Avacado Oil

Name: Avocado oil, pressed from the flesh of the avocado fruit (Persea americana) — not from the seed, as is sometimes assumed.

Description

The Aztecs used avocado oil for cooking and as a skin treatment long before it reached wider attention. It remained a minor product until avocado oil was introduced as a gourmet cooking oil in France and Spain in the 1990s, from where it spread to the United States and beyond.

Premium avocado oil is cold-pressed from the ripe fruit's pulp without heat or chemical solvents, which preserves its flavour and colour; refined versions are also produced for higher-heat cooking and have a milder taste.

Main nutrition value

A mild, versatile oil rich mainly in unsaturated fats, making it a suitable choice for everyday cooking, sautéing and salad dressings. Choosing unsaturated oils in place of saturated fats can support healthier cholesterol levels and heart health.

Per 100g · Source: USDA FoodData Central

884 kcal

Nutrition Information

Protein0.0g

Total Fat100.0g

Saturated Fat11.6g

Carbohydrate0.0g

Show all nutrients

SFA 16:010.9g

SFA 18:00.7g

Fatty acids, total monounsaturated70.6g

MUFA 16:12.7g

MUFA 18:167.9g

Fatty acids, total polyunsaturated13.5g

PUFA 18:212.5g

PUFA 18:31.0g

Like all pure oils, avocado oil is essentially 100% fat and around 884 kcal per 100g. Its fat is roughly 76% monounsaturated, 12% polyunsaturated and 12% saturated — a profile close to olive oil's, dominated by oleic acid. Unrefined avocado oil has an unusually high smoke point for a cold-pressed oil, around 250°C (482°F), and refined versions go even higher.

How best to be consumed

Avocado oil's high smoke point and mild flavour make it unusually versatile among cold-pressed oils.

1. Use unrefined avocado oil in dressings, drizzled over vegetables, or for gentle sautéing, where its flavour comes through.
2. Use refined avocado oil for higher-heat cooking such as searing or roasting, thanks to its high smoke point.
3. Store in a cool, dark place, since like all oils it can turn rancid with prolonged heat or light exposure.
4. Use in place of butter or other saturated fats where a mostly-monounsaturated option is preferred.

Overconsumption could cause…

Like all oils, avocado oil is very energy-dense, so the main consideration is portion size rather than any unusual risk specific to this oil.

1. Excess calorie intake, since a tablespoon of any oil carries well over 100 kcal, which adds up quickly if poured generously.
2. No specific health risk beyond that of dietary fat in general, given its mostly monounsaturated profile.

GroupsPlant/Fruit OilsLaurel family (Lauraceae)High saturated fatLow sodium

Made fromAvocado

Related foodsFlaxseed OilGrapeseed OilMustard OilPalm OilRice Bran OilSesame Oil

Wikipedia — Avocado oil, used for production method and fatty acid composition: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Avocado_oil