Avocado Oil – When and Why to Use It

Avocado oil is a very healthy oil and can definitely be beneficial to use both cold as dressing or hot in cooking!
The majority of essential fatty acids found in avocado oil are monounsaturated fats which have several positive effects throughout the body including lowering risk of some cancers, preventing flare-ups of certain auto-immune diseases, speeding cell regeneration and wound healing, as well as reducing inflammation in your body. The monounsaturated fats in avocado oil can also help you lose weight – especially when combined with a healthy diet and regular exercise – as these fats aid in making you feel fuller faster and keep your appetite satisfied longer. The vitamins and healthy fats in avocado oil also can improve your digestion helping you to get more energy from the other foods you eat with it.

Avocado oil is also high in vitamin E which improves skin and eye health, bolsters the immune system, provides defense against oxidative damage to cells caused by free-radicals, improves memory and mental acuity, and increases the overall efficiency of the digestive tract.
So why use avocado oil instead of olive oil? Avocado oil has a higher smoke point than olive oil making it a great choice for cooking at higher temperatures (stir fry, sauté, etc) as it won’t break down and lose any of its health benefits. So if you are cooking on high heat… or if things are sometimes burning during your healthy cooking adventures 🙂 … it can be a good idea to trade in your olive oil for avocado oil. Due to its stability, avocado oil won’t go rancid as quickly as many other oils when stored for long periods of time.
Avocado oil makes a great dressing for salads too! Drizzle it on by itself or pair it with your favorite vinegar.
So next time you are stocking up on healthy oils for the kitchen, add some avocado oil to the list!