Many people are familiar with using avocado oil for cooking. But did you know that there are many other avocado oil uses that you can start to incorporate into your daily life? Today I'm going to go over 10 avocado oil uses that are beneficial for your health. I'll also give some recipes that you can try to make with avocados. But before we get started, lets go over some avocado oil health benefits.
What Is Avacado Good For?
- Helps reduce pain associated with arthritis
- Healthy for eyes because it is high in Lutein
- Helps to prevent gum disease
- Aids in wound healing
- Helps other nutrients to absorb into the body
- Good source of healthy monounsaturated fatty acids
- Helps to increase your energy and burn fat
Use In Replace of Other Cooking Oils
One of the simplest avocado oil uses is to substitute it for other cooking oils. Avocado oil can be used in replace of olive oil, coconut oil, and other vegetable oils. This is one of the easiest ways to incorporate more avocado oil into your diet.
Drizzle It Over Grilled Vegetables
We've all probably smothered our corn on the cob with butter at one time or another. Maybe that is still your favorite way to eat it. Next time you are grilling veggies such as corn, bell peppers, or asparagus try drizzling avocado oil over them instead.
Brush Avacado Oil On Fruit
Before you skip over this section, trust me and try a little avocado oil on your fruit. My mom always said to try something at least once before declaring it no good.
Try sticking with the sweetest of fruits such as watermelon. Simply brush some avocado oil on cubes of watermelon and you may be surprised at how wonderful it tastes.
Rub On Skin
Whether you are getting a massage or just want to moisturize your skin, try rubbing some avocado oil directly onto your skin. The oil will help to trap in moisture to keep your skin soft and smooth. This is especially important during winter time when your skin is exposed to cold and dry air more often. Some people consider avocado oil to be the best oil for dry skin.
Use On Hair and Scalp
Drop approximately a dime size of avocado oil onto your hand and then rub it into your scalp and hair. You may want to do this after rinsing your hair. Avocado can act as a leave-in conditioner that will keep your hair soft and shiny.
To moisturize your scalp, rub it in and then rinse. If you do this routinely it will help with dandruff and other dry scalp issues.
Here is a Hair mask that you may want to give a try:
Whipped Avocado, Honey, And Olive Oil Deep Conditioning Hair Mask
Source: Wholefully
- 1 ripe avocado, peeled and pitted
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 2 tablespoons honey
- 2-3 drops lavender essential oil (optional)
- Blend all ingredients in a food processor or beat them in a stand mixer until smooth and lightened in color.
- Spread the mask onto damp hair, focusing on the ends. Feel free to rub it in a bit. Use a clip to pull hair into a bun on top of your head, and put on a shower cap. Heat your hair by blow-drying for 15 minutes or sitting in the sun for 30 minutes. Rinse and wash hair as usual.
Instructions:
Salad Dressing
One of the easiest avocado oil uses is to simply use this healthy oil as a salad dressing. You may want to add balsamic vinegar, mint leaves or garlic. Then spray or pour a little of this homemade vinaigrette over a salad. The healthy benefit of using avocado oil instead of unhealthy dressings such as ranch dressing can be a small change in your diet with big health rewards in the long run.
Try the following avocado oil vinaigrette recipe for a change of pace and healthier alternative to many common salad dressings:
Avocado Oil Vinaigrette
Source: The Kitchen
Ingredients:
- 2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
- 4 teaspoons apple cider vinegar
- 1/4 cup avocado oil
- Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
- In a small mixing bowl, whisk together the mustard and vinegar. Pouring slowly, add a thin stream of avocado oil to the bowl, whisking with the other hand. Continue to whisk until all of the oil has been poured into the bowl and the ingredients have come together homogeneously. Season with salt and pepper.
- Serve over your favorite green salad.
Directions:
Marinade
Making a marinade with avocado oil is actually quite simple. Brush avocado oil over steak, chicken, fish or vegetables. Some people feel that avocado oil has a nutty and milder flavor than a heavier marinade.
Bake Into Cakes and Bread
Because avocado oil has a nutty and milder taste than olive oil, some people feel as if avocado oil is the best oil for baking. For a slightly different taste to a favorite recipe, why not swap out the olive oil and give avocado oil a try.
Avocado Facial Mask
Avocado oil contains beneficial minerals such as iron, calcium, copper, potassium, magnesium and other vitamins that are good for your skin. Avocado oil can help improve elasticity for your skin, reverse the effects of aging, and help dry or acne prone skin, To use avocado oil in a facial mask just makes sense. I've selected 4 easy facial mask recipes below for you to try making if you'd like:
Here Are 4 Easy to Make Avocado Facial Mask Recipes
Source: Experience Life
Avocado and Yogurt Face Mask
- ¼ ripe avocado
- 1 tsp. plain organic yogurt
- ½ tsp. honey
Mash the avocado with a fork. Stir in the yogurt and honey until you form a paste. Afterward, apply using your fingers or a special brush and then leave on for approximately 10–15 minutes before rinsing off with lukewarm water. Good for those with acne or dry skin.
Avocado and Oatmeal Face Mask
Prepare the oatmeal according to instructions. Mash the avocado with a fork and combine with oatmeal. Apply to skin, keep on for 10–15 minutes, and then rinse off with lukewarm water. Good to help hydrate dry skin.
Avocado and Apricot Face Mask
Mash up the avocado and apricot separately and then mix together until you get a pasty texture. Apply to your face for 30 minutes — or as an overnight mask if you need extra nourishment — and rinse off with lukewarm water.
Avocado and Banana Face Mask
Mash the avocado and the banana separately and then mix together with the egg yolk until you get a uniform consistency. Apply for approximately 10–15 minutes and then rinse off with lukewarm water. Particularly good for people struggling with oily skin since it absorbs excess sebum.
Making your own avocado face mask is as easy as it is fun. And, whenever you’re not mashing up the avocados for your skin treatment, you can just use them to prepare some awesome meals.
Avocado Hummus
Next time that you make hummus, try adding some mashed avocado and avocado oil to traditional chickpea paste. The avocado will add a creamy richness to the hummus. Check out this yummy avocado recipe below:
Avocado Hummus
Source: Cooking Classy
Ingredients:
- Pulse chick peas, olive oil, tahini, lime juice, and garlic in a food processor until smooth, about 2 minutes. Season with salt and pepper to taste (I did a scant 1/2 tsp salt and about 1/8 tsp pepper), add cumin and avocados and pulse mixture until smooth and creamy, about 1 - 2 minutes longer.
- Serve topped with more olive oil if desired and sprinkle with cilantro and red pepper flakes. Serve with pita chips or tortilla chips.
Ingredients:
Image Source: Delish
Final Thoughts
I've gone over avocado oil uses and how to incorporate this healthy fat into your diet and health products. I've also given some simple avocado oil recipes that you may want to try out. Avocado oil is a good source of healthy monounsaturated fatty acids. It has the properties that can help to improve a wide range of health aspects for your body. There is no better time than now to add avocado oil to your life.
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