As if all the benefits of avocado were not enough, it is also possible to extract a homemade avocado oil from the pulp or peel of the fruit.
Avocados are one of the best sources of healthy dietary fat. It also provides nutrients such as vitamins, minerals and antioxidants essential for health.
The oil obtained from the fruit is rich in oleic acid, an unsaturated fatty acid of the omega 9 type that lowers LDL cholesterol levels (bad cholesterol) and is good for the heart.
In addition, avocado oil (or olive oil) offers many nutrients and active compounds such as lutein, a carotenoid with antioxidant action that benefits vision.
In fact, taking lutein can lower the risk of eye diseases such as cataracts and macular degeneration.
Avocado oil is also a great anti-inflammatory and wound-healing and nourishes the skin and hair. Hence, it is found in many cosmetic products.
There are several ways to extract avocado oil. Here are some ways to get your homemade avocado oil and choose your favorite one.
How to Make Homemade Avocado Oil
Certainly, you can find avocado oil for sale with ease. But how about making your homemade oil? All of the recipes suggested below yield about 25 mL of avocado oil.
Recipe 1 – using oven heat
Ingredients
- 2 medium ripe avocados
Method of preparation
In this recipe, you will need to use your oven. Start by cutting the avocados in half and spreading the fruit pulp on a baking sheet. After kneading and spreading well, take the avocado pulp to the oven at a temperature of 50ºC and let it bake for 5 hours. When the pulp is dark brown, it means it is ready for the next step.
Turn off the heat and remove the baking sheet from the oven. Then scrape all the avocado from the tin and transfer it to a container.
Once the pulp has cooled slightly, use a clean, dry cotton cloth to strain the pulp and extract the avocado oil. Do this by squeezing the pulp into the cloth and collecting the oil in a glass container with an airtight lid.
Recipe 2 – using solar heat
Ingredients
- 2 medium ripe avocados
Method of preparation
First, cut the avocados in half. Then, remove all the pulp from the fruit and spread it on a baking sheet. Knead the pulp well so that you have a very thin layer and leave the pan exposed to the sun for 5 days or until all the pulp is dry.
After that time, the avocado pulp will turn dark brown and at this time you can scrape the contents of the pan and transfer all the pulp into a bowl.
Then use a clean, dry cotton cloth to squeeze the pulp from the avocado. To do this, place the pulp in the center of the cloth, hold the cloth by the ends and squeeze as much as possible. You can collect avocado oil in a clean, dry glass container.
Finally, just close the container tightly and store your homemade avocado oil in a cool place.
Recipe 3 – Oil taken from the avocado peel
Ingredients
- 12 avocados
Method of preparation
After sanitizing the fruits, only separate the skins. The pulps can be used in a guacamole recipe or a smoothie.
To get the avocado oil out of the fruit skins, you will need a juicer to press down on the skin well and get the oil. After extracting as much oil as you can, you can use a coffee filter to separate the oil from the avocado peel residue. This process can take some time, so you can leave the oil filtering overnight.
The next day, store the oil obtained in a closed container.
Recipe 4 – using a pan (faster option)
Ingredients
- 2 medium ripe avocados
Method of preparation
Cut the fruit in half and remove all the pulp with the help of a spoon. Then place the pulps in a blender or food processor and blend well until you get an “avocado puree”.
Now, place the beaten pulp in a medium saucepan and bring to medium heat to cook. With the help of a spatula, stir the avocado pulp at least every 5 minutes so that it does not stick to the bottom of the pan. Once the mixture comes to a boil, you will notice the avocado oil separating from the mixture and rising to the surface of the pan.
Keep stirring until the mixture turns a brown or dark green color. Then, turn off the heat and transfer the contents of the pan to a bowl.
Allow it to cool a little and start straining the mixture. To do this, use a thin, clean cloth to wrap the paste. Hand-squeeze enough to extract all the avocado oil. Store oil in a container with a lid.
How to Use Homemade Avocado Oil
The beauty of avocado oil is that it can be used either orally or topically. In your food, for example, you can add a tablespoon of oil in various preparations, including vitamins, salads and cold dishes recipes.
Because it has a high smoke point (estimated at least 250°C), avocado oil can be used to cook at high temperatures without losing its properties or generating free radicals during cooking. As such, it is excellent for sauteing, grilling or roasting food.
You can also apply avocado oil to your skin or hair for hydration and strengthening.
On the skin, you can apply avocado oil to your face to massage it. After 15 minutes of action, rinse your face with warm water.
You can also apply avocado oil to the rest of your body before bed to leave your skin feeling soft and hydrated.
Finally, if you want to moisturize your hair with avocado oil, heat 3 to 5 tablespoons of the oil in a water bath or for a few seconds in the microwave until it’s warm.
Then use the oil to massage your scalp. Leave on for a few hours or while you sleep and wash afterwards. In addition to moisturizing, avocado oil can help treat dandruff. To see more post on Beauty & Skin Care click here.
Have you ever thought about making your own avocado oil? Comment below!
