Avocado oil 'can help battle the signs of ageing'
Avocado oil may have anti-ageing and health boosting properties similar to those found in olive oil, researchers have found. Experiments on yeast showed that avocado oil was effective against mitochondrial free radicals, which destroy cell proteins and even DNA. Anti-oxidiants in fruits and vegetables are ineffective at killing off free radicals but fat pressed from avocado oil was found to work.
Avocado oil is similar in composition to olive oil, consumption of which is associated with unusually low levels of chronic disease in some Mediterranean countries. The Mediterranean diet, of lots of fresh food and olive oil, is often deemed the healthiest in the world by reports, due to its effectiveness at preventing heart disease and lowering the risk of some cancers.
Christopher Cortes-Rojo, from the University Michoacana de San Nicolas de Hidalgo in Morelia, Mexico, says mitochondria free radicals kills off cells.
"These results could be attributed to the fact that avocado oil caused accelerated respiration in mitochondria, which indicate that the use of nutrients for producing energy for cell functions remains effective even in cells attacked by free radicals," said Mr Cortes-Rojo. “Olive oil has a fat composition similar to that found in avocado oil. Therefore, avocado oil could eventually be referred to as the olive oil of the Americas."
