The Benefits of Avocado Oil

Last week I shared a great recipe for an Avocado Facial.  I wanted to take some time today to expand on avocado oil benefits and avocados in general. Avocado oil health benefits are many in addition to the avocado oil benefits for skin.

Avocado Oil Health Benefits

People are increasingly becoming aware of the dangers of highly processed foods and moving towards whole food diet.  In that same vein, more and more people are also finding that the oils of various fruits have benefits as well.  For instance coconut oil is very popular right now and has a number of health benefits. Avocado oil may be less trendy but it also has a many health benefits. It useful both as a food and for conditioning the skin.  Avocado oil shares many of the healthy properties of olive oil.

1. Avocado oil is very high in mono unsaturated fats and low in saturated fat. Of course, it is also cholesterol free.  This means that avocado oil can help lower low density lipid (LDL or “bad”) cholesterol levels and is also suitable for diabetics as part of a healthy diet.
2. Cold pressed avocado oil makes high quality oil with low levels of oxidization products and acidity while retaining high levels of vitamin E. Vitamin E is shown to help reduce the risk of coronary disease and also contributes to skin health.
3. Avocado oil may be useful for nutrient absorption. Many essential vitamins and minerals are best absorbed into the body in combination with fats. The unsaturated fats found in avocados in addition to the high levels of carotenoids help boost the body’s absorption of alpha and beta carotinoids along with lutien.
4. Avocado oil may help lower Blood Pressure. A 2005 study showed that diets high in avocado oil alter the levels of essential fatty oils in the kidneys, changing how they respond to hormones that regulate blood pressure.
5. Avocado oil has been shown to help reduce symptoms of arthritis. Certain combinations of avocado and soybean oil extracts actually receiving prescription drug status in France.
6. Avocado oil may be useful for Periodontal Disease. In addition to arthritis, a combination of avocado and soybean oil helps control inflammation. This may be helpful in inhibiting bone erosion in the teeth.

Avocado Benefits For The Skin

Extra virgin avocado oil has also shown to help treat dry, flaky skin and sunburn. In addition, used topically over time it has been shown to reduce the appearance of age spots, scarring and minor sun damage.  Avocado oil is very penetrative. It is believed to penetrate the epidermis and move into the dermal layer of this skin, which most moisturizers and other natural oils don’t do.

Dr. Elizabeth Houshmand says that “many people opt to apply products formulated with avocado oil around the eye area in particular. The rich hydration in this area can help smooth the look of lines and wrinkles.”

Avocado oil and vitamin B12 cream was shown to cause a consistent improvement in psoriasis over a 12-week study period in 2001.

Conclusion

Avocados are gaining a reputation as a super food due to these and many other health benefits.  They taste great and help make you feel great, inside and out.

Avocado oil benefits have long made it a favorite in lotions and serums for the skin. Read more about the benefits of avocado for your skin while trying out last week’s Avocado Honey Facial.

Or if you just love eating avocados, try this avocado banana bread recipe. Don’t forget to save the pit so you can grow avocado from seed!