An Avocado A Day Helps Your Gut Health, A Study Says

A new study has found that having avocado as part of your daily diet is a good thing for your gut microbes. (As if you needed another reason to love them.)

The study was published in The Journal Of Nutrition, and looked at 163 adults aged 25-45 over 12 weeks. Half were given daily avocado in their diets, half weren't. The subjects didn't change their diets otherwise.

The avocado-a-day group turned out to have flourishing gut microbiomes — the collection of bacteria in your gut that break down food and keep your digestion humming along.

The people who'd got a dose of the green stuff daily saw an increase in the diversity of their gut microbiome, as well as a growth in the bacteria that could break down fiber, which is notoriously tough on the gut.

The avocados also seemed to feed gut bacteria like Lachnospira and Alistipes, which are linked to kidney health and liver function; the avocado eaters had between 26% and 65% more of them than the control group.

Avocado has been known to be a health food for a while — studies show it lowers cholesterol and boosts healthy fat levels — but this is the first study to show it's good for the gut, too.

A well-functioning gut is a key part of health. Your gut microbiome can influence everything from your appetite to your immune system, and even your mental wellness.

While more research is needed (as with any study), these purported gut-health benefits certainly serve as an excuse to stock up on avos on your next grocery run.