Hass Avocado Board to share their nutrition research program at FNCE

Nutrition professionals prepare to gather at the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics’ annual Food & Nutrition Conference & Expo TM (FNCE) slated for October 18-21 in Atlanta, the Hass Avocado Board (HAB) is readying to share the latest from its nutrition research and marketing program with the thousands of attendees. Recognizing health professionals represent a critically important audience for avocado nutrition communications and education because of the role they play in consumers’ overall health and related dietary guidance, conference goers who visit with HAB will be taken on an educational journey, dubbed “The Green Brick Road – Journey to a Higher Avocado IQ.” The experience will explore HAB’s expanded body of knowledge about avocado nutrition.

“HAB has made significant investments in nutrition research, and FNCE provides a perfect opportunity to update food and nutrition professionals on the progress of our research program,” said Emiliano Escobedo, Executive Director of Hass Avocado Board. “Educating these key influencers heightens awareness of avocados as a delicious, cholesterol-free source of naturally good fats, ultimately helping more consumers to ‘love one today.”

Continuing to encourage Americans to include fresh Hass avocados in everyday healthy eating plans is the crux of HAB’s year-old Love One Today® food and wellness education program. That’s why this year the HAB booth will put particular focus on the fact that avocados pair well with other foods to maximize taste and may also help promote optimal nutrition, as suggested by HAB’s most recent research on avocado consumption and nutrient intake. Such research will include:

A study on 12 healthy men and women conducted by The Ohio State University and published in the Journal of Nutrition showed that eating fresh avocado with either tomato sauce or raw carrots significantly enhanced absorption of alpha- and beta-carotene (inactive forms of Vitamin A) and conversion of these carotenoids to an active form of vitamin A.

The results of a study conducted at Loma Linda University on 26 healthy, overweight adults and published in Nutrition Journal, showed that when approximately one-half of a fresh avocado was added to a lunch consisting of a salad with Italian dressing, a baguette, and cookies, participants felt more satisfied, and had less desire to eat following the meal.

An analysis of data from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES 2001-2008 including 17,567 U.S. adults ages 19 years and older) published in Nutrition Journal showed that, compared to people who didn’t eat avocado, avocado consumers had better diet quality and nutrient intake levels; lower intakes of added sugars; lower body weight, BMI and waist circumferences; higher “good cholesterol” levels; and lower metabolic syndrome risk.

A pilot study on 11 men conducted at the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) and published in the journal Food and Function, showed that when fresh Hass Avocado was added to a burger, some of the after-meal effects observed after eating the plain burger, specifically inflammation and narrowing blood vessels, were reduced within hours.

The HAB booth will offer fun, hands-on activities that reinforce the nutrition findings, including an interactive photo experience where guests can proclaim their favourite avocado pairings, daily fresh avocado recipe sampling and a market basket style guacamole making competition. In addition, HAB will stay in touch with attendees via @HassAvocados using the hashtag #LoveOneToday.

For more information visit www.LoveOneToday.com.