Want to kick up the nutritional value of that burger? Add a couple slices of avocado.
New research shows eating half of a fresh avocado with a hamburger may actually help counteract inflammation in the body caused by red meat. The study, published in the journal Food and Function by a team of experts at the University of California-Los Angeles, found people who ate avocados on their burgers had lower levels of the protein Interleukin-6 (IL-6), a measure of inflammation, than those who ate the sandwich without the vegetable.
The study, funded in part by the Hass Avocado Board, involved 11 healthy men — 18 to 35 years old — whose IL-6 levels were measured after eating a plain burger and, on a separate occasion, eating a burger consumed with fresh avocado.
The results showed that four hours eating a plain burger, the men experienced a marked (70 percent) increase in IL-6 levels. But four hours after an avocado burger, the increase in the men’s IL-6 was far less (by 40 percent). They also indicated the avocado burger did not raise the men’s levels of triglycerides more than the plain burger, despite the added fat and calories from adding the vegetable.

"This study supports the hypothesis that fresh Hass avocado, may help support normal vascular function, which is important for heart health," said lead researcher David Heber, M.D. "After eating a burger with one-half of a fresh medium Hass avocado, some of the after-meal effects observed after eating the plain burger, specifically inflammation and narrowing blood vessels, were reduced within hours, and triglycerides did not increase beyond what was observed after eating the burger alone."
Additional studies are now underway to determine whether consuming avocados can play a beneficial role in weight management and diabetes, risk factors for heart disease, and the vegetable's capability to increase the absorption of nutrients.
The Hass Avocado Board represents producers and importers of avocados.