Avocados are said to be a great source of good and healthy fats. Avocados are fondly being eaten in salads, dips, appetizers and even spreads. This fruit is described to be rich in Omega 3 fatty acids, Vitamin K, Vitamin B5 and fiber.
But a study from Cambridge University suggests that avocados may not be good for a person's health. The study shows that the healthy fats found in avocados and other food like fish and nuts can increase the risk of heart disease.
Previous studies indicate that the good fats from these food sources are essential to the levels of good cholesterol in the body. However, the Cambridge University study points out that the good cholesterol found in avocados can potentially increase high-density lipoprotein, as reported by Joe.
In a study involving rare gene mutations, specific mutations are found to lead towards high levels of good cholesterol. The results showed that people that has the mutation in the gene, named SCARB1, had exhibited high levels of good cholesterol.
Professor Adam Butterworth, from Cambridge University, says that they have always believed that good cholesterol is associated with lower heart disease risks. This study is significant, he adds, because it challenges their conventional wisdom about the idea that good cholesterol is protecting people from heart diseases.
In addition, people with the SCARB1 gene (about 1 in every 1,700) are 80 percent more likely to have a heart attack, as reported by The Irish Times.
Butterworth also highlights another significance of the study. He claims that the discovery could lead to new drugs that can improve the processing of high-density lipoprotein which can in turn prevent heart attacks and other related cardio-vascular diseases. In a way, the Cambridge professor says that this gives them the knowledge to make better treatments for those with heart disease risks.
The FDA is also looking into the matter, watch the WSJ video below:
