Not all oils are created equally when it comes to their impact on our health, i.e, their nutritional values. The reason behind why people are raving about an oil that comes from avocados is because of its various health benefits.
Cooking oil is an important part of our daily culinary endeavour that adds flavour, texture and essential nutrients to our meals. Several types of cooking oils come from various sources such as fruits, nuts, seeds and grains. One such oil that is gaining momentum is avocado oil, which is a natural oil pressed from the bulb of an avocado.
Why Avocado Oil Is Gainning Mementum?
Not all oils are created equally when it comes to their impact on our health, i.e, their nutritional values. The reason behind why people are raving about an oil that comes from avocados is because of its various health benefits. According to researchers, about 60% of avocado oil consists of healthy components that support heart health, such as oleic acid, a monounsaturated omega-9 fatty acid.
A study published by the National Institute of Health (NIH) examined rats with high blood pressure using avocado oil, which revealed a surprising result showing reduced diastolic and systolic blood pressure by 21.2% and 15.5%, respectively. Additionally, it also had similar effects to losartan in reducing blood pressure. Another rat finding revealed that avocado oil was effective in reducing triglyceride levels and LDL (bad) cholesterol and did not affect HDL (good) cholesterol.
Avocado Oil In Supporting Heart Health
Healthcare professionals claim that avocado oil is packed with Vitamins A, K and E, which are fat-soluble antioxidants that protect cells from oxidative stress and support your overall health. Lisa Young, a registered dietitian nutritionist and an author of Finally Full, Finally Slim, told a leading media outlet that avocado oil “helps the body better absorb vitamin E and other fat-soluble vitamins such as A, D and K, plus carotenoids from vegetables.”
Additionally, the registered digestion nutritionist note that oils that come from avocado can support your eye health because of the natural properties that are present in the food, such as phytosterols, plant compounds that have anti-inflammatory and cardioprotective effects. Many people who use butter oil, vegetable oil, or extra virgin oil are now reaching out for avocado oil because of their nutritional values and particularly due to its heart health benefits. Healthcare professionals recommend that using avocado oil mindful into your diet can have a positive impact for better health.
Other Health Benefits Of Avocado Oil
Researchers at the National Institute of Health (NIH) outline that replacing avocado oil with other types of oils that are widely available in the market can also control weight, reduce the risk of diabetes, normalize blood cholesterol levels and is involved in liver metabolism. It added, “In addition, the phytochemical components of avocado oil are also related to the disease manifestations associated with an altered metabolic profile, so, overall, it is expected that all the beneficial properties of avocado oil together will add up to positive health effects.”
Another study by the US health agency reveals that avocado oil can “improve brain, renal and hepatic mitochondrial function in diabetic, hypertensive and NAFLD rats by preventing the impairment in mitochondrial respiration, membrane potential and excessive mitochondrial ROS generation.”
About the Author
N. Lothungbeni Humtsoe
N. Lothungbeni Humtsoe is a Health and Lifestyle Journalist with over 7 years of experience in the media industry. She holds a Master’s Degree in Communication from the University of Hyderabad (UoH) and a Bachelor’s Degree in Political Science from Patkai Christian …