HAVE YOU TRIED AVOCADO OIL?

It is one of the few edible oils not derived from seeds - it is in fact, pressed from the pulp surrounding the nut of the avocado which produces an oil full of healthy fats, including oleic acid and essential fatty acids plus vitamin E and regular consumption of these healthy fats have been linked to normalising blood pressure, improving arthritis symptoms, playing a beneficial part in skin problems, helping to lower cholesterol levels, supporting nutrient absorption and augmenting anti-inflammatory activity.

Why am I a fan? Well, aside from all the above… it tastes damn good! Try a small bowl of avocado oil and balsamic vinegar with some crunchy, fresh bread for dunking (THE BEST!!!) or splash a good load onto your pasta with whichever sauce you fancy just before diving in or make salad dressings with it or give your soups or stews an extra something by drizzling over before serving… a bottle doesn’t last long in my house!

And another bonus… it’s smoke point is a top choice for a cooking oil. The smoke point of an oil is the temperature at which the oil starts to visibly smoke in the pan. When an oil reaches its smoke point, the structure of the oil begins to break down, nutrients are lost, flavour is changed and free radical compounds can be created that can be damaging to your health.

Avocado oil’s high smoke point, which is estimated to be between 270-300°C, makes it a good choice for cooking as well as dunking, dressing and drizzling. Here are a few recipes that certainly merit the addition of avocado oil!