In a perfect world, we would all be eating grass-fed (and grass-finished) beef a few times each week. Since there’s only a slight chance your local grocery store or restaurants are stocking or serving grass-fed beef, you might find yourself consuming some conventional meat from time to time.

Fortunately, there’s research that shows that pairing an industrial-grade hamburger with avocado makes the meal less inflammatory. One 2013 UCLA study (which, full disclosure, was funded by the avocado industry) found that eating half a medium Hass avocado with a hamburger made of 90% lean industrial-grade CAFO beef inhibited the creation of the inflammatory compound Interleukin-6 (IL-6).[1] Eating the burger alone caused a 70% increase in IL-6 four hours after the meal, but only a 40% increase when avocado was included. 

The study also found a 27% drop in peripheral arterial blood flow (the movement of blood to different parts of the body) when the burger was eaten alone but when it was paired with fresh avocado, there was only a 4% decrease, suggesting that the avocado may have mitigated a larger reduction in blood flow [2]. It’s also interesting to note that even though avocados are made mostly of fat, they did not cause an increase in triglyceride levels. 

Avocados are such a powerful food to include in your diet, especially if you’re following the Bulletproof Diet and aiming to consume 50-70% of your calories from quality fats. 

Avocados are full of heart-healthy monounsaturated fat and are loaded with micronutrients, including B vitamins, 11 different carotenoids and vitamin E. They also contain more potassium than bananas. Since one small avocado has about 9 grams of fiber, less than one gram of sugar, and 20 grams of brain-boosting healthy fats, you can enjoy them and still hit your macronutrient targets. 

They’re also an acceptable food to choose non-organic, because their thick skin helps to block pesticides from entering the fruit. I still prefer organic avocados when I can purchase them because I value the soil integrity of our planet. 

Here are a few other benefits you may get from regularly including avocado in your diet: 

• Oral cancer prevention [3] 
• Live support [4]
• Lowered cholesterol [5]
• Heart health [6]
• Appetite regulation [7]

DAVE’S UPGRADED GUACAMOLE

This recipe takes about five minutes to prepare, tastes great, and is packed with quality fats. 

INGREDIENTS

4 large ripe Hass avocados 

2-4 Tbsp. MCT oil 

2 tsp. or more of Himalayan salt (to taste) 

1 Tbsp. dried oregano 

1-3 tsp. apple cider vinegar (to taste) 

Optional add-ins: chopped cilantro, jalapeños 

INSTRUCTIONS

Blend everything with a hand blender until it is very creamy.

Stir in chopped cilantro and jalapeños (if you tolerate nightshades) or other herbs of your choice. 

Enjoy on top of grass-fed meat, sushi, salads or pretty much anything. 

Makes: 4-6 servings