Known as avocado, palta, cura or avocado. This fruit, rich in fat, from the Latin American region has many varieties that differ in size, flavor and texture.
However, there is something that we cannot deny: it is one of the most popular and delicious fruits in recent times.
We could say that avocado oil is stuck in the same place that coconut oil was just a few years ago where everyone wondered:
Is it healthy? Will it be stable at high temperatures? or even, does it taste good?
In this article you will see why avocado oil is one of the best oils that you can use both to accompany your meals, and even for aesthetic use.
First of all, we will take a look at the properties of avocado oil and why they give us a good reason to eat it frequently.
Avocado oil properties
If you’ve been avoiding avocados because you think they’re fattening, think again!
Yes, they contain fat like all oils, but the fat in avocado oil is essential for brain function, hormones, heart health, cell membranes, and sexual function.
That’s why people who follow a low-fat diet tend to look tired and suffer from fatigue. In addition, your skin loses its natural moisture, your hair becomes dry and constipation becomes a daily problem.
Fat nourishes us, hydrates us, and provides essential nutrients for bone health, hormonal balance, brain function, and heart health.
Here you can see some properties of avocado oil for each 15 ml portion (1 tablespoon):
- Calories: 120
- Fat: 14 grams
- Saturated fat: 2 grams
- Monounsaturated fat: 10 grams
- Polyunsaturated fat: 2 grams
- Vitamin E: 23% of the daily value
As you can see, compared to other oils, it has similar values. However, in this article we will see how it differs from other healthy oils such as coconut and extra virgin olive oil.
Health benefits of avocado oil
The keto diet, the paleo diet, the Whole30 diet, the Atkins diet, and many others have one thing in common: they all suggest the consumption of avocado oil for cooking.
Although, it is not necessary to follow a specific diet with its own name to achieve optimal health or lose weight.
Many real food-based diets are emerging that emphasize nutrition through whole foods, high in fat, low carb, ultra-processed, and packed with nutrient-dense foods.
Foods like salmon, walnuts, almonds, cashews, flaxseeds, eggs, and of course avocado have become increasingly popular.
Avocado is not only a superfood, rich in healthy fats, antioxidants and micronutrients, but like coconut, many parts of the fruit can be used to maximize its benefits, such as oil.
Here are some of the benefits that avocado oil has to offer our health.
prevent wrinkles
Healthy fat, like that in avocado oil, deeply nourishes the skin. Additionally, avocado oil contains sterolin, a protein that helps smooth skin and reduce the appearance of age spots.
Throughout history, avocado oil has been used to moisturize the skin and has now gained popularity again for its beneficial properties to reduce the signs of aging.
The antioxidants found in the oil can also help reduce sun damage and dry skin.
And the best thing is that you can get all these benefits, without chemical substances and toxins that can harm our body.
reduce stretch marks
Not news, the fatty acids in avocado oil are beneficial for the skin, and like all moisturizers, this can help prevent and reduce the appearance of stretch marks.
A study published in PubMed has shown that avocado oil also has the ability to treat skin lesions.
In this study, a group of rats were observed who were given avocado oil to their wounds, and it has been found that it accelerated wound healing.
Studies in rats have found that avocado oil promotes faster wound healing.
repair cracked heels
Avocado oil is rich in vitamin E and Omega-3, these help treat dry skin, sunburn, eczema, and even insect bites.
These substances are able to penetrate deep into the skin, unlike most oils. It is because of this deep absorption that avocado oil is ideal for very dry areas of the skin such as elbows and heels.
In addition, the high levels of protein, amino acids, and vitamins A and D present in avocado oil help reduce the appearance of wrinkles and signs of aging.
Vitamins help to produce collagen, which improves the appearance of the skin, since as we age we produce less collagen, which is why our skin loses elasticity and becomes thinner and more wrinkled.
For dry elbows
A study published in the Asian Journal of Beauty and Cosmetology showed that avocado oil can deeply moisturize heels and elbows.
34 people participated in the study, including 16 study groups and 18 control groups. Subjects in the study group applied avocado oil to their heels and elbows twice a day in the morning and evening for 7 days.
While those in the control group applied other moisturizers with the same methods.
At the end of the experiment, it was estimated that the group used avocado oil had a significant moisturizing effect on the elbows, but not as significant on the heels.
It was concluded that because the heels are thicker and drier than the elbows, a much longer application of avocado oil is required.
Moisturizes the belly during pregnancy
Avocado Oil helps keep skin supple and naturally promotes elasticity.
This oil contains a large amount of skin-nourishing vitamins such as vitamins A, D, and E, which are essential for skin repair.
In addition to all these benefits, avocado oil also contains omega-3 fatty acids, which are used to combat aging skin and renew damaged skin, hair, and nail cells.
Because of its powerful moisturizing effects, avocado oil is perfect for the belly of pregnant women. Avocado oil is ideal to prevent the appearance of stretch marks, which are so common during pregnancy.
In addition, it is perfect since it does not contain toxins or chemicals that can harm your skin or the health of your baby.
If you are pregnant and want to avoid stretch marks, rub a few drops of avocado oil on your belly once or twice a day, massaging gently in a circular motion.
To nourish eyebrows and eyelashes
Avocado oil contains a fatty substance called lecithin, which acts as a lubricant.
When applied directly to the hair, lecithin protects the follicles from temperature changes and prevents damage caused by lack of moisture.
Lecithin, found in avocado oil, can help strengthen hair, eyebrows, and eyelashes, and also improve scalp health.
Apply it to your eyebrows and eyelashes before going to bed with an old mascara applicator brush (previously washed and disinfected).
Avoid split ends
Avocado oil is ideal for treating dry hair, especially split and damaged ends.
This oil contains vitamins A, B, and E and is also a good source of magnesium and copper. Both avocado and oil are rich in fatty acids and proteins, which are essential for healthy hair. Also, avocado oil increases hair shine.
To reap the benefits of avocado oil and repair the ends of your hair, simply rub a few drops of avocado oil into the ends of your hair once a day or two, depending on how dry they are.
Fight dandruff and hair loss
According to the NHS (United Kingdom National Health Service), avocado oil can help fight dandruff because it can help keep the scalp hydrated.
Moisturizing the scalp is essential to combat dandruff. Therefore, if you have dandruff, you can massage your scalp with some avocado oil before taking a bath.
Reduce the cholesterol
Although it sounds counterintuitive, good fats are one of the cleanest fuel sources for our hearts.
The profile of fatty acids present in avocados is very similar to that of olive oil. An average size avocado contains: 76% monounsaturated, 12% polyunsaturated, and 12% saturated.
Avocado oil helps increase HDL cholesterol or better known as “good cholesterol”. This is because it helps maintain the structure of cell membranes.
Monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats also help control blood pressure.
These factors help improve heart health and reduce the risk of heart disease.
Combat diabetes or heart problems
Those same fats present in avocado oil can also help people with diabetes.
The American Diabetes Association found that a diet high in monounsaturated fats can help regulate blood sugar levels.
Avocados are a great source of potassium, which is essential as it regulates your heartbeat, keeps your muscles and nerves working, and helps lower your blood pressure.
All this contributes great efforts to have a healthier heart, and in turn, lower blood pressure.
It is an anti-inflammatory and calming
Avocados are a great source of healthy fats and antioxidants, which have the power to lower the body’s inflammatory response.
In fact, the anti-inflammatory properties of avocados are so powerful that they can even offset the contraindications of eating a diet low in healthy foods.
A study published in February 2013 in the journal Food & Function looked at participants’ blood markers of inflammation after consuming an avocado burger, compared to another group that just ate a burger without avocado.
The researchers concluded that including avocado reduced the inflammatory response compared to the group that ate the burger without avocado.
University Professional in the area of Human Resources, Postgraduate in Occupational Health and Hygiene of the Work Environment, 14 years of experience in the area of health. Interested in topics of Psychology, Occupational Health, and General Medicine.