Benefits of avocado oil

Avocado Oil, a plentiful source of nutrients and healty compounds

Benefits of avocado oil

1. High Smoke Point

We could easily say that one of the most important benefits of avocado oil is its resistance to high heat. Avocado oil has a smoke point of 450 – 500 F. There is a potential hazard when oils are heated above their heat tolerance. A heated cooking oil is considered unsafe when it reaches its smoking point (which is the temperature at which the product starts to break down). The fat molecules at this point break down into glycerol and free fatty acids. The glycerol is further broken down into free radicals and toxic fumes. Which in turn can damage cells and become precursors to various diseases among cancer. High heat above tolerance level and repetitive burn of vegetable oils, can be a cause of oxidation in vegetable oils. This oxidation may cause cardiovascular changes that may lead to an increase in cholesterol, blood pressure, vascular inflammation and vascular changes that predispose atherosclerosis, and an impact to overall cardiovascular health. You may visit this site from Cleveland Clinic to learn about smoke points of different vegetable oils and useful information on its use.

2. Nutritional Benefits

Avocado Oil has a very similar nutritional profile as that of Olive Oil, with a different composition of Mono and Polyunsaturated fatty acids. It has a solid composition of bioactive compounds and nutrients, among which the most important are below:

Mono-Unsaturated fats

The majority of the fat contained within this product is monounsaturated fatty acids (MUFA) 60 – 80%, while 5-20% is polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA) and 10%-25% is saturated. A diet rich in monounsaturated fats may help improve heart health.

Rich in oleic acids

The type of monounsaturated fats in avocado oil are oleic acids (omega-9 fatty acids), which are also the main component in olive oil, which have a positive impact in health.

Improves heart health

In addition to the monounsaturated fats, avocado oil has additional bioactive compounds, like unsaponifiable sterols, such as beta sitosterol (B-sitosterol) which is useful to help manage cholesterol and reduce levels of trycglicerides, while reducing inflammatory cytokines.

Nutrition Content

Avocado Oil, also is a source of vitamin E (Alpha-Tocopherol and Tocotrienols); it is also rich in other nutrients, such as chlorophyll, carotenoids, as well as anthocyanins, among which it contains lutein, which helps maintain healthy vision, and zeaxanthin among other powerful antioxidants (polyphenols)