07/28/2019 / By Melissa Smith
Avocados are some of the most popular superfoods consumed today. The fruit pulp is eaten while the seed is normally thrown away. But researchers at Penn State University found a use for avocado seeds. In their study, which was published in Advances in Food Technology and Nutritional Sciences, they found that compounds in an avocado seeds could fight inflammation.
Over the past decade, the researchers have developed a compound from avocado seed extract as a food colorant that produces a vibrant orange color. And recently, they got interested in knowing whether this compound could inhibit inflammation.
The researchers used cell culture models and enzymes that are crucial in immune response and inflammatory diseases. They examined the reaction of the macrophages – a class of immune cells – to the avocado seed compound. The researchers found that the compound inhibited the production of pro-inflammatory proteins by these immune cells.
“The level of activity that we see from the extract is very good,” said Joshua Lambert, associate professor of food science and one of the study authors. “We saw inhibitory activity at concentrations in the low microgram-per-milliliter range, which is an acceptable amount of activity to justify further studies.”
The researchers suggested that avocado seed extract could be developed as a functional food ingredient or treatment for inflammatory conditions, such as arthritis, cancer, cardiovascular diseases, and colitis. They also believe that their study laid the groundwork for future studies as it provided evidence that avocado seeds contain bioactive compounds that have anti-inflammatory properties. Future studies can look at the anti-inflammatory activity of avocado seed extract using animal models. In addition, the researchers hope that finding a use for avocado seeds could help reduce food waste, given the huge number of avocados that are consumed. (Related: Avocado seed: a superfood for your health.)
“This is encouraging because there is a market for other high-value sources of bioactive compounds we have tested in my lab, such as cocoa and green tea — whereas avocado seeds are essentially considered to be garbage,” Lambert explained.
Several studies showed that avocado seed extract has potential health benefits:
While studies on uses and medicinal properties of avocado seeds are ongoing, the fruit itself is a widely known superfood with plenty of nutritional benefits to offer. Learn more at SuperfoodsNews.com.
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Tagged Under: alternative medicine, anti-inflammatory, avocado, avocado pit, avocado seed extract, avocado seeds, food cures, food is medicine, food science, fruits, functional food, healing food, inflammation, natural cures, natural medicine, prevention, research
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