Have you tried cooking with avocado oil? Besides well-loved olive oil, it’s one of the healthiest oils you can eat as it’s packed with antioxidants.
Plus it’s cost-effective, retailing for around R43.
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Here are a few reasons why we’re fans of the health benefits of avocado oil…
Avocado oil is extremely healthy cooking oil
This is because it has a very beneficial fatty acid profile, with good levels of antioxidants and other healthy compounds. It also has a very high smoke point that makes it great for frying with.
Plus, it adds a naturally rich, buttery flavour to pancakes or fritters.
It fights inflammation in the body
The avocado fruit is loaded with monounsaturated fatty acids – one of the healthiest kinds of fat you can consume.
In fact, studies have shown that the monounsaturated fatty acid known as oleic acid, helps to reduce inflammation in the body and has beneficial effects on genes linked to cancer.
It’s also high in heart-healthy phytonutrients such as carotenoids and the antioxidant, vitamin E.
It helps your body absorb nutrients
Sounds crazy, but avocado oil is not only a highly nutritious food, it also helps our bodies absorb other nutrients from plant foods.
The reason is that some vitamins and minerals such as vitamins A, D, E and K, as well as carotenoids, are fat-soluble, meaning they need to be combined with a healthy fat to be properly taken in by the body.
By simply cooking with avocado oil or drizzling it over salads or in salsa will dramatically boost your nutrient status.
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It can help you lose weight
According to a recent study, published in the Nutrition Journal, the participants who ate more avocados were much healthier than their counterparts who didn’t eat them.
Also, those who ate avocados regularly also weighed less, had a lower BMI and significantly less belly fat. They also had more HDL (the “good”) cholesterol.
Although the study referred to avocados, avocado oil is made exclusively from pressed avocado pulp, so if you prefer the oil to the fruit, then there’s equal benefit to both!
Avocado oil can help to prevent arthritis
Thanks to its anti-inflammatory effects, numerous studies have pointed to the benefits of avocado oil, in reducing the chronic pain and symptoms associated with osteoarthritis – a debilitating condition that affects approximately 46 million people in the US alone.
In fact, in France, ASU is a specific extract made from a blend of avocado and soybean oil and has received prescription drug status as a treatment for knee and hip osteoarthritis.
DISCLAIMER: You must not rely on the information on this website/newsletter as an alternative to professional advice from your doctor or other health professionals.
