The #1 Food for Weight Loss You Shouldn’t Leave the Store Without, According to a Bariatric Doctor

Reviewed by Dietitian Alyssa Pike, RDN

Key Points

• The best foods for weight loss keep you feeling satisfied, not deprived.

• Avocado has filling fat and fiber to boost overall satisfaction after eating.

• A versatile food for meals and snacks, avocado is easy to incorporate into your diet.

Choosing the right foods for weight loss is usually a matter of finding ones that keep you full. When you’re looking to lose weight, preventing excess hunger helps you take in fewer calories throughout the day. Though there’s no single perfect food for guaranteed fullness, bariatric surgeon Kyle Thompson, M.D., and bariatric dietitian Jamie Mills, RD, say one in particular has a lot to offer in the satiation department, and it might surprise you: avocado!

“Avocado tends to get overlooked in weight-loss conversations because it’s primarily a fat source, and for years people were taught that fat should be avoided when trying to lose weight,” says Mills. “But in reality, healthy fats are incredibly important for blood sugar stability and helping people feel satisfied after meals.” If you’re working on weight management, here’s why it’s worth loading up on this rough-on-the-outside, smooth-on-the-inside food when you hit the grocery store.

Avocado Contains Healthy Fats

Ever eat avocado toast for breakfast and notice you didn’t feel hunger pangs until lunch? If so, you can thank avocados’ fat content. One-third of an avocado supplies about 10 grams of fat. Nearly 7 grams of this is the monounsaturated variety, including oleic acid. Oleic acid has a special role to play in satiety. “These fats slow stomach emptying, which keeps you feeling full longer and can reduce the number of calories you consume later in the day,” says Thompson.

The fat in avocados can also reduce cravings for carbs by slowing down carbohydrate absorption, he adds. Meanwhile, fat helps you absorb important fat-soluble nutrients like vitamins A, D, E and K. “These nutrients support many functions in the body, including metabolism, immune health and overall energy levels,” says Mills. “When our body is properly nourished, it’s much easier to maintain sustainable habits that support weight loss long-term.”

Avocado Provides Fiber

Another super-satiating nutrient in avocado is fiber. One-third of the fruit contains 4.5 grams. (For reference, it’s recommended that women get about 25-28 grams of fiber per day and men get 28-34 grams per day.) Some studies show that people who consume more fiber tend to eat fewer calories. “By slowing digestion and improving satiety, avocado can help reduce how often someone feels like they need to keep eating or grazing throughout the day,” says Mills. Thompson adds that fiber can also expand in the stomach: “This bulk effect helps prolong fullness after meals.”

While fiber alone offers benefits for weight, the combination of fat and fiber in avocado adds extra oomph to the equation. According to Mills, when these two nutrients team up, they work together to further slow down digestion and stabilize blood sugar. “This is especially helpful when avocado is paired with other foods as part of a balanced meal,” she says. “When blood sugar is more stable, people tend to experience fewer cravings and less of that constant ‘food noise’ that makes weight loss feel so difficult.”

Avocado Supplies Helpful Micronutrients

Let’s zoom in for a moment to avocados’ micronutrients. Though these nutrients don’t contribute directly to weight loss, Thompson says several of them affect metabolism, energy balance and appetite.

For starters, avocados contain even more potassium than bananas. One avocado contains 975 milligrams, whereas one banana contains 375 mg. Eating one-third of an avocado delivers 325 mg of potassium, contributing meaningfully toward the daily targets of 2,600 mg for women and 3,400 mg for men. “Potassium supports our muscle function and can lead to improved insulin sensitivity,” Thompson says. Both these outcomes can support weight loss. Increased muscle mass and better insulin sensitivity are linked with long-term weight loss.

Another important nutrient for weight management is magnesium, with each avocado supplying 58 mg (the daily recommendation ranges from 310-420 mg) or about 19 mg if you eat one-third of an avocado. “Magnesium helps us use energy more efficiently and may lead to improved sleep quality, which can affect our weight regulation,” says Thompson. Finally, avocados are rich in B vitamins like B6, which help convert food into energy.

Avocado Is Versatile in Meals and Snacks

Any little step that makes weight loss easier is a step worth taking—and avocado is certainly an easy addition to meals and snacks. From tacos to sandwiches to scrambled eggs, all sorts of delicious dishes can accommodate this fruit-slash-veggie. Its creaminess adds pleasing texture, while its mild taste won’t overpower other flavor notes.

Since avocado is a calorie-dense food, Thompson recommends using it as a substitution for (rather than simply an addition to) other food items with less healthy fats or refined carbs. Try subbing mashed avocado for butter in baking or subbing avocado slices for cheese on a sandwich.

How to Eat for Healthy Weight Loss

• Eat consistently throughout the day. “When people go long stretches without eating, it often leads to extreme hunger later in the day, which can make it much harder to make intentional food choices,” says Mills.

Our Expert Take

A healthy diet for weight loss involves a whole rainbow of nutritious foods. But if there’s one option to make a regular in your grocery basket, avocados might be it. Mash, slice or dollop their mild creaminess into meals balanced with lean proteins, whole grains, dairy and other fruits and veggies. “When meals are balanced and satisfying, weight loss tends to feel much more sustainable and much less like constant restriction,” says Mills.

Read the original article on EatingWell