Better For Your Heart
Attention avocado lovers! Get ready to add a new food trend to your healthy cooking repertoire: avocado oil! This versatile oil is extracted from the nutrient-rich flesh of avocados and is quickly becoming a must-have ingredient in every health-conscious kitchen.
But it’s not just a trendy new ingredient – avocado oil offers a host of potential health benefits. Here’s what you need to know:
Heart Health: Avocado oil is a rich source of monounsaturated fatty acids (MUFAs), which are known to improve heart health by lowering bad cholesterol (LDL) levels and increasing good cholesterol (HDL) levels. By doing so, MUFAs can reduce the risk of heart disease and lower blood pressure.
Anti-inflammatory Properties: Thanks to its high levels of antioxidants and anti-inflammatory compounds like vitamin E, lutein, and oleic acid, avocado oil may help to reduce inflammation in the body. Chronic inflammation is linked to a variety of health problems, including heart disease, cancer, and arthritis.
Give it a go in a few salads dressing first and see how you go. Also as a little reminder never store oil in direct sunlight. It is much better in a dark cupboard or pantry.
Skin Health: Avocado oil is also packed with skin-loving nutrients like vitamin E and antioxidants that can protect the skin from damage caused by free radicals. In fact, some studies have even suggested that avocado oil can improve skin elasticity and reduce the appearance of wrinkles.
Nutrient Absorption: The healthy fats in avocado oil can improve the absorption of fat-soluble nutrients like carotenoids, which are important for eye health.
Weight Management: Some research has suggested that avocado oil may help with weight management by increasing feelings of fullness and reducing appetite. This is because the healthy fats in avocado oil can slow down digestion and increase satiety.
So whether you’re looking to improve heart health, fight inflammation, nourish your skin, or manage your weight, avocado oil may just be your new go-to ingredient. Just remember to use it in moderation, as it is high in calories.
Ready to give it a try? Look for avocado oil in your local health food store or online, and start experimenting with new and delicious ways to incorporate this trendy and healthy oil into your cooking routine. Your body (and taste buds) will thank you!
References
- Heart Health:
- López Ledesma, R., Frati Munari, A. C., Hernández Domínguez, B. C., Cervantes Montalvo, S., Hernández Luna, M. H., & Juárez Córdova, J. (2006). Monounsaturated fatty acid (avocado) rich diet for mild hypercholesterolemia. Archives of Medical Research, 37(4), 559-562. doi:10.1016/j.arcmed.2005.09.009
- Wang, L., Bordi, P. L., Fleming, J. A., Hill, A. M., & Kris-Etherton, P. M. (2015). Effect of a moderate fat diet with and without avocados on lipoprotein particle number, size and subclasses in overweight and obese adults: A randomized, controlled trial. Journal of the American Heart Association, 4(1), e001355. doi:10.1161/JAHA.114.001355
- Anti-inflammatory Properties:
- Corzo-Martínez, M., Corzo, N., Villamiel, M., & Moreno, F. J. (2018). Biological properties of onions and garlic. Trends in Food Science & Technology, 74, 166-180. doi:10.1016/j.tifs.2018.01.008
- DiNicolantonio, J. J., & O’Keefe, J. H. (2018). Importance of maintaining a low omega–6/omega–3 ratio for reducing inflammation. Open Heart, 5(2), e000946. doi:10.1136/openhrt-2018-000946
- Skin Health:
- Keen, M. A., & Hassan, I. (2016). Vitamin E in dermatology. Indian Dermatology Online Journal, 7(4), 311-315. doi:10.4103/2229-5178.185494
- Lin, T. K., Zhong, L., & Santiago, J. L. (2017). Anti-inflammatory and skin barrier repair effects of topical application of some plant oils. International Journal of Molecular Sciences, 19(1), 70. doi:10.3390/ijms19010070
- Nutrient Absorption:
- Cooperstone, J. L., Goetz, H., Kaminsky, D., Bissonnette, M. D., & Erdman Jr, J. W. (2017). Avocado consumption enhances human postprandial provitamin A absorption and conversion from a novel high–beta-carotene tomato sauce and from carrots. The Journal of Nutrition, 147(2), 245-251. doi:10.3945/jn.116.238539
- Weight Management:
- Wien, M. A., Haddad, E., Oda, K., & Sabaté, J. (2013). A randomized 3×3 crossover study to evaluate the effect of Hass avocado intake on post-ingestive satiety, glucose and insulin levels, and subsequent energy intake in overweight adults. Nutrition Journal, 12(1), 155. doi:10.1186/1475-2891-12-155
