Avocados have recently filled grocery stores and shelves in large chain stores. Few people know about the real benefits of superfood and leave the beautiful emerald fruit intact. Even fewer people know that avocados are a fruit that fell into the Guinness Book of Records (1998) due to its high nutritional and energy value.
Avocado oil has become a bit of a diet fetish in the last few years. Nutritionists advise wards to choose vegetable oils that will not clog the cells with cholesterol, but will bring real benefits. Avocado oil restores skin tone, makes hair thicker, the mind lighter, and less fat.
Let’s understand why the crocodile pear (the second name of the fruit) has become so popular among adherents of healthy eating and how to diversify the diet with such exotic?
What you need to know about avocado oil
Avocado oil performs almost the same functions as a whole fruit. This product is recognized as the most useful of all existing oils. Useful polyunsaturated and monounsaturated fatty acids, vitamins, nutrients have undergone a variety of tests and checks, during which it turned out their real impact on the human body.
Diabetes Care conducted its own research on the effects of certain substances on the quality of life. It turned out that a diet high in unsaturated fatty acids lowers cholesterol by 20%.
Another good argument in favor of avocado oil is tocopherol (vitamin E). It is in the product from avocados that there is a maximum concentration of tocopherol, which clearly affects the state of health. Vitamin E has an antioxidant effect, prevents the development and growth of cancer cells, and slows down the aging process.
According to The American Journal of Epidemiology 40% of the world’s population receive less vitamin E, because they avoid vegetable fats in their diets.
The Journal of Nutrition has published an interesting article. It says that daily consumption of avocado oil (1-2 tablespoons per day) increases the absorption of carotenoids from vegetables by 300-400%.
Carotenoids are pigments that are vital to the human body. They maintain normal water balance, help to form, strengthen and preserve the integrity of the teeth, bone system.
Useful Properties
All herbal ingredients are a storehouse of medicinal, cosmetic and culinary properties. Among them, avocado oil stands out, which is successfully used in all three industries.
The ingredient is able to heal and disinfect wounds, fight and prevent pathologies of internal organs. Due to magnesium (Mg) and potassium (K), the product strengthens the walls of blood vessels and has a beneficial effect on the functioning of the heart. Tocopherol (vitamin E) regulates blood pressure, prevents the growth and development of blood clots. The complex of useful fatty acids is responsible for the health of the skin, hair, nails, the health of the immune system and the general condition of the body. Avocado oil stimulates blood flow. Blood supplies organs faster and increases their productivity significantly.
The ingredient is extremely beneficial for the digestive system. Butter improves metabolism and increases the percentage of food digestibility. The ingredient gently envelops the mucous membranes of the intestines and stomach, thus protecting the organs from ulcers / gastritis. Moreover, the product stimulates the separation of bile, improves its composition, “accelerates” fat metabolism. Plant substances will help the organs to clear themselves of slags, toxins and heavy metals, which not only reduce productivity, but also affect well-being.
What else is useful product:
- lowers blood glucose;
- improves the functioning of the nervous system;
- improves performance;
- is the prevention of depression;
- Suppose as a complementary food to children up to 1 year;
- for women: improves lactation, smoothes manifestations of menopause, relieves the unpleasant symptoms of the menstrual and premenstrual periods;
- for men: increases potency, is the prevention of infertility, prostatitis and adenoma.
Chemical composition
Features of vitamin and nutrient composition
The vitamin composition of the oil is not inferior to the fresh unprocessed fruit. The concentration of vitamins A, E, C, D, group B provides:
- stimulation of the protective function of the immune system;
- detox;
- antioxidant effect.
The content of vitamins A and E in avocado oil is 5 times higher than in olive.
But the value of the ingredient is not only vitamins. Squalene is a part of oil. This is a hydrocarbon, an intermediate compound in the biological synthesis of steroids (cholesterol is also among them). Squalene is involved in metabolism, regulates the percentage of digestibility and the degree of absorbability of food.
Nutritionists indicate a high percentage of chlorophyll in avocado oil. In addition to our basic school knowledge about staining vegetation with chlorophyll, the substance carries several important functions. Pigment is also involved in metabolic processes, and chlorophyll deficiency adversely affects all systems of the human body.
The composition of the product is interesting and lecithin. This is an emulsifier, which when chipped becomes choline (a vital element for the human body). Allergic reactions to lecithin are extremely rare, but the beneficial properties, as experts note, are truly amazing. Lecithin returns the balance of intestinal microflora, protects the body from pathologies of the heart and blood vessels, improves the performance of the endocrine, nervous and urogenital systems.
The above medicinal properties are characteristic only of avocado oil, which is obtained by cold pressing.
Use in cooking
The ingredient is used as a salad dressing, roasting or stewing food. The burning point is 220 ° C, and during heating the oil does not emit dangerous carcinogens. Moreover, sudden changes in temperature do not affect the taste palette of the product. Many oils begin to taste bitter or give off an unpleasant metallic flavor, with the avocado ingredient there will be no such trouble.
Buy cold-pressed oil, which is obtained from the pulp of ripe nutritious fruits. Only such a product will bring maximum benefit not only to the taste buds, but also to the state of health.
In cooking, avocado oil is replaced by other vegetable oils. Ingredient can be used for:
- marinades;
- sauces (the most delicious mayonnaise is made on the basis of avocado oil);
- refueling;
- roasting;
- roasting;
- extinguishing;
- baking (as a binder).
Researchers at Loma Linda University have shown that avocado fatty acids affect appetite. Monounsaturated substances suppress hunger and its primary manifestation is appetite. Fatty acids contain soluble fiber. It enters the body and forms a thick pasty gel inside. This gel passes through the intestines and slows down the metabolism. Food is absorbed longer by the body, and the person feels a long saturation.
Use of the ingredient in cosmetology
Cold-pressed oil perfectly nourishes the skin, not only from the inside. Application of the ingredient to the skin contributes to the production of collagen, elastin and enhance oxygen metabolism. There are 3 ways to use avocado oil in cosmetology.
1 method: direct application
Use pure oil. Apply a few drops of the product to the sponge, then walk along the massage lines of the face. Perform this massage daily before bedtime. The average massage duration is no more than 15 minutes. Remaining oil can be washed off with a soft cleansing foam or left to sop skin overnight.
2 way: diluted care
Add a few drops of oil to your basic facial and body care. The first results will be noticeable much later (compared to the 1 method), but will have a cumulative effect. Do not forget that the oil can leave some kind of oily film on the face and “weight” the cosmetic. Mix in a separate container a spoonful of cream and a drop of oil, apply to the skin and follow the reaction, the degree of comfort and efficiency. If the final result suits you, then boldly enrich all the jars with cosmetics in the house.
3 way: pharmacy or luxury care
Get a line of pharmaceutical or luxury care products that already contain avocado oil. Modern medicine is achieving rapid success in the field of cosmetology, so everyone can choose the right tool based on skin type and preferences.
Do not forget that the intake of oil inside is also able to improve the condition of the skin. Add 1-2 tablespoons to salads or whole-grain pastries to feel healthy inside and out.
The fight against the first wrinkles around the eyes
The area around the eyes is the most subtle and sensitive area of the face. To preserve skin tone, to avoid wrinkles and unnatural color in this area, you need to actively care for it with 20-25 years. Only long-term care and a cumulative result of cosmetic / herbal components will be able to guarantee a result.
The so-called “crow’s feet” appear not only from age, but also from specific facial expressions. If you have noticed the first manifestations of wrinkles in 18 years, then go to a beautician and begin to care. With age, the situation can only get worse and add to the 25 young 7-year-old person with over.
Avocado oil will moisturize, nourish thin skin with vitamins and minerals, cope with the first age-related changes, tighten “sad” areas and give the face a fresh, well-groomed appearance. For a homemade anti-aging procedure, you will need a minimum amount of ingredients: avocado oil and cotton sponge. Pour the oil on a cotton pad and gently walk along the massage lines of the eyes. 10-20 minutes will be enough to achieve a noticeable effect in a few days. After the massage procedures, wash the oil with warm water (you can use mild foaming cleansers to completely remove the oil from your face). Repeat the procedure daily as a ritual before going to bed and the result will not take long.
Product selection rules
Regardless of the purpose of the purchase (cosmetic procedures or cooking), choose only cold pressed oil. It is safe for the human body and is subjected to all types of heat treatment. In cold pressing, chemicals are excluded from the final product. At the exit we get an organic vegetable product that remains pure and as useful as possible.
Pay attention to the shelf life and composition. Choose only high quality, fresh and certified products. The composition should not be unknown to you components, fragrances, flavors and other things. Focus on a simple rule: the simpler the composition, the more useful the product.
Assess the container in which the oil is stored. This should be a glass or plastic sealed container, which does not allow UV light and instills reliability. The color of the oil can vary from pale green to golden (depending on the degree of processing and the manufacturer). If possible, check the smell of the ingredient. The product should produce a pure vegetable flavor, which is very similar to the ripe fruit of avocado. If the fragrance felt notes of rot or chemical impurities – abandon the purchase and find a more responsible seller.
Ingredient storage rules
The rules for storing any type of oil are identical:
- glass packaging that does not allow UV light to pass through;
- maximum allowable temperature + 18 ° C;
- the container with the product must be tightly closed immediately after use;
- cold storage is acceptable but not recommended (sediment forms at the bottom of the container due to fat oxidation).
Contraindications to use
Avocado oil should be excluded from the diet with individual intolerance of the product and components that make up. In addition, patients with pathologies of the liver and gallbladder should discuss the diet with the doctor, and separately mention avocado oil. The permission / prohibition of the product should be determined by the doctor based on the patient’s condition, tests and the current stage of the disease.
