People avoid it because it’s a ‘fat’ and if you’re a dieting this January to get rid of those Christmas pounds, you may well have been told at some point to avoid fats.
Trust me that is the worst kind of fat you can avoid. You need the good fat to disperse the bad fat, and avocado oil is going to help you in more ways than you may be aware of.
We all know about the benefits of a Mediterranean diet with lashings of olive oil, but not many people are well-versed about avocado oil. 70% of avocado oil is oleic acid, a monosaturated pale yellow omega 9 fatty acid.
Aside from the fabulous work it does in the body, the acid is less susceptible to spoiling than other fats. Essential fatty acids play an important role in blood clotting and inflammation and the extracted avocado oil is richer in oleic acid compared to extra-virgin olive oil with close to a similar level of polyphenols.
Polyphenols are micro-nutrients in our diet that prevent degenerative diseases like cancer and cardiovascular disease, so they are not to be underestimated.
The green color of avocado is indicative of its polyphenol content that’s similar to the same volume as kale but better tasting. (Of course that’s personal preference).
What’s more, avocado is also cholesterol-free and contains no trans fats. The oil is extremely beneficial, and many studies have proved that simply adding it to a salad of romaine lettuce, spinach and carrots would increase absorption of key carotenoid antioxidants (lycopene and beta-carotene) more than the salad alone would.
That boost can have eye health benefits, improve your brain power, help your allergies, aid better sleep, as well as decreasing inflammation in the body and the appetite.
Avocado oil is also an excellent ally for heart health as well as for skin and hair care and is an ingredient in many beauty products. It also has some properties in helping fight UV-induced damage as well as being useful for improving symptoms of psoriasis.
You can use avocado oil to remove makeup, plus it is fantastic for moisturizing the skin and repairing cracked heels and dry cuticles. It’s readily absorbed without being too greasy feeling and you can diminish fine lines by massaging a few drops of oil into crow’s feet as you would with any expensive skin cream.
It is also a wonderful hair conditioner or leave-in treatment for the scalp or split ends. Simply cover the scalp or split ends with a 1/3 to 1/2 cup of the oil and leave it wrapped in a towel for 20 minutes before shampooing as usual.
Plus, avocado oil’s vitamin E can help strengthen the skin and the immune system when you ingest it. Serving a healthy fat with each meal is important. Go for nuts, olive oil or avocado oil, which may beautify from the inside. Avocado oil has a mild smell, a creamy texture and rich, nutty, buttery flavor. What’s not to love!
