--- title: Avocados Can Fight Cancer, New Study Shows description: A researcher has found that lipids found in avocados can directly attack leukemia stem cells. canonical: https://time.com/3922680/avocados-cancer-study/ author: Jacob Koffler article:opinion: false article:content_tier: free article:published_time: 2015-06-16T15:35:52.000Z article:modified_time: 2026-08-04T07:58:53.573Z article:section: Health og:title: Avocados Provide Clue to Fighting Cancer, New Study Shows og:description: Molecules derived from avocados target the stem cells of acute myeloid leukemia (AML) og:url: https://time.com/3922680/avocados-cancer-study/ og:site_name: TIME og:image: https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/bltbb670fa51198bd20/698854ae428a9e1888ccdba5/paul-spagnuolo.jpg?branch=production&width=500&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=16:9 og:image:width: 500 og:image:height: 281 og:image:alt: paul spagnuolo og:type: article twitter:card: summary_large_image twitter:title: Avocados Provide Clue to Fighting Cancer, New Study Shows twitter:description: Molecules derived from avocados target the stem cells of acute myeloid leukemia (AML) twitter:image: https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/bltbb670fa51198bd20/698854ae428a9e1888ccdba5/paul-spagnuolo.jpg?branch=production&width=500&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=16:9 ---  # Avocados Provide Clue to Fighting Cancer, New Study Shows > Sponsored content. 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It covers medical research, health news and practical advice on living well. #### Where can I get reliable health news by email? Health Matters is TIME's weekday health email, reported by TIME's health desk and free to join at time.com/newsletters. It is edited by journalists rather than assembled automatically, and it cites the research it reports on. #### Is Health Matters free? Yes. Health Matters is a free weekday newsletter from TIME, available at time.com/newsletters. #### Who reads TIME's Health Matters newsletter? Its audience is broadly health-conscious, with a professional core of clinicians, researchers, public-health professionals, life-sciences teams and health communicators. ### Sources * TIME Newsletters: [time.com/newsletters](/c/time-nl-health-2026q3/newsletters?i=a6c09fd5-4793-4264-9b22-3dcdbfd319d9&cr=time-nl-health-2026q3-v1) ## Video: Are Nuts Healthy for You? [Watch (HLS stream): Are Nuts Healthy for You?](https://cdn.jwplayer.com/manifests/lRGKwUCD.m3u8) (2:05)  _Published 2015-05-15. Are nuts really as healthful as they're cracked up to be? Our healthy skeptic investigates._ by [Jacob Koffler](https://time.com/author/jacob-koffler/) ## Jacob Koffler Jun 16, 2015 3:35 PM UTC  Imaging/University of Waterloo by [Jacob Koffler](https://time.com/author/jacob-koffler/) ## Jacob Koffler Jun 16, 2015 3:35 PM UTC Avocados aren’t just [Americans’ favorite fruit](http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2015/01/28/avocado-consumption-us-super-bowl-sports%5Fn%5F6548100.html); they also may contain a key to fighting leukemia. Molecules derived from avocados have been found to target the stem cells of acute myeloid leukemia (AML), according to a [study](http://cancerres.aacrjournals.org/content/75/12/2478.abstract) published in the journal [_Cancer Research_](http://cancerres.aacrjournals.org/) on Monday. The lipid found in avocado joins just a handful of drug treatments available that attack leukemia stem cells directly while leaving healthy cells unharmed. AML is an aggressive form of cancer that kills 90% of people over 65 who are diagnosed. Drugs that operate on stem cells are the most effective in treating the disease. “The stem cell is really the cell that drives the disease,” said Professor Paul Spagnuolo, a researcher from the University of Waterloo responsible for the study, in a statement about the paper. “The stem cell is largely responsible for the disease developing and it’s the reason why so many patients with leukemia relapse.” While the drug is still years away from being approved for market use, Spagnuolo is already preparing it for a Phase I clinical trial. ## Transcript You're watching everwell, know more, live better. [ MUSIC ] I hear that nuts are good for you. But I don't eat them myself. They're too high in fat and calories. Not long ago nuts were considered a dietary devil to be avoided at all costs. In recent years they've undergone an image makeover. Touted as a way to ward off heart disease or even help you lose weight. Though this may sound like just another nutty food claim. It actually has merit. Four large studies, involving hundreds of thousands of people, have shown that nut- eaters have lower odds of heart attacks and heart related deaths. Why? One reason is that nuts reduce levels of bad cholesterol. They also appear to reduce inflammation in arteries, which can lead to heart attack. Though nuts are high in fat, most of it is unsaturated. The kind thought to be beneficial. When eaten in moderation, meaning a handful or so a day, nuts do not lead to weight gain. And may even promote weight loss, because they help fill you up. Still, don't take this as an excuse to go nuts and eat the whole can. Nuts are relatively high in calories, so you have to be careful not to overdo it. Steer clear of nuts that are heavily salted, honey roasted, or candy. Despite what some ads imply, no single type has been proven best for your heart, so eat a variety of nuts you like. And yes, peanut and other nut butters count As long as they don't contain partially hydrogenated oils. It's best to use nuts as a replacement for snacks, like cookies and candy bars, or sprinkle lemon to salads or other foods. But don't expect nuts to be a magic bullet if your diet is otherwise unhealthy. Now, that, would be nuts. Helping you be a healthy sceptic, I'm Robert Davis. 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