Avocado lovers at two southern California colleges are in for a treat — if they're willing to take on the "responsibility."
Researchers at Loma Linda University and the University of California, Los Angeles are looking for candidates to eat avocados in large and in small quantities — in the name of science, of course.
Participants of HAT, the Habitual dietandAvocado Trial, will be paid $300 for their participation in the six-month trial. But the catch is candidates will be randomly assigned whether they stuff their diet with avocados or just eat two per month.
The test group will be given 16 avocados every two weeks and be required to eat one a day throughout the study. The control group will be assigned to eat no more than two avocados per month during that same time period.
Researchers hope to learn more about how avocados affect health, energy, and metabolism, and test whether it truly is a magical fruit as past studies have suggested.
HAT participants must be:
- Be 25 years of age or older
- Be willing to eat one avocado per day for six months or two per month for six months
- Male participants should measure at least 40 inches around the waist
- Female participants should measure at least 35 inches around the waist
Participants must also be willing to undergo MRIs, blood test, and body measurements, as well as attend dietary meetings.
UCLA and LLU are each looking for 250 participants, along with Penn State and Tufts University in Massachusetts, for a total of 1,000 participants.
While the study is sponsored by the Hass Avocado Board, researchers say their results will not be swayed.
Interested in feeding your love for avocados? Apply online here.
