In the past, most people used vegetable oils such as canola and palm oil for cooking. However, as more people are more aware of healthier options, there is a shift towards the use of olive oil and avocado oil. This shift is not surprising as both of these oils are among-st the healthiest oils you can use for your cooking with so many benefits. When it comes down to just one choice, you might wonder what the similarities are and differences between these two oils. In this article, the similarities and difference between the two will be explored.
How is Olive Oil Made?
Olive oil is produced from pressed olives. There are several forms of olive oil such as pure, extra virgin and virgin olive oil. For virgin and extra virgin forms, they are extracted through the method of cold-pressing. For pure olive oil, it contains a blend of refined and cold-pressed oil which are both extracted through heat or use of chemicals.Here is complete article on how to make olive oil.
Is Olive Oil Good for You?
Olive oil is suitable for frying and dipping. It can also be used for pasta and salad. Among some of the top benefits include lowering the risk of some forms of cancer and improving blood sugar and cholesterol levels.
How is Avocado Oil Made?
Avocado oil is usually made by pressing the fruit of the avocado tree. This fruit contains around 60% of oil. The avocado tree originates from Central America. However, it is now being grown in various countries such as the United States, New Zealand and South Africa.
Compared to olive oil, there are only two main types of avocado oil which are refined or unrefined avocado oil. The cold-pressing method produces the unrefined version, which helps maintain its natural color and flavor. As for refined avocado oil, it is extracted with the use of heat and chemical solvents occasionally. As the refined version is bleached and deodorized, it is less flavorful.
Is Avocado Oil Good for You?
Avocado oil is commonly used for both cooking and skincare purposes. Researches have shown avocado oil has various health benefits, including reducing bad cholesterol (LDL) and triglyceride levels.
The Benefits Comparison
Antioxidant Content Comparison
Both olive oil and avocado oil contain powerful antioxidants, especially Vitamin E.
However, olive oil comes out on top as one study shows olive oil contains almost 50% more DV of Vitamin E for every tablespoon (33% in olive oil versus 23% in avocado oil).
Olive and avocado also contain lutein, which is another antioxidant that is known to maintain eye and skin health. The high concentration of lutein in both of these oils can protect skin from harmful UV rays.
Skin Health Benefits Comparison
Due to their fatty acid, vitamin E and lutein contents, both olive oil and avocado oil are beneficial for the skin.
Avocado oil can help soothe dry and damaged skin. It can also help in the treatment of psoriasis. A researched conducted found that the application of topical cream containing avocado oil improved psoriasis symptoms.
On the other hand, olive oil can prevent infections and help heal cuts and burns.
The Smoke Point Comparison
All cooking oil have different smoke points. The smoke point is the point in temperature whereby the oil starts to degrade and release harmful free radicals. These free radicals can damage the human body.
The smoke point of olive oil is above 191°C while the smoke point of avocado oil is 250°C. This means that avocado oil does not burn and smoke as quickly as olive oil.
For most cooking purposes, including frying, both are perfectly suitable. But for specific cooking methods requiring higher temperatures such as grilling or searing, avocado is ideal due to its higher smoke point.
Nutrient Absorption Comparison
Both avocado and oil olive can help your body absorb nutrients due to their high levels of mono saturated fats.
For carotenoids which is an antioxidant found in fruits and vegetables, they are best absorbed when consumed with high-fat foods such as these oils. This is because antioxidants such as carotenoids are fat-soluble.
In one research, the absorption of carotenoids from vegetables significantly increased when they were consumed together with avocado oil.
In another research, the research found that olive oil mixed with tomato juice helped increased the absorption of the carotenoid lycopene.
In The Nutshell
In a nutshell, while both of these oils are highly beneficial to your health, your choice would ultimately come down to the purpose you are using it for.
If you need an oil for soothing your skin, you might want to consider avocado oil. However, for most other purposes, olive oil is most likely the better option.
Olive oil is excellent for cooking as besides all the health benefits it provides, it also tastes good. This is why various dishes use olive oil as the primary natural seasoning ingredient such as the “Spaghetti Aglio e Olio” which is a spaghetti using olive oil complemented with garlic and parsley.