Last Updated on July 12, 2018 by Marc Seward

The Powerful Properties of Avocado Oil and Why You Need It

There are many natural ingredients and substances that have become significantly popular and widely known in today’s society. Since ancient times, most of these ingredients have been highly respected for their health benefits, however, we are only just beginning to implement many of them.

Many healthy food items have been regarded as “superfoods”, due to their ability to provide a seemingly endless amount of health benefits. However, some of these superfoods may have more benefits than those already exposed, and they may be utilized in more than just one form.

About the Avocado

Everybody knows and is familiar with the avocado, one of the world’s favorite superfoods. This fruit is generally available everywhere in stores and can be bought as either organic and non-organic.

Additionally, you will often see commercials for different companies that provide food using avocado in some way. In fact, the avocado is so popular that it has even made its way into traditional fast food joints. While you might argue that the sources that the fast food joints use, may not be as healthy or fresh as other sources, it’s still fantastic that it’s even offered in non-native areas.

The avocado tree, scientifically or botanically named Persea Americana, has been traced back to its origins in areas of Central America and Southern Mexico. Its name seems to originate from the Aztec word “ahuacatl”, meaning “testicle that represents its shape”.

The Persea Americana (avocado) tree has been proven by historical records, to have been cultivated in ancient times around 6000 B.C. The tree was brought to California and Santa Barbara in 1871, but it wasn’t until 1918 that the British Imperial Institute of England discovered that the fruit was edible.

Speaking of which, since the avocado is a very powerful fruit that provides so many different nutrients it can be a bit overwhelming when trying to count them. In total, there are almost 20 different vitamins and minerals provided in only a single serving of avocado.

Some of those vitamins and minerals include potassium, lutein, and folate, and are only the start of how powerfully beneficial this superfood can be. Avocados are also rich in many B vitamins, as well as vitamin C and vitamin E.

On top of all that, avocados are low in sugar and high in fiber, which helps you feel full for a longer period of time. The fruit also contains many natural plant chemicals that could potentially help prevent different types of cancer.

Avocados are a rich source of healthy monounsaturated fats, which can help lower levels of bad cholesterol. With that said, an avocado actually has a lot of calories, which people watching their caloric intake may not like.

What is Avocado Oil?

Understanding the sheer power of the avocado itself is only the first step in understanding how incredibly powerful it can be in other forms. Avocado oil is a natural oil that can be extracted from the flesh or “meat” of the fruit, which is then distilled to remove the leftover pulp or fleshy bits.

The extraction process of avocado oil is unlike most other oils, which are typically pressed from the seeds of the fruit. Of course, this might be easier to understand and grasp, when you know the pit or seed of the avocado fruit is actually very bitter but has its own set of benefits.

Avocado oil that comes from the flesh of the avocado is naturally green in color and has a very potently rich and fatty aroma. When the avocado oil is refined, its color tends to be more of a yellow color, however, the scent is still rather strong.

While many natural oils have different methods of processing and preparation, avocado oil actually has differing process methods that depend on the purpose of the oil once it is put on the market.

Avocado oil that is meant for skincare use will be bleached and deodorized, which makes it unsuitable for cooking. However, the pure and unprocessed “cooking” version of avocado oil can still be used for the purpose of skincare treatments.

Nutrient Composition of Avocado Oil

Bananas might be widely praised for their high concentration of potassium, but did you know that the avocado actually provides a much stronger and richer source of that essential nutrient? It also contains more healthy fats and proteins than any fruit available on the market, which is why it has so easily earned its title as one of the most popular superfoods today.

Comedogenic Rating

A comedogenic rating is a score that has been given to a natural substance with the purpose of helping consumers identify which products may be more or less likely to clog pores, worsen conditions such as acne, or otherwise cause irritations on the skin.

The score is given on a scale that ranges from zero to five, and the lowest numbers are given to the substances the least likely to cause any problems. Keeping that in mind, these ratings are only meant to be taken as general suggestions or words of advice, as every person’s skin is individual and may react differently to a substance than what might have been suggested by a rating.

Avocado oil has been given a score of three on the comedogenic scale, which puts it approximately in the middle when it comes to whether or not it may be likely to cause an allergic reaction, clog pores, or worsen the existence of breakouts.

The oil is more suitable for people with dry skin, even if acne is present. If you aren’t sure whether or not avocado oil would be suitable for your skin, try a small patch test first to see if you have a reaction within 48 hours; if you don’t see any redness or other signs of irritation, you should be safe to use it.

Benefits of Avocado Oil

By now most people are fully aware that avocados, as well as being absolutely delicious, are an excellent health food. Adding avocados to your diet can benefit your body in a whole variety of ways ranging from cosmetic skin enhancements to improve your circulation and weight control. We have already published an article regarding the surprising health benefits of the avocado seed and in this article, we will look at the health benefits of another by-product of the fruit – its incredibly healthy oil.

Avocado oil is a rich source of Vitamins A, B, D, and E; it is also a great source of healthy amino acids, lecithin and other important fatty acids such as oleic acid. It also has natural anti-inflammatory properties which can benefit your body in a host of ways.

1. Avocado Oil for Diabetes

Oleic acid otherwise known as omega-9 is found in abundance in avocado oil. It is a monounsaturated type of fatty acid with a variety of excellent health benefits.
It is estimated that over 25 million American citizens suffer from diabetes which is a staggering figure and one that shows no signs of reversal. Many more are likely to have as yet undiagnosed diabetes.

An Irish study published in the year 2000 discovered that diets which were rich in the oleic acid found in avocado and olive oil had a significant positive effect of several symptoms including blood circulation, insulin sensitivity and fasting glucose levels. As well as controlling diabetic symptoms, oleic acid could reduce the risk of diabetics acquiring other diseases. (1)

2. Avocado Oil for Heart health

Avocado oil can help the health of your heart in several important ways. First of all, avocado oil is an excellent source of beta-sitosterol which is a kind of cholesterol that the body uses to convert unhealthy fats into healthier forms.

Avocado oil also has potent anti-inflammatory properties which can prevent arterial wall damage and reduce heart disease risk. And what is more, reduced arterial inflammation can also help maintain healthy blood pressure levels.

3. Avocado Oil for Digestion

Poor digestion can lead to numerous issues; heartburn, bloating, cramps and gas can all be caused by poor digestion. Avocado oil can go a long way towards remedying your digestive complaints. The healthy fatty acids as well as the important minerals and vitamins contained in avocado oil help us to absorb and process our food far more efficiently. You should even feel more energetic as a result.

4. Avocado Oil for For the Skin

While avocado oil has many internal benefits for the body, it is also important to note that it can help improve the outside of your body too. Simply adding avocado oil to your diet will help nourish your skin but you can actually apply this wonderful oil topically too.

Avocado oil is rich in Vitamin E, lecithin and potassium all of which are essential to a healthy, nourished skin. The oil is easily absorbed through the external layers of skin and into your dermis where it gets to work by aiding new cell growth and strengthening of existing cells.

How to Use Avocado to Moisturize Your Face

One of the best ways to use avocado on your face and enjoy all of the health properties that this oil has to offer is to rely on it as a moisturizer. You can use avocado oil in the same what that you would a traditional moisturizer, only this time you won’t be putting a lot of different chemicals on your skin and will only be using a natural and healthy substance. Of course, you do want to make sure that the oil you use doesn’t have any additives so you do not accidentally cause problems or stress out your skin when using the oil.

Before using avocado oil to moisturize your skin you will want to make sure that you have washed your face really well. Directly after the shower or when you have washed your face in the morning or evening is a great time to use this oi.

Because it is so concentrated you only need a very little amount of oil. Dab a small bit of oil on your forehead and each cheek before gently rubbing it in with circular motions, which will not only improve blood flow to your skin but support absorption.

One problem that some people have with using avocado oil on their skin is that it does take a while to be absorbed and can actually last on the fact up to about 15 minutes. If you do not have that much time then you can wipe away any remaining oil with a damp cloth a few minutes after moisturizing and you will still enjoy some of the benefits.

While this oil can be used both in the morning and evening, due to how rich it is and all of the vitamins, antioxidants, and fatty acids in the oil, putting it on your face at night will allow it to really soak into your skin so you enjoy all of the benefits.

5. Avocado Oil for For Hair

Those nutrients that are so good for your skin are also perfect for nourishing and feeding your hair. If your hair is looking tired and lacking its shine, then try applying avocado oil to your hair. You can either add it to the hair neat or mix it with your favorite hair friendly essential oils.

6. Vitamin E benefits of Avocado Oil

When it comes to Vitamin E, few foods contain more than avocado and avocado oil. In fact, it is one of the 5 best natural sources of vitamin E known. Vitamin E is absolutely essential for a number of conditions; it is well known to improve the health of your skin, your eyes and can also help boost your immune system. Moreover, vitamin E helps protect against cellular damage caused by oxidative stress and all of the knock-on adverse effects resulting from cellular damage.

Vitamin E also helps improve our emotional well-being, mental clarity and focus.
While many people opt for vitamin E supplements, most experts will agree that it is far better to get your vitamins and minerals from a natural source by adding it to your diet. As is the case with the majority of nutrients, vitamin E is absorbed better by our bodies when it is consumed in its natural form.

7. Avocado Oil for Detox

Detoxing the body from time to time is essential to keep the body in its best possible working order. The important organs of the body especially the liver can be overworked and prone to the excessive build-up of toxins from our diet and the environment. Failing to detox is a lot like forgetting to take your aging car for a service and that never turns out very well.

Avocado oil is a very rich source of chlorophyll which is, in turn, a great source of many healthy minerals, especially magnesium. It is also among the very best natural substances when you want to cleanse your body of dangerous heavy metals such as lead and mercury. A magnesium ion is at the core of every chlorophyll molecule and when these molecules make contact with heavy metal ions, it actually binds itself to the metal ion which renders any toxic molecules harmless before they are excreted by the body.

As part of a healthy detox plan, avocado oil is a delicious and healthy option.

8. Avocado Oil for Inflammation

Inflammation is considered to be at the root of nearly every major sickness so adding avocado oil to your diet with its very high levels of oleic acid can help stave off illness.
These same anti-inflammatory properties can also help treat a variety of inflammatory skin conditions such as eczema and psoriasis.

Applying avocado oil topically to your skin and scalp can also help you deal with cracked heals, sunburn, insect bites and dandruff.

Avocado oil is can also soothe the itchiness caused by many of these skin conditions. You can apply your avocado oil neat or depending on the condition you are trying to treat add a few drops of your favorite essential oils to the mix.

9. Weight control and Avocado Oil

I am sure that this will interest a great many readers as so many of us seem to struggle with our weight especially as we get older. Of course, simply adding avocado oil to your diet and making no other changes is unlikely to have much of an impact on your weight; but when used as part of a healthy diet and exercise plan, it can genuinely help you to manage your weight.

The oleic acid found in avocados and avocado oil is known to aid weight loss but apart from that, the vitamins and other nutrients the oil possesses help you to feel fuller more quickly and keep you satisfied for longer. This, in turn, means you are likely to eat less throughout the day. Another important factor is that avocado oil contains fatty acids and other nutrients which help provide the body with more energy from the food that you eat. This means that you are likely to have more energy to exercise than you would otherwise have.

10. Avocado Oil Promotes Wound Healing

If you have suffered a minor injury such as a scrape, bite or burn then applying a drop of avocado oil to the affected area might help stimulate the process of healing. As well as helping the body heal faster, it can also reduce the risk of scarring. Of course, if your injury is severe, then no natural oils are likely to help and you should see a doctor immediately.

(1) http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/10700478
(2) https://www.californiaavocado.com/nutrition/nutrients
(3) https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3664913/