nutrition.
Before you plan your trip to the grocery store, make sure you check out the Hass Avocado Board’s Love One Today site for tasty avocado recipes, nutrition information, and much more. One of our favorites is their Championship Guacamole Recipe, a quick and easy way to help your guests enjoy a fresh, tasty dish that can incorporate other healthy fruits and vegetables.
Whether you’re looking to make avocado wings or learning to pair other foods with avocados, the Hass Avocado Board has a perfect game plan to help you draw up a winning recipe. USDA is glad that the Hass Avocado Board is part of our winning team of more than 20 research and promotion programs that create opportunities for our nation’s farmers and ranchers. We hope that you enjoy the Super Bowl and that your party features plenty of avocados.
