IRVINE, Calif.Adding one-half of a fresh avocado to a lunch may help healthy, overweight people feel more satisfied and reduce their desire to eat following a meal, according to a new study published in the Nutrition Journal.

Loma Linda University researchers compared the effects of incorporating fresh hass avocado into a luncheither by replacing other foods or by simply adding it to the meal to the effects of eating a standard lunch to determine how avocado consumption would influence satiety, blood sugar and insulin response and subsequent food intake. The subjects were 26 healthy, overweight adults.

Researchers found that participants who added half of a fresh avocado to their lunch reported a significantly decreased desire to eat by 40% over a 3-hour period, and by 28% over a 5-hour period after the meal, compared to their desire to eat after a standard lunch without avocado. In addition, they reported increased feelings of satisfaction by 26% over the three hours following the meal.

"Satiety is an important factor in weight management, because people who feel satisfied are less likely to snack between meals," said lead researcher Joan Sabate, M.D., Dr.P.H. "We also noted that though adding avocados increased participants' calorie and carbohydrate intake at lunch, there was no increase in blood sugar levels beyond what was observed after eating the standard lunch. This leads us to believe that avocados' potential role in blood sugar management is worth further investigation."

Avocados are low in carbohydrates and sugar, and provide 8% of the daily value (DV) for fiber. Each serving is also a source of naturally good fats. In fact, the monounsaturated fats found in avocados can increase heart health.