Avocado consumption enhances human post-prandial provitamin A absorption and conversion from a novel high ß-carotene tomato sauce and from carrots Rachel E. Kopec, Jessica L. Cooperstone, Ralf M. Schweiggert, Gregory S. Young, Earl H. Harrison, David M. Francis, Steven K. Clinton, Steven J. Schwartz cholesterol freenaturally good fats

STUDY KEY FINDINGSStudy Diet Details:

For both studies, test foods were served with the same standardized breakfast including two egg whites, a medium banana, and a cup of coffee. Participants were randomized to eat 300 g of high β-carotene tomato sauce or 300 g of raw baby carrots with or without avocado. Each breakfast meal with avocado contained an extra 275 calories, 3 g protein, 23 g fat, and 14 g carbohydrate.

- The tomato sauce delivered 33.7 mg β-carotene and was served at room temperature, with or without 150 g of a sliced, fresh Hass avocado (the equivalent of approximately one medium sized avocado). One English muffin was served in order to scoop up all of the sauce from the bowl.

- The raw baby carrots delivered 18.7 mg α-carotene and 27.3 mg β-carotene and were served with or without guacamole consisting of 150 g freshly mashed Hass avocado, 1 tsp. lemon juice, 1/8 tsp. garlic powder, and 1/8 tsp. salt. One English muffin was served in order to scoop up all of the guacamole from the bowl.

A lunch meal—low in carotenoids, provitamin A and fat—consisting of a turkey breast sandwich served on white bread with fat free mayonnaise, an apple, cream of mushroom soup (98% fat free), pretzel snacks and vitamin A-free, fat free Greek yogurt was served 4.5 hours after eating the breakfast test meal (769 calories, 66 g protein, 108 g carbohydrate, 8 g lipid).

STUDY OVERVIEWThe study, Avocado consumption enhances human post-prandial provitamin A absorption and conversion from a novel high β-carotene tomato sauce and from carrots, conducted by The Ohio State University and funded by the Hass Avocado Board (HAB) was published in The Journal of Nutrition.1 This research included two randomized, two-way crossover feeding studies on two separate sets of 12 healthy men and women that investigated if fresh avocado, when eaten with a high β-carotene tomato sauce or raw carrots, would promote the absorption of provitamin A carotenoids (alpha- and beta-carotene), and the conversion of these carotenoids to an active form of vitamin A.

Researchers found that fresh avocado significantly enhanced absorption of provitamin A and conversion of these carotenoids to an active form of vitamin A when eaten with either tomato sauce or raw carrots.

STUDY RESULTS: Tomato Sauce

Eating approximately one avocado with the tomato sauce meal significantly increased the absorption of β-carotene and the conversion of provitamin A (inactive form) to vitamin A. The addition of 150 g of avocado to the meal (compared to the meal without avocado):

More than doubled (2.4 times) β-carotene absorption (Figure 1A).

More than quadrupled (4.6 times) the conversion of provitamin A to vitamin A (active form - retinyl esters) (Figure 1B). And, subjects with a reduced ability to convert provitamin A experienced a greater improvement in conversion to vitamin A than subjects with high conversion efficiency (Figure 1C).

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Tomato sauce alone Tomato sauce + Avocado

Figure 1A. The effect of including or excluding fresh avocado in the meal on the absorption of β-carotene from a high β-carotene tomato sauce

2.4x more absorptionof β-carotene with avocado (P<0.0001)

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Tomato sauce alone Tomato sauce + Avocado

Figure 1B. The effect of including or excluding fresh avocado in the meal on the conversion of provitamin A to vitamin A (retinyl esters) from a high

β-carotene tomato sauce

4.6x more conversion to vitamin A with avocado (P<0.0001)

Vitamin A conversion (tomato sauce alone)

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Represents equal conversion for both meals with or without avocado. All data points to the left of the lineindicate higher conversion with avocado.

Each data point represents a single subject in the study, and plots their % conversion efficiency from thetomato sauce meal alone (x-axis) against their % conversion efficiency from the tomato sauce meal withavocado (y-axis).

Figure 1C. Plot of the conversion of provitamin A into vitamin A

STUDY RESULTS: Raw Carrots

Eating approximately one avocado (in the form of guacamole) with carrots significantly increased the absorption of α-carotene, β-carotene and their conversion to vitamin A. The addition of 150 g of avocado to the meal (compared to the meal without avocado):

Significantly increased β-carotene absorption 6.6 times (Figure 2A).

More than quadrupled (4.8 times) α-carotene absorption (Figure 2B).

Resulted in a greater increase in α-carotene and β-carotene absorption in older participants relative to younger participants.

Significantly increased the conversion of provitamin A to vitamin A 12.6 times (Figure 2C).

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Carrots alone Carrots + Avocado

Figure 2A. The effect of including or excluding fresh avocado in the meal on the absorption of β-carotene from carrots

6.6x more absorption of β-carotene with avocado (P<0.0001)

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Carrots alone Carrots + Avocado

Figure 2B. The effect of including or excluding fresh avocado in the meal on the absorption of α-carotene from carrots

4.8x more absorption of α-carotene with avocado (P<0.0001)

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Carrots alone Carrots + Avocado

Figure 2C. The effect of including or excluding fresh avocado in the meal on the conversion of provitamin A to vitamin A from carrots

12.6x more conversion to vitamin A with avocado (P<0.0001)

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iKopec RE, Cooperstone JL, Schweiggert RM, et. al. Provitamin A carotenoid absorption and conversion from a novel high β-carotene tomato and from carrot is enhanced with fresh Hass Avocado. J Nutr. 2014.iiUnlu NZ, Bohn T, Clinton SK, Schwartz SJ. Carotenoid absorption from salad and salsa by humans is enhanced by the addition of avocado or avocado oil. J Nutr. 2005; 135: 431-6.

AVOCADOS AND NUTRIENT ABSORPTIONThe results of this study provide further insight on how eating avocados may enhance nutrient absorption and provide new understanding on the conversion of provitamin A to vitamin A when avocados are eaten with foods that contain alpha- or beta-carotene. The results of this study can also inform future research on vitamin A deficient populations. However, these results are based on the consumption of five servings of avocado (one whole avocado) with each test meal. Previous research showed a similar enhancement in nutrient absorption with one-half of an avocado (75 g); additional research is needed to determine whether the results could be replicated with consumption of a single serving, 1/5 of a Hass avocado.

To read the full study, click here

HASS AVOCADO BOARD SUPPORTS NUTRITION RESEARCHHAB has a science research pipeline of ongoing clinical studies investigating the relationship between fresh avocado consumption and risk factors for cardiovascular disease, avocado’s potential positive role in weight management and diabetes, and the ability to enhance nutrient absorption when avocados are eaten with other foods. And, based on their nutrition and phytochemical components, emerging research suggests that fresh avocados may play a positive role in many emerging areas including skin, eye, joint and cellular health.

For more information on avocado nutrition and avocado research, visit LoveOneToday.com/Research

KEY TAKEAWAYS Eating avocado with tomatoes or carrots significantly increases absorption of β-carotene more than eating tomatoes or carrots without avocado.

Eating avocado with carrots significantly increases absorption of α-carotene more than eating carrots without avocado.

Eating avocado with tomatoes or carrots significantly increases the conversion of provitamin A (inactive form) to vitamin A (active form) more than eating tomatoes or carrots without avocado.