Avocado Oil Benefits: 10 Reasons to Add It to Your Diet
Start drizzling delicious, super avocado oil for weight loss, healthy hair and skin, and much more! See the list.
Quick Reference: Avocado Oil Benefits
- In the kitchen: high in monounsaturated oleic acid, high smoke point, slow to go rancid, good for high-heat cooking and for drizzling.
- For your heart: high in monounsaturated fat, low in saturated fat, and cholesterol free, which may help lower LDL or “bad” cholesterol.
- For skin and hair: penetrates deeply, carries vitamin E and omega 3s, and works as a hot oil hair treatment with castor oil.
- What to buy: look for a bottle labeled unrefined and organic to get the full benefit.
At Farmers’ Almanac, we know healthy fats matter to your diet, and we like to pass along the finds that earn a spot on the grocery list. Avocado oil is one of them. Avocados are often called a superfood, and the oil pressed from them is the reason. It is one of the healthiest oils you can keep on the shelf, yet if you are like most people, you probably are not using it yet. Here are the avocado oil benefits worth knowing, from the stovetop to the medicine cabinet.
Why Is Avocado Oil So Healthy?
Avocado oil is not only healthy, it is a flavorful addition to your food. You can use it in place of other cooking oils, butter, and margarine. The oleic acid in avocado oil makes it highly resistant to oxidation, which means it will not go rancid as quickly as many other oils in your cupboard.
It also has a high smoke point, the temperature at which an oil begins to break down under heat. That makes it a strong choice for high-heat cooking such as stir-frying and sauteing. It can stand up to high temperatures without breaking down and losing its health benefits the way many other oils do. The same monounsaturated fat is the kind of heart-healthy fat the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health recommends using in place of saturated fat.
While it is a good choice for high-heat cooking, it is also delicious for drizzling and salad dressings. And the benefits are not limited to the kitchen. Keep reading to find out why avocado oil belongs on your next grocery list.
10 Avocado Oil Benefits for Your Health
- Lowers Cholesterol: Avocado oil is high in monounsaturated fats and low in saturated fats, and it is also cholesterol free. Adding this oil to your diet can help lower low density lipid (LDL), or “bad” cholesterol. That makes it a particularly good diet choice for people managing diabetes.
- Lowers Blood Pressure: Avocado oil is high in vitamin E, which helps keep blood vessels healthy by clearing out free radicals. Diets that include avocado oil also shift the levels of essential fatty oils in the kidneys, which affects how they respond to the hormones that regulate your blood pressure. Avocado oil is an anti-inflammatory as well, so it can help prevent damage to arterial walls and reduce the risk of heart disease caused by plaque build-up. Because your body absorbs vitamin E far more efficiently from natural food sources than from supplements, adding avocado oil to your diet is a smart move.
- Detoxes Your Body: Avocado oil contains chlorophyll, a natural source of magnesium, which helps remove heavy metals such as mercury and lead from the liver, kidneys, brain, and other organs.
- Helps Fight and Prevent Cancer: Avocado oil is rich in monounsaturated oleic acid, the same omega 9 EFA found in olive oil. One of oleic acid’s many benefits is lowering the risk of cancers. Omega 3 fatty acids, also found in avocado oil, are well known anti-carcinogens that help slow the growth of cancer cells, specifically those causing breast and colon cancer. Avocados also contain the anti-carcinogenic antioxidant glutathione.
- Treats Skin Damage and Irritations: Avocado oil is very penetrative and is believed to absorb through the epidermis and into the dermal layer of skin, which most moisturizers and oils cannot do. It has long been used to treat dry, flaky skin and sunburn. Used over time, avocado oil can reduce the appearance of minor sun damage, age spots, and scarring. The omega 3s and vitamin E in avocado oil also make it a good choice for skin irritations such as eczema, psoriasis, cracked heels, dandruff, and insect bites and stings. A thin layer goes a long way. Massage it directly into your skin, or add a few drops alone or with essential oils to your bath water, especially in winter to help retain moisture. To ward off dry skin, try mixing avocado oil and olive oil and massaging the blend into your skin after bathing.
- Fights Wrinkles: The high protein levels in avocado oil, combined with its range of amino acids, make it excellent for tissue regeneration and cell renewal. Avocado oil enhances the body’s rate of producing collagen. Vitamins A and D, found in avocado oil, can promote collagen production and binding. Whether you eat it or apply it to your skin, avocado oil can help slow the skin’s aging process.
- Helps Treat Periodontal Disease: Studies have shown that avocado oil inhibits an element known as a pro-inflammatory cytokine molecule, thus reducing inflammation. Try oil pulling with a combination of avocado oil and soybean oil to help control inflammation, which may be helpful in slowing the bone erosion that affects your teeth. Oil pulling is one of many old-fashioned home remedies worth a try.
- Fuller, Faster-Growing Hair: The same nutrients that feed your skin also feed your hair. After cleansing your hair, apply avocado oil alone, or mixed with essential oils, to your hair and scalp. This improves the structure of your existing hair while also encouraging new growth. Avocado oil is also a good source of lecithin, a fatty substance that acts as a lubricant and emulsifier. Applied topically, lecithin gives hair follicles and skin a protective covering that helps prevent moisture loss from wind and harsh climates. For an easy hot oil hair treatment, combine 2 tablespoons each of avocado oil and castor oil in a bowl and warm it slightly. Make sure it is cool enough to touch for safety, massage the warm oil into wet hair, leave it in overnight, and wash it out in the morning.
- Stimulates Weight Loss: Avocado oil is high in oleic acid, an omega 9 fatty acid found naturally in animal and plant oils. Scientists believe oleic acid improves blood flow to muscles during exercise, and that the compound helps stimulate enzymes that move fat to where it can be stored for energy. Avocado oil is also thick and packed with nutrients, so it helps you feel fuller longer. The vitamins, minerals, and monounsaturated fatty acids in avocado oil also improve digestion, helping you process food more efficiently.
- Boosts Nutrient Absorption: The high levels of monounsaturated fats in avocado oil help your body absorb many key fat-soluble vitamins and nutrients.
To get all the health benefits of avocado oil, look for a bottle labeled unrefined and organic.
Avocado Oil vs. Olive Oil in the Kitchen
The two oils have a lot in common, which is why folks who already keep olive oil around take so well to avocado oil. Both are rich in monounsaturated oleic acid, the same omega 9 fat that does much of the heart-healthy work, and olive oil pulls its own weight beyond the pan in our olive oil salve for dry winter skin. The difference shows up over heat. Avocado oil has a higher smoke point, so it holds together better for stir-frying, searing, and roasting, while olive oil shines for drizzling, dressings, and lower-heat cooking. Keeping both on the shelf gives you the right oil for whatever the recipe calls for.
| Quality | Avocado Oil | Olive Oil |
|---|---|---|
| Main fat | Monounsaturated oleic acid (omega 9) | Monounsaturated oleic acid (omega 9) |
| Best use | High-heat cooking, stir-frying, sauteing | Drizzling, dressings, lower-heat cooking |
| Smoke point | High | Lower |
| Resists going rancid | Yes, thanks to oleic acid | Yes |
How to Use Avocado Oil at Home
A bottle of avocado oil earns its keep well beyond the frying pan. In the kitchen, reach for it when a recipe needs high heat, or drizzle it cold over a salad. For skin, massage a thin layer in after a bath, or add a few drops to the tub in winter to hold in moisture. For hair, warm 2 tablespoons of avocado oil with 2 tablespoons of castor oil and work it through wet hair overnight. While you are putting the pantry to work, our roundup of natural household remedies keeps more honest, low-cost helpers within reach.
Avocado Oil Benefits: Frequently Asked Questions
What are the main avocado oil benefits?
Avocado oil is high in monounsaturated fat and low in saturated fat, and it is cholesterol free, so it may help lower LDL or “bad” cholesterol and support healthy blood pressure. It is also used to treat skin damage and irritations, fight wrinkles, support fuller hair, aid weight loss, boost nutrient absorption, help detox the body, and help fight cancer. That is 10 benefits in all, from the kitchen to the medicine cabinet.
Is avocado oil good for high-heat cooking?
Yes. Avocado oil has a high smoke point, the temperature at which an oil begins to break down under heat, which makes it a strong choice for stir-frying and sauteing. The oleic acid also makes it resistant to oxidation, so it does not go rancid as quickly as many other oils. It works well for drizzling and salad dressings too.
How is avocado oil different from olive oil?
Both are rich in monounsaturated oleic acid, the same omega 9 fat. The main difference is heat. Avocado oil has a higher smoke point, so it holds up better for high-heat cooking, while olive oil is better suited to drizzling, dressings, and lower-heat cooking. Many cooks keep both on hand.
How do you use avocado oil for skin and hair?
For skin, massage a thin layer of avocado oil in after bathing, or add a few drops to the bath in winter to hold in moisture. For a hot oil hair treatment, combine 2 tablespoons each of avocado oil and castor oil, warm the blend slightly, make sure it is cool enough to touch, massage it into wet hair, leave it in overnight, and wash it out in the morning.
What kind of avocado oil should I buy?
To get all the health benefits of avocado oil, look for a bottle labeled unrefined and organic. Tell us in the comments how you like to use avocado oil at home.
Natalie LaVolpe
Natalie LaVolpe is a freelance writer and former special education teacher. She is dedicated to healthy living through body and mind. She currently resides on Long Island, New York, with her husband, children, and dog.
- Natalie LaVolpe
- Natalie LaVolpe
- Natalie LaVolpe
- Natalie LaVolpe
Thank you for writing such an informative article! I have been researching a few plant-based oils for my hair and skin, as I do not want to buy any of those anti-aging creams that just smell like perfume. I have tried a few retinol and “lifting” creams and the smell made me not want to use them. I would like to stick to a natural skin and hair care regimen.
Fresh avocado is loaded with potassium. ( 975 mg/200g serving size). How does the extraction of the oil reduce the potassium level to 0/100g? Is this result actually lab tested?
that is what I want to know. every thing does not make sense
So if I use avocado ? oil on my hair it could stop the breakage
There is 0 potassium in avocado oil! Your article is very misleading because there are some people who cannot have potassium if are on certain blood pressure meds. Every other article I looked up said there is zero potassium in avocado oil. The first thing you write says in the introduction on the web page intro when I look it up is avocado oil has a lot of potassium!
Hi Mariann, our apologies for the mistake. We have corrected the article.
you did not change it because I just read it 1/18/2022
Thank you.
I CONSUME A TEASPOON OF AVOCADO OIL EVERYDAY AND I LOVE IT!!!
What benefits do you have from this
Help keep the skin supplr n wrinkle free n good for sleep apnea 💫🙏
Good for chorestral, and skin
Can someone please tell me how much avocado oil in table spoons would it take to equal a whole avocado to get the same health benefits?
Hi Winona, well, it takes 15 to 20 avocados to make one eight-ounce bottle of oil. Because it’s oil, you’ll want to stick to using it as you would other oils — in cooking, in salad dressing, etc. The health benefits come from using it in place of other oils.
So, are you saying, that each avocado, depending on size, yields about 1/2 oz ( or 1 Tablespoon) of oil? ( I’d guestimate that avocado pulp is about 10% oil…)
1 tablespoon
What daily amounts are recommended for ingesting to reap the benefits mentioned? For skin therapy, oral? Topical? Both? And does it help Lichen Sclerosus topically?
very good where to buy avocado oil. thank you pwcotton