Avocados, otherwise known as an alligator pear, because of their shape and color, contain an incredible amount of essential nutrients, including vitamins, minerals, and anti-oxidants. As well as being delicious to eat, avocados are used in many health and beauty products including hair conditioners, face creams, and bath oils, to name but a few.
You can’t ignore avocados, they taste great, they do you good and they can make you look gorgeous too. Here are 25 things you may not have known about avocados:
1. Anti-aging avocado
Benefits of avocado include anti-aging. Avocado is an amazing treatment that helps reduce wrinkles. Not only you can apply mashed avocado flesh to your skin as a facial mask, but also, when you eat avocado, it will help fight the aging process from within. Everyone wants to keep their youthful good looks for as long, as possible and eating avocados can help. The antioxidants in the fruit will help to detoxify your body and help to reduce the appearance of wrinkles, making your skin more supple and plump.
2. Drink avocado juice for healthy skin
For a healthy and glowing complexion, drink a cup of avocado juice a day and it will nourish and protect your skin from the inside out. How to make avocado juice? Mix one ripe avocado with a cup of milk in your blender, add some honey if you like it sweet, and enjoy wonderful refreshing drink full of healthy nutrients. Avocados are rich in vitamins, as we’ve already mentioned before, which will help to re-invigorate dull and dry skin and make it look glowing with health!
3. Avocado revitalizes your scalp
The list of benefits of avocado for hair is quite long. As well as being a superb way to treat dry hair, avocados can also be used to treat a dry and itchy scalp. How to use avocado for hair? Massage some mashed up avocado into your scalp and amino acids and proteins will penetrate your scalp and help to heal, nourish, and improve the overall condition of your scalp and hair.
4. Avocado is a wonderful frizzy hair treatment
The natural oils and nutrients of avocado make it a great treatment for damaged and frizzy hair. Mash up half an avocado (or use your blender), add two tablespoons of avocado oil, and massage it into your hair and scalp. Leave on for around fifteen minutes before shampooing and your unruly hair will be smooth and more controllable. If you have coarse, frizzy hair, warm up a couple of drops of avocado oil between your hands and apply to the ends of your hair, it will not only help fight split ends and add shine but also will change your hair from frizzy to manageable.
5. Avocado dandruff treatment
Benefits of avocado for hair also include dandruff treatment. The whole of the avocado fruit has its uses, even the seeds. The seeds of the fruit can be made into a powder that has been used for many years in some countries, as a natural dandruff treatment.
6. Avocado hair mask for shiny hair
Mash one ripe avocado and mix it with one egg yolk, add one tablespoon of coconut oil and massage the mixture into your hair and scalp, leave in for 15-20 minutes, then shampoo and condition. This hair mask will soften brittle and dry hair, will add luster and shine.
7. Avocado helps to reduce bad breath
Bad breath often emanates, not from your mouth, but from your stomach. If you drink avocado juice, it will both cleanse your mouth and your intestine and help to remove the microbes that are the cause of bad breath.
8. Avocado oil works as a natural sunscreen
You can use avocado oil as a natural sunscreen and a soothing ointment for sunburnt skin. The oil will help to protect your skin from the harmful UVA and UVB rays, and natural soothing and healing properties of the ointment will restore the damage, caused to skin by spending too long in the sun. Avocado oil will also protect your skin from environmental damage, thanks to a high content of anti-oxidants.
9. Avocado treats skin conditions
The healthy fats in avocados will moisturize your skin and reduce any inflammation. The oils of avocado are very closely matched to the natural oils in your skin, so it will nourish and help protect your skin from the rigors of the day too. Just mash one ripe avocado and apply it to your face and neck as a mask for 5-10 minutes, then wash off and enjoy beautiful, healthy, and glowing skin.
10. Nourishing and rejuvenating body lotion
Apply one ripe, mashed avocado mixed with a tablespoon of avocado oil (or olive oil) to your skin, while in the shower, especially concentrate on the rough, troublesome and dry areas, like your heels and elbows, leave on for about 5 minutes, then wash off and feel the difference; it will help to nourish and rejuvenate your skin and leave it feeling soft and supple.
11. Avocado and cucumber refreshing face mask
Thanks to the moisturizing, nourishing, and hydrating benefits of avocado, the fruit can be used in various homemade face masks. Mix avocado and cucumber in equal proportions in your blender and apply to your face and neck for a quick ‘pick me up’ facial treatment; after doing this mask just 2 or 3 times a week you will see a wonderful difference it will make to your skin – softer, fresher and more beautiful skin with almost no effort.
12. Avocado and aloe vera nourishing facial treatment
Mash half a ripe avocado, add a tablespoon of aloe vera gel, and a tablespoon of avocado oil (you can use olive oil instead); apply this face mask to your face for 5-10 minutes, and then wash off with lots of water. Thanks to the vitamins and nutrients of these natural ingredients your skin will feel nourished, rejuvenated, and moisturized.
13. Avocado treats dehydrated skin
The benefits of avocado for treating various skin conditions are many, this is why it is widely used in so many commercial creams and balms. It is extremely good for treating very dry, aging, and dehydrated skin. Avocado oil has amazing moisturizing abilities and it will provide you with a deep and long-lasting re-hydration of dry skin. Just warm up a couple of drops of avocado oil between your hands and apply to your already cleansed skin every night before going to bed; already after a couple of days you will notice the difference, your skin will become soft, hydrated and glowing. (Quick note: avoid applying avocado oil to your skin if your skin is oily, as avocado oil is very nourishing and can cause breakouts).
14. Avocado hand scrub
To exfoliate and moisturize your hands, mix some mashed avocado with some finely ground oats or sugar and, then rub gently into your hands and leave on for about 5 minutes, then wash off without soap. The mixture will gently remove the dead skin cells from your hands and will moisturize and nourish, leaving your hands feeling silky smooth.
15. Homemade avocado facial cleanser
Clean all the dirt and grime from your face with a simple recipe of avocado, honey, and some milk. Mix together these three ingredients into a lotion-like consistency (or use your blender to create a paste) and then use it as a facial cleanser. It will clean and nourish your skin, clear out your pores and give you back that fresh and youthful look.
16. Calming and soothing shaving cream
Did you know that you can use the flesh of avocado as a wonderful calming and soothing shaving cream? Well, in certain countries it’s a very popular treatment. So, next time you run out of your usual shaving product, you know what to do, right?!
17. Strong nails with avocado oil
Massage your nails and cuticles with avocado oil every evening and already after a couple of days, you will notice that your nails will become stronger and healthier.
18. It lowers cholesterol
Avocado makes the perfect, heart-friendly snack. The fruit is rich in antioxidants and healthy fats that can lower the cholesterol levels in your body and keep your cardiovascular system in good working order.
19. Avocado improves the digestion
Health benefits of avocado include better digestion. Eating avocado can help you to absorb the nutrients that your body needs to function more effectively. They provide a general boost to your digestive system and can help prevent constipation too, making you more regular.
20. One of the best foods to eat while pregnant
Avocado is a wonderful food for pregnant ladies, as it’s loaded with folic acid, which is very important for forming baby’s nervous system, as well as the brain; also, avocado contains vitamin C, K and B6, folate, potassium, and fiber, so eat delicious avocados and get your vitamins the natural and healthy way.
21. Helps stop the development of some cancers
Health benefits of avocado also include cancer prevention. Research has found that avocados can help to prevent the growth of certain cancerous cells. The oleic acid found in the fruit has been found to help prevent the growth of breast cancer cells and it has been shown to be effective in preventing cancers of the mouth too.
22. Can be an aid in the treatment of diabetes
Avocados can be a good way to help regulate your blood sugar levels. The good fats in the fruit have been shown to reduce insulin resistance in your body and the soluble fiber that avocados contain help to regulate blood sugar levels.
23. Reduce high blood pressure
Health benefits of avocado also include high blood pressure reduction. Avocados contain potassium and plenty of good fats, which can help people who suffer from high blood pressure. If you do suffer from hypertension, try drinking avocado juice, it has been proven to help. Keep in mind that freshly made avocado juice is a lot better than one from a package!
24. Avocado protects your eyes
The carotenoid lutein found in avocado, which is essential to help protect you against age-related macular degeneration and cataracts, is far higher in concentration in avocados, than in any other fruit.
25. Avocado – It’s a true superfood!
Quite simply, avocado is full of nutrients, vitamins, and various minerals that your body really needs; the health benefits of avocado are truly numerous and therefore, it deserves its reputation as a superfood. It’s so good that it is often recommended as baby food and, in parts of South America, where the fruit grows naturally, it said that where there is avocado there is no famine!