Avocado in the Lab: How This Fruit Helps Fight Cancer
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In recent decades, laboratory research has provided scientific support for some remedies that grandmothers have recommended and used for generations. Chicken soup to help relieve cold and flu symptoms and tea with lemon to soothe a sore throat are just a few examples.
Now, the spotlight is on the popular avocado. ClinicalTrials.gov, a website that compiles information on clinical trials worldwide, lists nearly 100 completed or ongoing studies on the health benefits of this fruit.
Some of the most recent and relevant findings are related to cancer:
- Several Mexican academic studies place avocado high among foods that help protect against obesity, while providing vitamins, nutrients, and antioxidants essential for healthy body function. Obesity is a risk factor for cancer.
- European research found that avocado oil extracts had anticancer properties.
- A study published in Food Research International found that avocado seed oil may affect tumor cells, killing them through toxicity.
- Canadian researchers found that avocados could protect bone marrow from serious diseases, including leukemia. The study is currently at the testing stage using a mouse model of acute myeloid leukemia, one of the most devastating forms of leukemia.
Avocados contain bioactive nutrients that appear promising for cancer prevention based on laboratory research, although scientists say more clinical evidence from large‑scale human trials is needed. In the meantime, there is broad agreement that, for many already proven reasons, avocados can be a beneficial part of a daily diet.
One of the largest studies examining the relationship between avocado consumption and cancer drew on data from 45,289 men and 67,039 women. The results showed that male participants who ate avocado at least once a week had a lower risk of developing several types of cancer, including colorectal, lung, and bladder cancer.
Avocado has a long culinary tradition in the region. Its scientific name is Persea americana, and for 10,000 years it has been used in everything from jams and sauces to salads and sushi.
With its distinctive flavor and creamy texture, this fruit — known as palta in some parts of Latin America — is featured in recipes for every meal, from breakfast to dinner. Whether enjoyed in sweet or savory dishes, its nutritional benefits and versatility have made it a staple on Hispanic tables and an essential ingredient in some of the region’s most popular dishes.
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