If you’re expecting—or planning to be—you’ve probably spent some time Googling what foods are “safe” or “good” to eat during pregnancy. And it makes sense. What you eat during pregnancy doesn’t just fuel your own body—it’s laying the foundation for your baby’s development too.
Now, there’s fresh research out of Finland that adds a new item to your prenatal shopping list: avocados.
Yes, the creamy green fruit often associated with toast, smoothies, and guacamole might do more than just keep you full—it may actually help lower your baby’s risk of developing food allergies in their first year of life.
A team of researchers from the University of Eastern Finland and the Hass Avocado Board conducted a large-scale study using data from the Kuopio Birth Cohort (KuBiCo), which has been tracking nearly 10,000 mother-child pairs since 2012.
Moms who ate avocados during pregnancy were 43.6% less likely to report food allergies in their babies at 12 months than those who didn’t eat avocados at all.
That’s a pretty remarkable statistic. And it held true even when researchers adjusted for dozens of other factors—like age, education, C-section delivery, postpartum depression, smoking, and overall diet quality.
While the study didn’t find significant links between avocado consumption and other allergic conditions like eczema or rhinitis, the reduction in reported food allergies stood out and offers promising insights for families.
Food allergies in children are on the rise. According to the CDC, about 1 in 13 children in the U.S. has a food allergy, and the reactions can range from mild hives to life-threatening anaphylaxis.
These allergies often develop early in life—usually within the first year—and can be lifelong. So if there’s anything expectant parents can do to lower the risk, it’s worth exploring.
What Makes Avocados So Special?
Avocados are loaded with nutrients that may support healthy immune development in babies—even before they’re born. A single avocado contains:
- 13g of monounsaturated fat (the healthy kind, also found in olive oil)
- 9g of dietary fiber
- 2.6mg of vitamin E
- Nearly 1mg of zinc
These nutrients, especially fiber and antioxidants, are known to help modulate immune response. For instance, dietary fiber feeds the “good” gut bacteria, which then produce short-chain fatty acids that play a role in training the immune system. Vitamin E and zinc have also been associated with better immune regulation and reduced inflammation.
In other words, eating avocados may help shape your baby’s immune system while it’s still developing, potentially steering it away from an allergy-prone path.
It’s important to note that the researchers weren’t saying avocados are a magical anti-allergy food. Instead, avocado intake might be a marker of an overall healthy, plant-forward diet.
This finding aligns with other studies showing that diets rich in fruits, vegetables, legumes, and healthy fats—like those seen in Mediterranean-style eating—can help reduce allergic conditions in children.
So rather than zeroing in on a single food, think of avocados as part of a larger pattern of eating that supports both your health and your baby’s.
In addition to food allergies, the researchers also looked at:
- Paroxysmal wheezing (sudden episodes of difficulty breathing)
- Eczema
- Rhinitis (non-cold-related runny nose or sneezing)
They found a potential link between avocado consumption and lower rates of wheezing, but it wasn’t statistically significant after adjusting for all variables. No strong connections were found with eczema or rhinitis.
This might be due to timing. Most food allergies show up in the first year of life, but conditions like eczema and rhinitis often appear later. That means some of these outcomes may not have fully developed by the time the researchers conducted their 12-month follow-up.
If you enjoy avocados and they fit your budget and taste preferences—go for it. Including them as part of a well-balanced diet during pregnancy is a great idea.
But if you’re not a fan, don’t panic. There’s no evidence to suggest that skipping avocados causes food allergies. What this study really highlights is the power of prenatal nutrition as a whole, and how small choices may have long-term impacts on your child’s health.
The study didn’t measure a precise number of avocados eaten per week. Instead, they divided participants into two groups: those who ate avocados at least once in either the first or third trimester, and those who didn’t eat any at all.
Even occasional avocado consumption seemed to make a difference. So you don’t have to eat them every day—just including them sometimes might offer benefits.
Other Healthy Pregnancy Foods to Consider
Beyond avocados, here are some other foods that have been associated with better allergic and immune outcomes in kids:
- Apples: One study found that moms who ate more apples during pregnancy had children with lower asthma risk.
- Legumes: Eating lentils, beans, and chickpeas may help protect against the development of multi-allergic conditions.
- Yogurt and fermented foods: These promote gut health and may influence immune development.
- Leafy greens: High in folate and antioxidants, important for fetal growth and immune function.
While whole foods are ideal, many of these nutrients are also found in prenatal vitamins. But remember: supplements aren’t a substitute for a healthy diet—they’re just there to fill in the gaps.
Talk to your doctor or midwife about what’s best for you, especially if you have dietary restrictions or allergies of your own.
The big picture:
- Avocado during pregnancy may reduce the chance of food allergies in your baby.
- The benefit likely comes from avocados’ nutrients—fiber, healthy fats, and antioxidants.
- This is one piece of a larger puzzle pointing to the importance of a healthy diet during pregnancy.
- Small, consistent choices can have a lasting impact on your child’s health.
You don’t need to overhaul your diet overnight, but adding nutrient-dense foods like avocados to your routine can be a simple, delicious step in the right direction.
This study opens the door for further research on how specific foods influence early immune development. A few questions that still need answering:
- Do these benefits persist beyond 12 months of age?
- Could avocado intake during breastfeeding have a similar effect?
- How do other individual fruits or vegetables compare?
- Could these findings apply to different populations beyond Finland?
As scientists continue exploring, the takeaway for now is clear: what you eat while growing a baby matters—and it might matter in ways we’re only just beginning to understand.
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Sources:
- Kuopio Birth Cohort (KuBiCo) Study
- Cheng, F.W. et al. (2025). Avocado consumption during pregnancy linked to lower child food allergy risk: prospective KuBiCo study. Pediatric Research. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41390-025-03968-4
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