Avocados have long been deemed as superfoods thanks to their high nutrient and antioxidant content, so it’s no wonder that avocado oil has also started making waves.
Avocado oil is one of the most versatile oils used in cosmetics and cooking. Contrary to most oils, avocado oil doesn’t come from a seed but from the fleshy part surrounding the avocado pit.
One of the most significant health benefits of avocado oil is its wildly high smoke point, both for unrefined and refined versions – around 520 °F (271 °C). For example, Olive oil’s smoke point is just 380 °F, and sunflower oil’s about 450 °F.
Most oils are nothing compared to avocado oil, which is also one of the reasons it’s so widely used for almost any cooking activity you can imagine, from roasting and sauteing to deep-frying.
But the question remains: is avocado oil good for you? Luckily, you can reap the same health benefits from avocado oil as you could from an actual avocado. Here are some of the impressive benefits of cooking with avocado oil.
Lower Blood Pressure
Olive oil has been the number one suggestion for anyone who’s struggling with high blood pressure, but avocado oil might push olive oil to the second place. That’s because of oleic acid, a fatty acid that has been connected to inducing lower blood pressure.
Almost a third-quarters of avocado oil consists of that incredible fatty acid, which has been named as the main reason behind olive oil’s health benefits. Avocado oil is filled to the brim with healthy fats that will strengthen your heart in amazing ways.
Lower Cholesterol and Better Heart Health
And while we’re on the subject of your heart, avocado oil benefits go beyond lowering your blood pressure. Several studies have shown that avocado oil has great effects on increasing HDL-cholesterol and lowering the LDL-cholesterol level (a.k.a lowering the bad cholesterol).
That effect comes once again from oleic acid, the miracle worker that lurks in avocados.
As avocado oil may reduce the LDL cholesterol and affect triglyceride levels, it will lower the risk of developing coronary heart disease as it deals with several severe risk factors effectively.
You’ll Absorb Nutrients More Easily
One study found something especially curious: if you use avocado oil in a salad together with carrots and spinach, for example, you might tenfold the absorption of carotenoids.
Carotenoids are fat-soluble, and therefore, they need fats to absorb. As avocado oil is packed with healthy fats, it’s a winning combination.
By including just a little bit of avocado oil in your salad, you’ll increase nutrient absorption tremendously, and with that, you’ll decrease the risk of developing various diseases, especially when it comes to your eyes.
Might Reduce Pain and Some Arthritis Symptoms
While it’s easy to imagine the health benefits of avocado oil for your heart, it’s surprising to see how it can also help your joints.
Several studies have proven that to be the case, though. An avocado oil extract (combined with soybean oil extract, called ASU, a.k.a avocado and soybean unsaponifiables) has been successfully tried and used for knee and hip osteoarthritis – even so successfully that in France, this extract is an actual prescription drug as Dr. Axe stressed.
While it might not be a permanent fix, ASU has shown signs of reducing the pain and stiffness related to arthritis. So why not include avocado oil in your daily diet – it might also benefit your joints.
Stronger Gums
It seems that avocado and soybean oil combined can do even more wonders. Some studies have shown that this interesting oil extract might help to prevent gum disease – an ugly inflammatory disease that might cause your gums to bleed, not to mention bad breath and even possible tooth loss.
This beneficial effect comes from ASU’s ability to block one certain protein (IL1B), which is the main culprit behind that ugly inflammation.
Less Free Radicals
This useful effect is not unique to avocado oil alone. Antioxidants are the little helpers that help to neutralize free radicals, which might cause serious damage to your body. Avocado oil, in turn, is packed with antioxidants.
As proven by studies, avocado oil can enter the mitochondria, and therefore, it can protect you from the free radicals effectively.
Your Wounds Might Heal Faster
As avocado oil has started booming in the cosmetics industry, it’s no wonder for most of us that some of the benefits of avocado oil span over to topical use as well.
One study found that since avocado oil is packed with various essential fatty acids, it might help to speed up the wound-healing process. That’s because fatty acids increase collagen synthesis and, at the same time, reduce the number of inflammatory cells.
If you see a lotion that’s meant for wounds and includes avocado oil, you can be sure it’s the real deal.
Great for Many Skin Problems
If you think avocado oil is great to consume with your diet, you’d want to apply it on your skin as well after reading this (for example, by using a hand cream with avocado oil).
Avocado oil health benefits reach your skin in various ways, all thanks to its rich nutrient content. To name a few benefits:
- It can help to ease sunburn as the vitamins and fatty acids soothe the skin.
- It might help to treat harsh skin conditions such as psoriasis, again all thanks to the antioxidants and vitamins in the avocado oil. Studies are so hopeful that it’s actually considered to be a possible long-term topical treatment option for some people who suffer from psoriasis.
- It might help with acne. As avocado oil has anti-inflammatory functions, it might help with acne as well, especially since it helps to soothe and hydrate the skin efficiently.
- It might reduce the signs of aging due to its ability to increase collagen creation.
- It might even help with dandruff.
Avocado oil benefits go from the inside out. Is avocado oil healthy? There’s no question about it.
The best part: cooking with avocado oil is easy, and today, it’s easily accessible to most of us. To reap some of these health benefits of avocado oil, try changing out your regular cooking oil or adding some avocado oil to your daily lunch.
How to Pick The Best Avocado Oil?
Due to increasing popularity, there are hundreds of avocado oil brands out there. Unfortunately, not all of them are created equal. If you don’t pick the avocado oil brand carefully, instead of reaping its health benefits, you may cause the opposite.
Luckily, there are plenty of high-quality avocado oil brands out there, too, including BetterBody Foods Pure Avocado Oil and Chosen Foods 100% Pure Avocado Oil:
BetterBody Foods Refined Non-GMO Cooking Oil
– Non-GMO and gluten-free, this oil contains no additives
– BetterBody Foods avocado oil can be used for frying, sauteing, baking, and more
Chosen Foods 100% Pure Avocado Oil Spray
– Chosen Foods avocado oil spray is 100% pure, naturally refined, never diluted
– Air pressure only – contains absolutely no propellants, chemicals, or emulsifiers
To enjoy all the health benefits of avocado oil, make sure the oil is:
- non-GMO
- meant for high-heat cooking
- unrefined
- without any additives (including soy or canola oil)
A naturally refined 100% avocado oil is the best way to go. Always read the label and make sure the avocado oil you’ve chosen wouldn’t be mixed with other oils or contain any additives, such as preservatives or other ingredients.
