John Myers
Completely new types of edible oils are increasingly found on supermarket shelves. Avocado oil, which was previously used for skin and hair care, is also exotic. Here you can find out how to fry and cook with the kitchen novice.
For food, hair, and skin: avocado oil
Like many other natural oils, avocado oil is often used in cosmetics. Because they are effective beauty products without any chemicals. Whether for an oil cleansing, as a facial or body oil, for a massage or as a hair treatment, there are many possible uses. In addition to external use, it is also worth discovering vegetable fats for the kitchen. Avocado oil is equally suitable for skin care as for the pan, as is argan oil. The idea behind it: What promotes beauty from the outside can also have a positive effect on the inside. In addition, the avocado has a good nutrient profile, which can help to supply the body: the fruit is rich in vitamin D and copper, and contains vitamins K and B6 as well as potassium.
Properties and uses of avocado oil
Especially cold-pressed, native avocado oil can be considered healthy because of its nutrients and can be used more often in the kitchen. Compared to other valuable edible oils such as linseed oil, it has a high smoke point of around 260 °C. This means you can use it not only for dressing salad dressings, but also for frying, baking, and cooking at high temperatures. Avocado oil has this in common with coconut oil, but in contrast to this, the taste is less intense. With its slightly nutty note, it is suitable for both sweet and savory dishes. When baking you can replace butter with avocado oil, when frying it can be used for all kinds of stir-fries – whether with vegetables, meat, fish, or seafood. It is also ideal for marinades.
Why are avocados considered so healthy?
The avocado is not only considered a trend fruit and a tasty source of nutrients for vegetarians and vegans: Despite its high-fat content and the corresponding number of calories, the fruit native to Mexico is very healthy. In contrast to other types of fruit, the avocado contains hardly any sugar or fruit acids, for example, while at the same time providing many important nutrients. Avocados contain vitamin E, B6, and D as well as valuable minerals such as potassium. In addition, the fruit, which actually belongs to the berries, is a supplier of healthy unsaturated fatty acids.
The avocado is considered to be the richest in fat among the known fruits and vegetables. Their pulp consists of about 25 percent fat so that 100 g can have up to 130 calories. With an average weight of around 170 g, a whole avocado contains more than 220 calories – larger fruits correspondingly more. However, the fat in the avocado consists mainly of healthy unsaturated fatty acids (especially monounsaturated fatty acids), all of which the body cannot produce itself (polyunsaturated fatty acids) and which must therefore be obtained from the diet. A balanced diet based on a high proportion of monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fatty acids together with a low proportion of saturated fatty acids minimizes the risk of certain coronary artery diseases, such as suffering a heart attack.
For example, if you use avocado instead of butter as a spread, you are looking for a healthy alternative. Although a whole avocado contains many calories, you don’t need a whole fruit for a slice of bread – you usually get by with 50 calories and about 5 g of fat. 100 g of avocado contains around 130 calories, while 100 g of butter contains more than 700 calories. Unlike butter, the avocado also contains no cholesterol.
In total, avocados contain almost 20 different types of vitamins, minerals, and phytochemicals, as well as fiber. As healthy as the avocado is for most people, diabetics should exercise moderation with the high-fat fruit. The substance it contains, mannoheptulose, inhibits the release of insulin when large amounts of avocado are consumed and can lead to a temporarily elevated blood sugar level.
Buying and storage tips
However, you want to take advantage of the positive effects of avocado oil, whether as a care product or cooking ingredient: pay attention to the origin and quality when you buy avocado oil. Cold-pressed, native organic oil is particularly recommended. Those who value sustainable, socially responsible cultivation methods also use fair trade products, which you can also find in the range. It is best to keep avocado oil in the fridge so that it retains its fine taste for a long time. It will keep there for up to 12 months.
