Is Avocado Oil a Superfood?

By Beth Rush

If you’re into healthy alternatives, you may wonder, “Is avocado oil a superfood?” Avocados are an everyday breakfast, lunch, or dinner accompaniment for many health-conscious people. Their oil is also highly nutritious and possesses numerous benefits, and there’s a growing demand for it. Read on to learn how avocado oil can improve health and various ways to use it. 

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What is considered a superfood?

The title of a superfood is highly appealing. It makes you think of a product that can miraculously treat a disease or help you lose weight. But what encompasses superfood status?

There’s no science-validated definition or government body that regulates superfoods. Businesses can promote anything they market as a superfood if scientifically studied with solid evidence of benefits. The term is informally used for products offering high levels of desirable nutrients that can help prevent diseases.

Is avocado oil a superfood?

Avocados are considered a superfood because of their plentiful benefits. They provide valuable macro- and micronutrients, such as unsaturated fatty acids, plant-based protein, high potassium and magnesium levels, and various vitamins.

The extracted oil is as healthful as the fruit and deserves the superfood status. Its lipid content is the highest among all known vegetables and fruits. It has exceptional nutritional value and is reported to help manage high cholesterol, hypertension, fatty liver disease, and diabetes.

Moreover, it can reduce cardio-metabolic risk and has anti-cancer and antimicrobial properties. Unsurprisingly, the demand for has grown significantly over the last few years.

Its extended expiration date also contributes to the superfood title, promoting it as a practical cooking fat option. The shelf life of any product depends on several factors, such as the chemical process during production, storage conditions, and packaging. The longer the shelf life, the more cost-effective it is.

Avocado oil extracted using a drying stove or soxhlet has a shelf life of 5.94 years, whereas freeze-dried or expeller can last for 4.41 years. It takes a long time for the quality to deteriorate, so you can stock extra bottles without spoiling them.

An avocado is cut in half with herbs sprinkled on it and other condiments and ingredients nearby

Nutritional profile

What’s in avocado oil that makes it a superfood? Its impressive nutritional profile should prompt you to grab a bottle the next time you drop by the grocery store. Here’s what you can expect from this green to light yellow-colored oil.

High in good fats

Avocado oils contain seven types of fatty acids: 

  • 60% oleic acid 
  • 15% palmitic acid 
  • 10% linoleic acid
  • 7% palmitoleic acid
  • 6% vaccenic acid
  •  0.3% stearic acid
  • small amount of linolenic acid

Oleic acid is an omega-9 fatty acid abundant in olive and other edible oils. It may help lower cholesterol and inflammation and improve heart health. 

Rich in vitamins and minerals

The prominent vitamin in avocado oil is tocopherols, or vitamin E, which has high antioxidant properties. It has several uses in the body and is a key ingredient of many beauty and skin care products because of its moisturizing effects.

On top of that, avocado oil also has chlorophyll and carotenoids. Chlorophyll is the green pigment naturally occurring in plants and is known to have health advantages. It has antioxidant, anti-cancer, and antimutagenic properties. Its anti-obesogenic benefits help lessen the risk of obesity. Carotenoids are also a plant pigment with many health merits. 

Avocado oil is a superfood with excellent health benefits that can be used in many cooking and skincare recipes.

Contains antioxidants

Is avocado oil a superfood? The answer is yes — thanks to its powerful antioxidant benefits. Antioxidants are healthful compounds that scavenge free radicals that cause diseases. Avocado seed oil and fruit oil both contain these substances. Experts cite they may be a valuable oil-based treatment for diseases caused by free radicals. 

Health benefits of avocado oil

The benefits of avocado oil are diverse due to its outstanding nutritional makeup. Many people include it in their daily diet as a healthier alternative to other edible fats. 

1. May improve heart health

Eating avocado can help boost heart health. A wide-ranging study found higher avocado intake can mitigate the risk of cardiovascular disease by 16% and coronary heart disease by 21%. 

A different study on obese mice also found that avocado oil supplementation decreased insulin sensitivity, hepatic fat accumulation or fat in the liver, and serum triglyceride levels, all associated with cardiovascular ailments. 

Avocado oil is a superfood as it shows promising outcomes in scaling back the incidence of heart disease — a leading cause of mortality. It’s worth considering adjunct nutritional therapy if you or a family member has a high likelihood of such diseases.

Avocado oil can be considered a superfood and may help support heart health.

2. Possesses anti-inflammatory properties

This rich oil has potent anti-inflammatory effects that can help prevent or mitigate chronic inflammation. Researchers wanted to know if the oil extracted from the pulp had anti-cancer, antioxidant, or anti-arthritic effects. They studied rats and found the oil had phenolic compounds and flavonoids packed with antioxidant properties. 

In addition, the extract showed considerable anti-arthritic activity that could reduce pain in the rats’ joint tissue by easing inflammatory markers. The antioxidant and anti-inflammatory attributes of avocado extract can be used as a supplementary treatment to prevent cancer and rheumatoid arthritis. 

3. Has skin and hair benefits

Its abundant vitamin E can do wonders for skin and hair, making it a key ingredient in lotions, hair care products, organic soaps, anti-wrinkle creams, and ointments. It’s more proof of why it’s a superfood.

Moreover, it can help treat hyperpigmentation and works best if paired with vitamin C. It features potent antioxidants to reduce wrinkles and exceptional nourishing properties to moisturize chapped and dry lips and treat dry hair. 

4. May help maintain weight

Avocado oil may also help you maintain a healthy weight. It contains palmitoleic acid (16:1n-7), an omega-7 monounsaturated fatty acid. It’s considered a lipokine or lipid-controlling hormone that can regulate several metabolic processes, such as elevating insulin sensitivity in the muscle, protecting the cells from stress, promoting beta cell growth, and reducing fat-storing cell activity. 

It exerts anti-inflammatory effects in the fat tissue of mice to minimize obesity. Look into including avocado oil in your diet if you want to lose excess weight. 

Avocado oil may help support weight loss.

Different ways to use avocado oil 

You can add this superfood to your plate and lifestyle in many ways. Here’s how you can take advantage of the good stuff in it. 

1. Cook with it

Like standard edible oils, you’ll find several varieties in the market. Choose unrefined, cold-pressed, and extra virgin avocado oil for cooking. Compared to other cooking fats, avocado oil has a higher smoke point at around 480° Fahrenheit, making it an excellent option for roasting, pan-frying, baking, and barbecuing. Use it as an olive oil replacement in salad dressing. 

2. DIY skin care and hair recipes

Avocado oil is loaded with vitamins A and E that protect your hair from environmental pollutants and styling damage. It’s an excellent substitute for coconut or castor oil to achieve a beautiful mane.

Use it for do-it-yourself skin care recipes, like a homemade moisturizer cleanser, face mask, and scrub. Its healthful vitamins and minerals make it a multipurpose ingredient in skin products.

A person wearing a face mask and wearing a white robe, holding half an avocado in each hand, a fantastic addition to a natural skin care routine

3. Massage oil

Since it’s highly nourishing, use it as a carrier oil. Mix it with other aromatic essential oils to use for massage. Adding it to the bath is also an option.

Avocado oil is a superfood

Avocado oil is one of the superfoods you should consume due to its numerous health benefits. It’s chock full of monounsaturated fatty acids, vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants. Plus, it may help mitigate heart conditions. Try it if you want to switch up from olive or coconut. It’s healthy and a better alternative for high-temperature cooking, like frying or roasting. Give it a try to reap the benefits.

If you enjoyed this article, find out whether blueberries, soy, olives, or fermented foods are superfoods! Plus, read about other plant-based superfoods, such as sacha inchi, pili nuts, sea moss, and cacao powder.

Disclaimer: This article contains affiliate links. This means that if you make a purchase after clicking on one of these recommended service provider links, like an insurance broker, or a travel agent, I may earn a commission – at no extra cost to you. [For my full disclosure, please see my DISCLAIMER page].

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