Ask an expert: Is avocado oil good for cholesterol?

Here are 8 evidence-based health benefits of avocado oil.

1. Rich in oleic acid, a very healthy fat

Avocado oil is the natural oil pressed from the pulp of an avocado. Almost 70% of avocado oil consists of heart-healthy oleic acid, a monounsaturated omega-9 fatty acid (1Trusted Source, 2Trusted Source, 3Trusted Source).

This fatty acid is also the main component of olive oil and is believed to be partly responsible for its health benefits. Additionally, around 12% of avocado oil is saturated fat, and about 13% is polyunsaturated fat (1Trusted Source, 2Trusted Source, 3Trusted Source).

Avocado oil has a high omega-6 to omega-3 ratio (13:1), and we usually want around 3:1 or 2:1 for better health. But this shouldn’t be a concern, because the total amount of omega-6 is relatively small.

Most research suggests that a diet rich in unsaturated fats is beneficial for health and may reduce the risk of chronic conditions such as heart disease and dementia (2Trusted Source, 4Trusted Source).

SUMMARY

The most abundant fatty acid in avocado oil is oleic acid, a fatty acid that provides numerous health benefits.

2. Reduces cholesterol and improves heart health

Avocado oil is rich in unsaturated fatty acids, which are linked with better heart health (5).

In a small crossover study in 13 subjects, participants were first given either a control meal using butter (25 grams of saturated fat) or a test meal (25 grams of unsaturated fat) with avocado oil (6).

Over a 240-minute post-meal period, blood samples showed that the test-meal group had significantly lower levels of triglycerides, total and LDL (bad) cholesterol, inflammatory cytokines, and blood sugar compared with the control group (6).

One rat study compared avocado oil to losartan, a blood pressure medication, for 45 days. It found that avocado oil reduced diastolic and systolic blood pressure by 21.2% and 15.5%, respectively, and had similar effects to losartan in reducing blood pressure (7Trusted Source).

Another rat study found that avocado oil was effective in reducing levels of triglycerides and LDL (bad) cholesterol and did not affect HDL (good) cholesterol. This was comparable to olive oil, another heart-healthy oil (8Trusted Source).

While these results are promising, larger human clinical trials are still needed.

SUMMARY

A few studies in humans and animals suggest that avocado oil may benefit heart health by reducing blood pressure and blood cholesterol levels.

3. High in lutein, an antioxidant that has benefits for the eyes

Avocado and its oil are relatively good sources of lutein, a carotenoid and antioxidant that’s naturally found in your eyes (9Trusted Source, 10Trusted Source).

Research has shown that a diet rich in lutein and another carotenoid called zeaxanthin is essential for eye health and may reduce the risk of cataracts and macular degeneration, which are common age-related eye diseases (11Trusted Source, 12Trusted Source).

Since your body doesn’t produce lutein on its own, you must obtain it from your diet. Fortunately, adding avocado and avocado oil to your diet is a great and easy way to support your eye health (13Trusted Source, 14Trusted Source).

SUMMARY

Lutein is a carotenoid found in avocado oil. This nutrient improves eye health and may lower the risk of age-related eye diseases.

4. Enhances the absorption of important nutrients

Some nutrients need to be combined with fat to allow your body to absorb them, such as the fat-soluble vitamins A, D, E, and K (15Trusted Source).

In particular, carotenoids such as beta-carotene, lycopene, lutein, and zeaxanthin are poorly absorbed without fat. Unfortunately, many fruits and vegetables rich in carotenoids, such as watermelon and tomatoes, are low in fat (15Trusted Source, 16Trusted Source).

Therefore, adding avocado oil or another type of fat to your meal may help you better absorb these nutrients.

One small study found that adding avocado oil to a salad with carrots, romaine lettuce, and spinach increased the absorption of carotenoids. The increase was substantial — 4.3- to 17.4-fold — when compared with a salad without fat (17Trusted Source).

Other studies have shown that olive oil, which has a very similar oleic acid content to avocado oil, is highly effective in increasing the bioavailability of carotenoids (18Trusted Source, 19Trusted Source).

Therefore, adding avocado oil to a salad, marinade, or other dish may help your body absorb more nutrients.

SUMMARY

There is good reason to include a healthy fat source like avocado oil when eating vegetables, as it may increase the absorption of carotenoid antioxidants up to 17-fold.

5. May reduce symptoms of arthritis

Arthritis is a very common disease that involves painful inflammation of the joints. It affects millions of people worldwide (20Trusted Source).

While there are many types of arthritis, the most common type is osteoarthritis, which is associated with the breakdown of cartilage in the joints (20Trusted Source, 21Trusted Source).

Numerous studies have found that extracts from avocado and soybean oil, called avocado/soybean unsaponifiables (ASU), may reduce the pain and stiffness associated with osteoarthritis (22Trusted Source, 23Trusted Source, 24Trusted Source).

In particular, ASU seems to be beneficial for people who have hip and knee osteoarthritis (22Trusted Source, 25Trusted Source).

You can find ASU supplements in most wellness stores and online. But be sure to speak with a healthcare professional to make sure it’s right for you.

SUMMARY

Multiple studies have reported that avocado/soybean unsaponifiables — a combination of avocado and soybean oil extracts — may relieve pain in those with hip and knee osteoarthritis.

6. Improves skin and enhances wound healing

Avocado oil is rich in fatty acids and nutrients that may benefit your skin. It’s a good source of vitamins A and E, which are linked to skin membrane health (26Trusted Source).

One study in 24 people with plaque psoriasis found that a cream containing avocado oil (20%) and vitamin B12 improved symptoms of psoriasis after 12 weeks of treatment (27Trusted Source).

Other studies in humans and animals have also shown benefits to using avocado oil in psoriasis treatment and wound healing (28Trusted Source, 29Trusted Source).

That said, most of the studies used avocado oil in conjunction with other ingredients, such as B12 and moisturizing agents, so it’s difficult to say whether avocado oil by itself would result in similar findings.

In addition to topical application, consuming a diet rich in unsaturated fatty acids, vitamins A and E, and antioxidants is associated with healthier skin (30Trusted Source, 31Trusted Source, 32Trusted Source).

It’s best to avoid putting avocado oil directly on any open wounds. Instead, buy products containing avocado oil from reputable companies.

SUMMARY

Avocado is high in fatty acids and antioxidants that promote wound healing and overall skin health. Some studies have shown that applying a cream containing avocado oil (20%) and vitamin B12 led to significant improvements in psoriasis symptoms.

7. Rich in antioxidants

A diet rich in antioxidants helps fight free radicals, which are unstable compounds that can damage cells over time. When an imbalance occurs, this can lead to oxidative stress and may contribute to conditions such as heart disease, type 2 diabetes, and cancer (33Trusted Source, 34Trusted Source).

By donating an electron to free radicals, antioxidants can neutralize them, preventing them from causing harm (33Trusted Source, 34Trusted Source, 35Trusted Source, 36Trusted Source).

Fortunately, avocado oil contains a large number of antioxidants to benefit your health, such as carotenoids, tocopherols (forms of vitamin E), and various plant sterols (2Trusted Source, 4Trusted Source).

SUMMARY

Avocado oil is rich in disease-fighting free radicals such as carotenoids, tocopherols, and plant sterols. Consuming avocado oil and other antioxidant-rich foods can help reduce your risk of chronic disease.

8. Very easy to use

Though this is not technically a health benefit, avocado oil is highly versatile and easy to incorporate into your diet.

For example, you can consume it cold, but it’s also a safe and healthy cooking oil because its fatty acids are stable at high heat (up to about 520°F or 271°C) (37Trusted Source).

Here are a few ways to add avocado oil to your diet:

• Add a tablespoon to a smoothie.
• Drizzle it over a salad.
• Use it as a marinade for grilling meat.
• Include it when baking.
• Use it in homemade mayo.
• Drizzle it over vegetables before roasting.
• Top hummus off with it.
• Drizzle it over cold soups such as gazpacho.

SUMMARY

Avocado oil is versatile and easy to use. You can add it cold to salads or smoothies, and it’s great for cooking, grilling, and baking.

The bottom line

Avocado oil is delicious, nutritious, and easy to use.

It’s rich in oleic acid (a monounsaturated fat), polyunsaturated fats, carotenoids, and other antioxidant-rich nutrients that are linked to improved heart, skin, and eye health.

You can easily add it to your diet in a salad, as part of a dip or marinade, or as a replacement for most other plant oils.

If you’re looking to switch things up, give avocado oil a try.