Although eliminating oils has been a controversial topic, I have never been comfortable getting behind it. Dietary fats are essential. Fats give your body energy and support cell function. Fats help absorb certain nutrients, support hormonal production, and keep organs warm (1). Some people think cutting out fats and oils will solve all their problems. Instead of cutting out all fats, it’s best to figure out which fats are good and which aren’t.
For instance, seed oils. If you’ve read our blog, What You Should Know About Seed Oils, you know seed oils contain high amounts of omega-6 polyunsaturated fatty acid (PUFA) called linoleic acid. The body is not made to have more than 1-2% (daily calorie intake) of linoleic acid. Studies have shown that more than 2% of linoleic acid may lead to obesity, heart disease, and diabetes (2).
You don’t need to cut out seed oils entirely; just use them in moderation. The real question is, what can you use in their place? I like using coconut oil, olive oil, and avocado oil. When it comes to avocado oil usage, I choose cold-pressed. I can never find it organic, but I hear it’s been seen at Costco. Since I don’t have a local Costco, I ensure the avocado oil I purchase is at least non-GMO.
Types of Avocado Oil
Like olive oil, avocado oil has several different varieties, each with a different quality.
- Cold-pressed avocado oil means it was pressed without heat, therefore, richer in flavor. It is of higher quality and superior to other avocado oils and will have a higher price tag (3).
- Extra-virgin avocado oil is cold-pressed, bears the most health benefits, and is considered the highest quality. It retains most of its natural flavor and aroma (3).
- Virgin avocado oil is often called pure avocado oil and is the second-highest quality. It’s extracted by pressing the flesh of the avocado fruit, resulting in its bright green color. It has a rich, nutty, mushroom-like flavor that’s great for high-heat cooking (4).
- Refined avocado oil is considered low-quality and is made by filtering the virgin oil to remove small pulp particles and other impurities. This process also removes the green color, along with much of the flavor and aroma of the oil. Refined avocado oil is light yellow with hints of green (4).
Of course, the highest-quality avocado oil is extra virgin. A good way to choose the best avocado oil is to remember the greener the color, the fresher the taste.
Health Benefits of Avocado Oil
Now that you know what to look for when selecting avocado oil, let’s discuss the health benefits of high-quality avocado oil consumption.
Rich in Nutrients
Our body needs nutrients to flourish. Without vital vitamins and fats, our bodies won’t function properly. Avocado oil contains 70.6 percent monounsaturated fat and 13.5 percent polyunsaturated fat (5). Although avocado oil doesn’t contain any vitamins or minerals, it does enhance nutrient absorption, such as fat-soluble vitamins like A, D, E, and K (6). Several studies have also demonstrated avocado oil’s ability to increase the bioavailability and absorption of carotenoids (7,8,9).
Antioxidant Properties
Antioxidants can help fight damage from harmful free radicals. The buildup of free radicals has been linked to chronic diseases, such as cancer and heart disease (10). Avocado oil contains several antioxidants like carotenoids, tocopherols (forms of vitamin E), and various plant sterols (11). Studies have found avocado fruit oil has the highest overall antioxidant capacity, followed by avocado seed oil (12). Another study found avocado seed extract is an effective natural antioxidant, protecting against oxidation, even when added to seed oils like sunflower oil (13).
Anti-Inflammatory Properties
Although inflammation is a natural bodily response, chronic inflammation can lead to detrimental health effects. Chronic inflammation has been linked with many diseases, such as type 2 diabetes, asthma, and certain cancers (14). One study found avocado oil supplementation reduces inflammatory events (15). Another study confirmed that avocado fruit and seed have significant anti-inflammatory properties that increase with higher dosages (16).
Pain-Relieving Properties
As of 2016, an estimated 20.4% of U.S. adults (50.0 million) had chronic pain, and 8.0% of U.S. adults (19.6 million) had high-impact chronic pain (17). An example of chronic pain is arthritis, which impacts 58.5 million (24%) of American adults (18). Additionally, in 2019, 528 million people worldwide lived with osteoarthritis, a 118 percent increase since 1990 (19). Thankfully, several studies indicate avocado oil’s unsaponifiable (ASU) may reduce pain and stiffness associated with osteoarthritis, especially of the hip and knee (20,21,22,23)
Wound-Healing Properties
Wound-healing properties are the complex and dynamic process of restoring damaged tissue structure as closely as possible to its normal state (24). Thankfully, avocado oil’s constituents have been linked to promoting skin membrane health and wound-healing properties (25). In animal and human studies, topical application of avocado oil alone and with vitamin B12 improved psoriasis and wound healing (26,27).
One study found that 12 weeks of topically applying an avocado oil-containing cream along with vitamin B12 supplementation resulted in improved psoriasis symptoms (28). Aside from topical applications, studies have found diets rich in unsaturated fatty acids, and antioxidants are associated with healthier skin, especially as we age (29).
May Promote Heart Health
Unfortunately, heart disease is the world’s number one cause of death (30). Due to the incredibly complex determinants of heart disease and various possible contributions, it’s hard to pinpoint an exact way to prevent it. Still, you can at least take steps to lower your overall risk. That’s where avocado oil may come in.
Avocado oil’s unsaturated fatty acid content has been linked to better heart health (31). In animal studies, avocado oil effectively reduced triglyceride and LDL (bad) cholesterol levels in rats without impacting HDL (good) cholesterol (32). Another animal study demonstrated avocado oil’s ability to reduce diastolic and systolic blood pressure, with similar results to the blood pressure medication losartan (33). In human studies, participants experienced decreased triglyceride, total, and LDL (bad) cholesterol levels when given avocado oil compared to subjects who were given butter in their control meal (34).
May Promote Eye Health
More than 4.2 million Americans aged 40 years and older have vision impairments, often stemming from age-related eye diseases such as macular degeneration, cataract, diabetic retinopathy, and glaucoma (35). Lutein is a naturally occurring antioxidant and carotenoid that protects and improves eye function (36). Although the human body doesn’t produce lutein, it’s naturally occurring in avocado oil (36,37). Studies found avocado oil’s lutein content benefits eye health (38,39). Studies demonstrate lutein’s ability to reduce the risk of cataracts and macular degeneration (40,41).
Anticancer Properties
Statistics say that 158.3 of every 100,000 individuals will die from cancer, but what if they didn’t have to (42)? Thankfully, avocado oil’s phytochemicals have demonstrated chemopreventative properties by inhibiting growth and inducing cell cycle arrest and apoptosis in precancerous and cancer cell lines (43). Studies have demonstrated monounsaturated fat consumption reduces the risk of several cancer types, including oral, pharyngeal, pancreatic, bladder, esophageal, and colon cancers (44,45).
As I said earlier, dietary fats are essential. Many think of dietary fats and think they’ll become fat; this simply isn’t true. One study found that MUFAs modify some polymorphisms, resulting in lower obesity-related traits, including insulin resistance, weight, BMI, and waist and hip circumferences (46). Another study concluded monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats, especially from healthful plant and seafood sources, have important health benefits in a healthy dietary pattern (47). So don’t eliminate all dietary fats; choose high-quality dietary fats with health benefits, like extra virgin avocado oil, virgin avocado oil, or cold-pressed avocado oil.
For more information, check out our blog Corruption: It’s Not Fat, It’s Sugar.
Product Recommendations with Avocado Oil
Follow the recommendations of any supplement; some of my recommendations include:
- Earthley’s Hair Butter helps define curls. This hair butter will leave your curls moisturized and voluminous. Prepare to take on the most humid and rainy days with a hair butter that will leave your hair frizz-free.
- Earthley’s Shampoo Bar (Curly/Dry Hair) cleans curly/dry hair without stripping it of its natural oils. Curly hair requires oil and moisture to keep luscious locks from frizzing when in their natural state. Love your curls with this luxurious shampoo bar made for ringlets.
- Earthley’s Shampoo Bar (Oily) makes truly clean, oily-free hair possible. Cleanse your hair with the vitamins, minerals, and protein it needs. Moisturize and reduce inflammation of your scalp while getting the clean you need.
- Earthley’s Vitamin D Cream is naturally rich in vitamins A, D, and some K2 from nature-based butters and oils. Studies show that vitamin D is absorbed nearly eight times better topically than orally! Supplement easily and safely with whole foods.
Disclaimer: This post is not intended as medical advice. These statements have not been evaluated by the FDA, and nothing in this post is intended to diagnose, treat, or cure anything. If you have questions, please do your own research or seek advice from a health professional.
