8 Evidence-Based Health Benefits of Avocado Oil

8 Benefits of Avocado Oil


If you've ever had the pleasure of eating an avocado, you know it's different from other fruits.

Unlike most other fruits, it is high in healthy fats and is often used to make avocado oil. Although less well known than olive oil, this oil is just as delicious.

Avocado oil also has many health benefits, largely related to its antioxidant and healthy fat content.

Avocado oil: is it good for you?

Here are 8 evidence-based health benefits of avocado oil.

1. Rich in Oleic Acid, a Very Healthy Fat - Benefits of Avocado Oil

Avocado oil is the natural oil extracted from the flesh of an avocado. Almost 70% of avocado oil is heart-healthy oleic acid, a monounsaturated omega-9 fatty acid.

This fatty acid is also the main component of olive oil and is believed to be partly responsible for its health benefits. Additionally, about 12% of avocado oil is saturated fat and about 13% polyunsaturated fat.

Avocado oil has a high ratio of omega-6 to omega-3 (13:1), and we generally want around 3:1 or 2:1 for better health. But that shouldn't be a problem, as the total amount of omega-6s is relatively low.

Most research suggests that a diet high in unsaturated fats is beneficial to health and may reduce the risk of chronic diseases such as heart disease and dementia.

The most abundant fatty acid in avocado oil is oleic acid, a fatty acid that provides numerous health benefits.

2. Lowers Cholesterol and Improves Heart Health - Benefits of Avocado Oil

Avocado oil is high in unsaturated fatty acids, which are linked to better heart health.

In a small crossover study of 13 subjects, participants were first given either a control meal with butter (25 grams of saturated fat) or a test meal (25 grams of unsaturated fat) with avocado oil.

For a period of 240 minutes after the meal, blood samples showed that the meal group tested had significantly lower levels of triglycerides, total and LDL (bad) cholesterol, inflammatory cytokines and blood sugar compared.

One study in rats compared avocado oil to losartan, a blood pressure medication, for 45 days. Avocado oil was found to reduce diastolic and systolic blood pressure by 21.2% and 15.5%, respectively, and had similar blood pressure lowering effects to losartan.

Another study in rats found that avocado oil was effective in reducing triglyceride and LDL (bad cholesterol) levels and did not affect HDL (good cholesterol). It was comparable to olive oil, another heart-healthy oil.

Although these results are promising, larger human clinical trials are still needed.

Some human and animal studies suggest that avocado oil may benefit heart health by lowering blood pressure and blood cholesterol levels.

3. Rich in Lutein, an Eye-Beneficial Antioxidant - Benefits of Avocado Oil

Avocados and their oil are relatively good sources of lutein, a carotenoid and antioxidant naturally found in the eye.

Research has shown that a diet high in lutein and another carotenoid called zeaxanthin is essential for eye health and may reduce the risk of cataracts and macular degeneration, which are common age-related eye diseases.

Since your body does not produce lutein on its own, you must get it from your diet. Fortunately, adding avocado and avocado oil to your diet is a simple and effective way to support eye health.

Lutein is a carotenoid found in avocado oil. This nutrient improves eye health and may reduce the risk of age-related eye diseases.

See Also: How to Make Avocado Oil at Home

4. Improves Absorption of Important Nutrients - Benefits of Avocado Oil

Certain nutrients must be combined with fats for your body to absorb them, such as fat-soluble vitamins A, D, E and K.

In particular, carotenoids such as beta-carotene, lycopene, lutein and zeaxanthin are poorly absorbed without fat. Unfortunately, many carotenoid-rich fruits and vegetables, such as watermelon and tomatoes, are low in fat.

So adding avocado oil or another type of fat to your diet can help you absorb these nutrients better.

A small study found that adding avocado oil to a salad of carrots, romaine lettuce, and spinach increased carotenoid absorption. The increase was substantial, from 4.3 to 17.4 times, compared to a fat-free salad.

Other studies have shown that olive oil, which has a very similar oleic acid content to avocado oil, is very effective at increasing the bioavailability of carotenoids 

So adding avocado oil to a salad, marinade, or other dish can help your body absorb more nutrients.

There's good reason to include a healthy fat source like avocado oil when eating vegetables, as it can increase the absorption of carotenoid antioxidants by up to 17 times.

5. It May Reduce Arthritis Symptoms - Benefits of Avocado Oil

Arthritis is a very common disease that involves painful inflammation of the joints. It affects millions of people worldwide.

Although there are many types of arthritis, the most common type is osteoarthritis, which is associated with the breakdown of cartilage in the joints.

Numerous studies have shown that avocado and soybean oil extracts, called avocado/soy unsaponifiables (ASU), can reduce pain and stiffness associated with osteoarthritis.

In particular, ASU appears to be beneficial for people with hip and knee osteoarthritis.

You can find ASU supplements at most wellness stores and online. But be sure to speak to a medical professional to make sure it's right for you.

Several studies have reported that avocado/soybean unsaponifiables, a combination of avocado extract and soybean oil, can relieve pain in people with hip and knee osteoarthritis.

6. Improves Skin and Promotes Wound Healing - Benefits of Avocado Oil

Avocado oil is rich in fatty acids and nutrients that can benefit your skin. It is a good source of vitamins A and E, which are linked to healthy skin membranes.

A study in 24 people with plaque psoriasis found that a cream containing avocado oil (20%) and vitamin B12 improved psoriasis symptoms after 12 weeks of treatment.

Other human and animal studies have also shown the benefits of using avocado oil in the treatment of psoriasis and wound healing.

That said, most studies have used avocado oil in conjunction with other ingredients such as B12 and moisturizing agents, so it's hard to say if avocado oil alone would yield similar results.

In addition to topical application, a diet high in unsaturated fatty acids, vitamins A and E, and antioxidants is associated with better health.

It is best to avoid putting avocado oil directly on open wounds. Instead, buy products containing avocado oil from reputable companies.

Avocados are rich in fatty acids and antioxidants that support wound healing and overall skin health. Some studies have shown that applying a cream containing avocado oil (20%) and vitamin B12 produces significant improvements in psoriasis symptoms.

3. Increases Hair Growth - Benefits of Avocado Oil

Avocados are rich in vitamin E, which makes avocado oil useful for nourishing and moisturizing the scalp. Also, it helps to treat dandruff. Avocado oil also helps increase hair growth. This is due to vitamins B, E and antioxidants in avocado which help to Stimulate Hair Growth.

Avocado oil helps reduce hair damage and maintain healthy hair by improving absorption. As a result, it prevents hair damage and minimizes hair breakage. Additionally, avocado oil is considered to be an excellent hair conditioner, protecting it primarily from dry environments and sun damage.

Avocado Oil helps moisturize dry scalp and nourish it. Moreover, it also helps in controlling the overproduction of oil by sending signals to the sebaceous glands to produce the required amount of oil for the scalp.

7. Rich in Antioxidants - Benefits of Avocado Oil

A diet rich in antioxidants helps fight free radicals, which are unstable compounds that can damage cells over time. When an imbalance occurs, it can lead to oxidative stress and contribute to heart disease, type 2 diabetes and cancer.

By donating an electron to free radicals, antioxidants can neutralize them, preventing them from causing damage.

Fortunately, avocado oil contains a number of antioxidants that benefit your health, including carotenoids, tocopherols (forms of vitamin E), and various plant sterols (2, 4).

Avocado oil is rich in disease-fighting free radicals, such as carotenoids, tocopherols, and plant sterols. Consuming avocado oil and other antioxidant-rich foods may help reduce your risk of chronic disease.

8. Very Easy To Use - Benefits of Avocado Oil

Although technically not a health benefit, avocado oil is very versatile and easy to incorporate into your diet.

For example, you can eat it cold, but it's also a safe and healthy cooking oil because its fatty acids are stable at high temperatures (up to around 520°F or 271°C) (37Trusted Source).

Here are some ways to add avocado oil to your diet:

1. Add a scoop to a smoothie.

2. Sprinkle with a salad.

3. Use it as a marinade for grilling meats.

4. Include it when cooking.

5. Use in homemade mayonnaise.

6. Baste vegetables before grilling.

7. Cover the hummus.

8. Drizzle with cold soups like gazpacho.

Tips! Benefits of Avocado Oil

  1. Avocado oil is versatile and easy to use. You can add it cold to salads or smoothies, and it's great for baking, grilling, and baking.
  2. The fatty acid and vitamin content of avocado oil contributes to skin health improvement in a number of ways.
  3. Using it on the skin can promote collagen production, speed up wound recovery, and reduce inflammation.
  4. You can use the oil as a bath oil, face moisturizer, hydra toner, and anti-aging cream for the skin.
  5. Avocado oil is scrumptious, filling, and simple to use.
  6. It is rich in carotenoids, polyunsaturated fatty acids, oleic acid, and other antioxidant-rich elements that are related to enhanced heart, skin, and eye health.
  7. You may easily incorporate it into your diet by using it in salads, as a component of sauces or marinades, or in place of the majority of other vegetable oils.

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