Thanks to the yummy dip known as guacamole, most of us are obsessed. Avocado has gained its popularity from guacamole, but it certainly shines on its own. Want to know something exciting? There’s a little something known as avocado oil, and it’s delicious too! It’s also perfect to use while on a low carb diet, and the Body Reboot book provides ideas on how to use it to lose weight. Since the keto diet is all about eating foods high in fat and low in carbohydrates, avocado oil is perfect for that. Don’t believe us? Keep reading to find out why this oil got Rx status in France — it’s that good!

So how did avocado oil get Rx status in France? Check out what Dr. Axe has to say about that:

Avocado oil has even received prescription drug status in France because of its proven ability to counter the negative effects of arthritis! This is just one of the many reasons to start stocking this oil alongside coconut oil in your cupboard, for both cooking as well as raw foods.

The study they mentioned revealed that yes, avocado oil could help with arthritis. Check out the conclusion to the 2000 Osteoarthritis Cartilage study:

In this model ASU treatment following meniscectomy appeared to confer a subtle but statistically significant protective effect on articular cartilage. Although the drug failed to prevent focal cartilage lesions, characteristic of this model, histomorphometric analysis demonstrated greater PG content and UCC thickness in adjacent joint regions of ASU-treated animals. In addition, a statistically significant reduction of subchondral bone sclerosis was noted in the LTP region of the drug-treated group. An anabolic effect on chondrocytes, resulting in the stimulation of matrix production in regions distant to the insult, was also suggested by the data. These findings support other studies which have proposed that ASU may exhibit disease-modifying anti-OA activity.

It turns out that avocado oil can also lower blood pressure, which Dr. Axe discusses followed by a study published in The Journal of the American Medical Association.

Avocado oil is a smart choice if you are looking for natural ways to lower your blood pressure or to maintain a healthy blood pressure. The monounsaturated fats found in avocado oil can have a beneficial effect on blood pressure and hence your heart when eaten in moderation and when used to replace saturated fat and trans fat in your diet.

One study published in The Journal of the American Medical Association found that in the setting of a healthful diet, partial substitution of carbohydrate with either protein or monounsaturated fat can further lower blood pressure, improve lipid levels and reduce estimated cardiovascular risk.

Here’s what the 2005 study revealed:

CONTEXT:
Reduced intake of saturated fat is widely recommended for prevention of cardiovascular disease. The type of macronutrient that should replace saturated fat remains uncertain.

OBJECTIVE:
To compare the effects of 3 healthful diets, each with reduced saturated fat intake, on blood pressure and serum lipids.

CONCLUSION:
In the setting of a healthful diet, partial substitution of carbohydrate with either protein or monounsaturated fat can further lower blood pressure, improve lipid levels, and reduce estimated cardiovascular risk.

There is also evidence that monounsaturated fatty acids can prevent the risk of coronary heart disease (CHD). Here’s a summary of the 1999 study below:

This report summarizes our current understanding of how monounsaturated fatty acids (MUFAs) affect risk for cardiovascular disease (CVD). This is a topic that has attracted considerable scientific interest,123 in large part because of uncertainty regarding whether MUFA or carbohydrate should be substituted for saturated fatty acids (SFAs) and the desirable quantity of MUFA to include in the diet.

There is epidemiological evidence that dietary MUFAs have a beneficial effect on the risk of CHD. Moreover, evidence from controlled clinical studies has shown that MUFAs favorably affect a number of risk factors for CHD, including plasma lipids and lipoproteins, factors related to thrombogenesis, in vitro LDL oxidative susceptibility (compared with PUFA), and insulin sensitivity. Compared with SFA, MUFAs lower total and LDL cholesterol levels, and relative to carbohydrate, they increase HDL cholesterol levels and decrease plasma triglyceride levels. Additional research is needed in humans and appropriate animal models to gain a better understanding of the effects of high-MUFA diets on atherogenesis. A diet high in MUFA (versus a high-carbohydrate diet) improves glycemic control in individuals with NIDDM who maintain body weight. Individuals with elevated triglycerides or insulin levels also may benefit from a high-MUFA diet.

A diet that provides as many as 15% of calories from MUFA, ≈7% from PUFA, and ≈8% from SFA maintains the total fat content of the diet at 30% of calories. This Step 1 diet meets the American Heart Association dietary guidelines for Americans.8 Diets that are higher in MUFA can be used to manage CVD risk provided they do not exceed the SFA recommendation and compromise weight control. Although a high-MUFA diet that exceeds 30% of calories from fat is not a Step 1 or Step 2 diet because it does not meet the criteria for total fat content, it nonetheless is another viable option for managing risk factors in the prevention and treatment of CHD.

This statement was approved by the American Heart Association Science Advisory and Coordinating Committee in March 1999.

A study published in the Journal of Nutrition discusses how avocado oil can help your body absorb antioxidants better. More specifically, it helps the body absorb carotenoids, which are fat-soluble and need dietary fats to be adequately absorbed in the body.

Dietary lipids are hypothesized to be an important factor for carotenoid bioavailability. However, most carotenoid-rich fruits and vegetables are low in lipids. The objective of this study was to assess whether the addition of avocado fruit as a lipid source enhances carotenoid absorption in humans. Healthy subjects (n = 11/study) were recruited for 2 crossover, postprandial studies. The effect of avocado addition (150 g) to salsa on lycopene and beta-carotene absorption was examined in Study 1, and the absorption of lutein, alpha-carotene, and beta-carotene from salad in Study 2. Furthermore, the effects of avocado dose (75 vs. 150 g containing 12 vs. 24 g lipid, respectively) and of lipid source (avocado fruit vs. avocado oil) on carotenoid absorption were examined in Study 2. Intact carotenoids were quantified in the plasma triacylglycerol-rich lipoprotein (TRL) fraction during the 9.5 h after consumption of the test meal and expressed as baseline-corrected area under the concentration-vs.-time curve (AUC). The addition of avocado to salsa enhanced lycopene and beta-carotene absorption (P < 0.003), resulting in 4.4 and 2.6 times the mean AUC after intake of avocado-free salsa, respectively. In Study 2, supplementing 150 g avocado or 24 g avocado oil to salad similarly enhanced alpha-carotene, beta-carotene, and lutein absorption (P < 0.01), resulting in 7.2, 15.3, and 5.1 times the mean AUC after intake of avocado-free salad, respectively (150 g avocado). Neither the avocado dose nor the lipid source affected carotenoid absorption. In conclusion, adding avocado fruit can significantly enhance carotenoid absorption from salad and salsa, which is attributed primarily to the lipids present in avocado.

Dr. Axe provides an excellent overview of how avocado oil can provide a body with countless benefits. Plus, not only can you use it on salads, but it’s ideal for cooking.

Avocado oil is produced from the fruit (avocado) of the avocado tree. Avocado oil is pressed from the fleshy pulp surrounding the avocado pit, making it one of the few edible oils not derived from seed. This pulp produces an oil full of healthy fats, including oleic acid and essential fatty acids.

Oils like flaxseed oil and pumpkin seed oil are very nutrient dense, but they cannot be used for cooking. The awesome thing about avocado oil is that it’s not only a superfood oil that can used in uncooked items like salads and dips, but it’s also highly recommended for cooking.

When using any oil for cooking, it is very important to consider the smoke point (the temperature at which the oil starts to be visibly smoking in the pan) of the oil. Even a healthy oil like benefit-rich olive oil becomes unhealthy when it reaches its smoke point. When an oil reaches its smoke point, the structure of the oil begins to break down, nutrients are lost, flavor is changed and most dangerously, compounds can be created that are damaging to your health. Avocado oil’s high smoke point make it a top choice in your kitchen every day of the week.

Additionally, I’ve mentioned before that you absolutely must stop using genetically modified canola oil and other highly processed and rancid oils like soybean, cottonseed and safflower oils. Avocado oil’s high level of monounsaturated fat make it a heart-nourishing replacement for these hazardous yet commonly consumed oils.

Get started on your health journey today by checking out the Body Reboot book. If you want a free copy of the Body Reboot book all you have to do is help us cover the cost of shipping! Head to this page to find out whether there are any copies left.

Sources: NCBI: Osteoarthritis Cartilage. 2000, Dr. Axe, NCBI: JAMA. 2005 Nov, AHA Journals 14 Sep 1999, NCBI: Journal of Nutrition, 2005