*lists are not exhaustive and are one-sided in that I didn't post about the negatives of which there are some with anything in life. I posted a few of the references that I used, but, it too is not complete (I surfed too many lit reviews)
Avocado Oil
Avocados can be included in the popular Mediterranean Diet as they are high in monounsaturated fats (which have been shown to help lower incidence of major cardiovascular disease by approximately 30% over 5 years in people at high risk for Cardiovascular Disease -CVD-)
But they have a plethora of wonderful components that can help with health!
a) They're loaded with fibre (~25% insoluble; ~75% soluble)
b) They have more potassium than a banana
c) They are the richest fruit source of b-sitosterol (helps with cholesterol and prostate health)
d) They contain a unique ketosugar (Mannoheptulose) which may suppress insulin secretion and promote calorie restriction
e) Oleic acid and Linoleic Acid (improved insulin sensitivity, fasting plasma glucose, blood circulation; may be beneficial in lowering body fat, reducing risk of certain cancers, reducing inflammation, immunomodulatory, help with bone growth, lowers cholesterol respectively)
f) May help reverse liver damage by promoting liver regereration
Olive Oil (Extra virgin)
Olives are also in the Mediterranean Diet. Some people as of late have been a little suspicious of olive oil's benefits but I haven't researched enough to comment during this post. So instead let's focus on the positives (because isn't that what we should all be doing in life anyway?)
a) Extremely high Oleic Acid content (may assist in synthesizing myelin generation to assist in brain function, lowers cholesterol, may increase the expression of genes involved in fat oxidation and so may help with weight loss, reduces activation of TNF-a {an inflammatory marker), alleviates some issues with diabetes and metabolic syndrome)
b) Contributes to increasing free-radical scavengers which contribute to lowering cell damage caused by things like high blood pressure and cancer
c) Potential antithrombotics by inhibiting LDL oxidation and platelet aggregation (aka may reduce risks of vessel/blood clots)
d) May have moderate to but significant reduction in development of colon cancer (potentially attributed to arachidonic acid and PGE2 synthesis)
e) May help reduce risk of breast, ovarian, endometrium, lung, pancras, oro-pharynx cancers (studies are limited)
f) Lowers cholesterol
Coconut Oil
Coconut oil is more or less perceived as the miracle worker in fat world now a days. I'm sure there are plenty more than what I have listed, but here are a few that I found so far.
a) Contains Conjucated linoleic acid (CLA) which has been found to reduce body fat and increase lipolysis
b) Great for peripheral assistance (moisturizer for Hair, & skin due to lipophilic nature is more easily absorbed than water-soluble moisturizers)
c) May improve neuronal survival (aka: help prevent alzheimers)
d) Medium Chain Triglycerides (MCTs) - metabolized quickly (used for energy) rather than stored, may increase total energy expenditure, may reduce appetite by stimulating ketone body production
e) Contains Lauric Acid which may be helpful in preventing infection
f) Improves cholesterol profile (reduces risk of CVD)
g) ?Natural laxative, particularly those with Irritable Bowel Syndrome
So What Do You Do With Them?
These oils are very easy to incorporate into your life. Instead of butter, I use coconut oil. When cooking I use avocado oil (the smoking temperature is higher than olive oil so is better for frying or cooking things in the oven), and with salads I'll often use olive oil.
Try them out! Let me know what you think! :)
References:
-Avila et al. (2015). Avocado oil improves mitochondrial function and decreases oxidative stress in brain of diabetic rats. J Diabetes Res. doi:1155/2015/485759
-Avila et al. (2015). Protective effects of dietary avocado oil on impaired electron transport chain function and exacerbated oxidative stress in liver mitochondria from diabetic rats. J Bioenerg Biomembr, 47(40): 337-53.
-Carvajal-Zarrabel, O. et al. (2014). Effect of dietary intake of avocado oil and olive oil in biochemical markers of liver function in sucrose-fed rats. Biomed Research International, Article ID 595479
-Ippagunta, S. et al. (2011). Dietary conjugated linoleic acid induces lipolysis in adipose tissue of coconut oil-fed mice but not soy oil-fed mice. Lipids, 46(9) 821-30.
-Martin-Moreno, J. (2000). The role of olive oil in lowering cancer risk: is this real gold or simply pinchbeck? J Epidemiology Community Health, 54:726-727.
-Nafar, F, Mearow, KM. (2014). Cconut oil attenuates the effects of amyloid-b on cortical neurons in vitro. K Alzheimers Dis, 39(2): 233-7.
-Visiolo, F, Galli, C. (2000). Olive oil: More than just oleic acid, Am J Clin Nutr, 72(3), 853
-Wang, Li. et al. (2015). Effect of a moderate fat diet with and without avocados on lipoprotein particle number, size and subclasses in overweight and obese adults: a randomized, controlled trial. J Am Heart Assoc.
