Sub-chronic consumption of a phenolic-rich avocado paste extract induces GLP-1-, leptin-, and adiponectin-mediated satiety in Wistar rats

Avocado paste (AP) is a phenolic-rich byproduct of avocado oil extraction. The effects of sub-chronic consumption of diets supplemented with an AP phenolic extract (PE) were analyzed. A standard diet (SD), high-fat diet (HFD), and these supplemented with PE (SD + PE and HFD + PE) were used. Significantly increased satiety was observed in PE-supplemented groups, according to less food consumption (−15% in SD + PE vs. SD, and −11% in HFD + PE vs. HFD), without changes in weight gain or percentage of adipose tissue. PE-supplemented groups had an increased plasma concentration (+ 16% in SD + PE vs. SD, and +26% in HFD + PE vs. HFD) and relative mRNA expression (+74% in SD + PE vs. SD, and +46% in HFD + PE vs. HFD) of GLP-1; an increase in plasma leptin and adiponectin was independent of their mRNA expression. Our results suggest that AP-derived PE exerts a satiety effect in vivo, possibly mediated by GLP-1, leptin, and adiponectin. Practical applications: Minimizing food waste is a top priority in most of the world, thus, researchers seek methods to reintroduce industrial fruit and vegetable byproducts into the food processing chain. The present work highlights the potential of avocado byproducts as sources of bioactive phenolic compounds, whose sub-chronic consumption (8 weeks) exerts a satiety action in vivo. Avocado farming is resource-intensive, making it of relevance to producers and processing industries to avoid discarding its byproducts as much as possible.