Flourish with Food: All About Avocado Oil

Flourish with Food: Avocado Oil in the News

A recent online Washington Post eye-popping headline read, “Why your avocado oil may be fake and contain other cheap oils.” Why should you care? Truth in labeling!

Avocado oil has become increasingly popular as a healthy oil choice in the kitchen and in processed foods to promote the product’s healthfulness. This popularity is due to the “health halo” around the avocado, which is rich in heart-healthy monounsaturated fat, antioxidants and vitamin E. Interestingly, olive and avocado oils are almost nutritionally identical.

Back to the research: Scientists at the University of California at Davis tested 39 store-brand avocado oils from large grocery chains for purity. Almost 2/3 of 39 bottles sampled were “adulterated” with cheaper vegetable or seed oils. Why? Avocado oil is expensive to produce. Less expensive vegetable oils are added to lower the shelf price. This practice could be harmful for those who have food sensitivities.

This research on store-branded avocado oil was conducted in 2021. At the time, the large grocery chains confirmed the company’s reliance on testing done by the suppliers of the oils bottled under their name. What steps have been taken by the retailers to address these findings in the years since?

Locally available store-brand avocado oils that tested as pure avocado oil in 2021: 365 (Whole Foods), Simple Truth (Kroger/King Soopers) and Good and Gather (Target).

Key article takeaways:

Store-brand avocado oils are likely lower quality “refined” (highly processed) oil. Refined oil begins with lower quality avocados.

Higher quality, ripe avocados are used for “unrefined” (minimally/naturally processed) avocado oil. Virgin, extra virgin and/or cold-pressed wording is usually found on the label.

Low-priced avocado oils in the market are more likely to be adulterated with less expensive vegetable oils.

The FDA needs to develop “standards of identify” for avocado oil, as done years ago for many common foods such as milk, ice cream, jam and peanut butter.

Two independent reviews of avocado oil brands (not store brands) and buying guidance for:

https://www.thespruceeats.com/best-avocado-oils-5083218
https://reviews.chicagotribune.com/food-drink/oils/best-avocado-oils