One Major Side Effect of Eating Avocado Toast, Says Dietitian

Whether it's a staple in your breakfast routine or your favorite on-the-go lunch, avocado toast is a tasty—and trendy—meal. Loaded with complex carbs, healthy fat, and protein, this easy-to-prepare meal is a great way to stay satisfied for hours at a time.

However, there's one surprising side effect of eating avocado toast that you might not realize you're getting, according to experts. Eating avocado toast could be the first step toward making your heart healthier—if you're using the right kind of bread, that is.

"Whole grain bread consumption is associated with an approximately 20% lower risk of coronary heart disease and cardiovascular disease, an approximately 19% lower risk of type 2 diabetes, an approximately 10 to 15% lower risk of cancer, and an approximately 20% lower risk of death from any cause," says Sylvia Melendez-Klinger, DBA, MS, RD, founder of Hispanic Food Communications and a member of the Grain Foods Foundation's Scientific Advisory Board.

What's more, the avocado you top that toast with can have a cardioprotective effect, as well. A 2015 study published in the Journal of the American Heart Association found that, among a group of 45 otherwise healthy overweight and obese adults, eating an avocado per day in conjunction with a moderate-fat diet was associated with greater reductions in LDL cholesterol and non-HDL cholesterol than those who consumed a moderate-fat diet without avocado. "Our results demonstrate that avocados have beneficial effects on cardio‐metabolic risk factors that extend beyond their heart‐healthy fatty acid profile," the study's authors concluded.

The fiber found in both whole grain bread and avocados is beneficial for heart health, too.

"Avocado toast is a great source of fiber, with both foods delivering plenty of it," says Melendez-Klinger, who says that topping your toast with additional vegetables is an easy way to get more bang for your nutritional buck.

In fact, according to a 2017 meta-analysis published in the Journal of Chiropractic Medicine, individuals studied who consumed the highest amounts of dietary fiber had significantly reduced rates of both cardiovascular disease and heart disease-related death. So, if you're looking for a quick breakfast that benefits both your tastebuds and your whole-body health, look no further.

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