Cooking Oil Facts: Avocado Oil
Avocado oil is edible oil, one that is not extracted from a nut but from a fruit, the avocado fruit. Besides being used raw, it is also used for cooking because it has a high cooking point (250 degrees C) thus making it a good oil for frying. It is also used in salad dressing, homemade mayonnaise, smoothies, and on top of hummus. Cold-pressed avocado is somewhat green in colour due to its high levels of chlorophylls and carotenoids. Like many other types of cooking oils, the more processed it is, the more unstable this oil is.
This oil is high in monounsaturated fats, vitamin E, and helps the body absorb carotenoids and other nutrients.
Benefits of Avocado Oil
The avocado is a unique fruit, as it is rich in healthy fats. It fat contents are: 70% of of its content is oleic acid, a monounsaturated omega-9 fatty acid, 12% saturated fat, and 13% is polyunsaturated fat. It has a high omega-6 to omega-3 ratio (13:1). Its benefits are many:
- It can reduce cholesterol and improves heart health by increasing HDL (the good cholesterol and reducing blood triglycerides and LDL cholesterol levels;
- It can lower blood pressure;
- It can reduce risk of cataracts and macular degeneration because it is high in Lutein, an antioxidants.
- It can enhance the absorption of important nutrient (that need fats to be absorbed by the body) from many vegetables.
- It is known to reduce symptoms of arthritis, a disease caused by inflammation of the joints.
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