Facts about Avocado Oil

You might often see it in food blog posts, on fancy breakfast menus, and even as emojis; the tropical fruit avocado is all the rave in recent years. Known for their buttery taste and pleasing consistency, avocados can be used in all three meals, be it breakfast sandwiches, lunch tacos, or game night guacamole.

Apart from their taste, avocados also have great health benefits! Recent health trends show a hike towards knowing more about avocado oil and its uses in nutrition, cosmetics, and the food industry in general. 

So what are the health benefits of avocado oil? Let’s find out.

History and Nutritional Value

Native to Central America, the Avocado (Persea americana) is a fruit that usually grows in warm temperatures and subtropical climates. The pulp contains 60% oil, 7% skin, and almost 2% seed. Oil extracted from this fruit comes in three variants – extra virgin, virgin, and pure. 

In general, avocado oil tends to have a good nutritional value at low and high temperatures. Its lipid/fat content is mainly made up of monounsaturated fatty acids such as oleic acid, polyunsaturated fats, and carotenoids.

While research on the health benefits of avocado oil is still new, certain properties to it are commonly accepted among the medical and research communities.

Benefits of Avocado Oil for Cooking

Avocado oil is rich in oleic acid which belongs to the ‘good fats’ family. Studies suggest that a diet rich in unsaturated fatty acids such as oleic acid may reduce the risk of chronic health conditions such as dementia and heart diseases. Therefore avocado oil may help regulate blood cholesterol levels. 

Other nutrients present in avocado oil are polyunsaturated fats and carotenoids which are rich antioxidants. Antioxidants in general are linked to improving heart, skin, and eye health. Take lutein, for example, it is a carotenoid and antioxidant that is naturally found in our eyes. Consuming a diet containing them reduces age-related eye ailments like cataracts. 

Nutrients found in avocado oil also tend to have anti-inflammatory properties. This means avocado oil is a very good diet for people suffering from arthritis.

Just like olive oil, avocado oil can be drizzled over salads, grilled meat, cold soups, and baked vegetables. It can also be added when making smoothies, dips and when baking.

Avocado Oil Benefits for Skin

The anti-oxidant and anti-inflammatory properties of avocado oil help in keeping your skin smooth, supple, and strong. It is rich in moisture and soothes inflammation. Very similar to olive oil, avocado oil acts as a great way to moisturize and rejuvenate dry skin.

It can be combined with your moisturizer, day cream, and nighttime serum. Since avocado oil is a dry oil, it doesn’t change the texture of the product combined with it.

Using it raw on your skin is also good since avocado oil is considered a dry oil and is fragranceless. This will also reduce skin reactions to chemicals in creams. It can also be used as a lightweight moisturizer for your skin, hair, and nails.

To Know Before Use

There is scarce reporting of avocado oil side effects but if you are allergic to them, kindly consult your doctor before usage in diet and skincare. A patch test on the skin is always recommended.