Avocado & Your Heart: Unpacking the Cardiovascular Benefits

Healthy fats are an important part of your diet—and yet, they’re often misunderstood. Unsaturated fats from sources such as avocado may have a different effect on your heart and cardiovascular system than you’d expect. David Sabgir, M.D., is a cardiologist and spokesperson for Avocados - Love One Today. And so as a heart health and avocado expert, it was only fitting that we ask him about the fruit and its effects on the cardiovascular system when eaten regularly. Here’s what he has to say about avocados and their benefits on cardiovascular health. How Avocados Affect Your Cardiovascular System They May Lower LDL Cholesterol Sabgir notes that one of the key benefits of avocados is their impact on one’s cholesterol, especially when prioritized. “Avocados are one of the only fruits with good fats, mostly monounsaturated fats,” the cardiologist says. “These good fats help lower ‘bad’ LDL cholesterol and support ‘good’ HDL cholesterol, which is key to reducing the risk of heart disease and stroke.” Regular consumption of the fruit means better cholesterol—and by “regular consumption,” we mean that even just one avocado a week can help you reap its cholesterol-friendly benefits. Whether you’re a fan of avocado toast or prefer a side of guacamole, the avocado’s deliciousness can also support the good cholesterol in your body. They Might Improve Your Blood Pressure If you’re looking to keep your blood pressure steady, adding avocados into your diet is an easy start. “Avocados are sodium, sugar and cholesterol-free, contributing nearly 20 nutrients, including vitamins, minerals, dietary fiber and phytonutrients,” Sabgir shares. “One of these minerals is potassium, which helps keep blood pressure in check and blood vessels healthy.” And per the doctor, “one serving of avocado (1/3 of a medium avocado) provides 6% of your daily needs of potassium. A diet rich in potassium helps to offset some of sodium’s harmful effects on blood pressure.” Other potassium-rich foods include bananas, salmon, yogurt and white beans. So recipes like our Ginger-Dill Salmon with Cucumber & Avocado Salad and our Avocado & Banana Smoothie are ideal for a bite or sip loaded with the mineral. They May Not Impact Your Overall Heart Health While avocados are beneficial for your cholesterol and blood pressure, they may not boost your heart health in general. The cardiologist references a 2025 study (funded by the Avocado Nutrition Center) that showcases the overall benefits of eating the green produce once a day. “Avocado consumption improved diet quality and sleep health and reduced LDL and total cholesterol levels compared to adults who didn’t eat avocado,” Sabgir states on the study’s findings. “Avocados didn’t impact the overall heart health score defined by the American Heart Association.” Although avocados did not influence the study participants’ heart health scores (measured by key factors such as weight, blood sugar and exercise), intake does show improvements for some of the cardiovascular system’s functions. Our Expert Take Avocados may have a positive effect on cardiovascular function. While it may not directly impact your heart health, eating more avocados could lower your LDL cholesterol and improve your blood sugar. And avocados are versatile, so they can be incorporated into a variety of meals, whether savory or sweet. “One of the ways to consume avocados more regularly is to use them in place of butter and oil in baked goods or even in place of dairy in some recipes, like creamy avocado garlic mashed potatoes,” the cardiologist suggests. “You can also add slices to whole-grain toast or salads, or blend them into smoothies.”