15 Surprising Benefits of Avocado for Skin, Hair and Health

15 Surprising Benefits of Avocado for Skin, Hair and Health – Do you eat avocados? If not, you must do without wasting any more time. If you are wondering why, then check out this article on amazing benefits of avocado for our skin, hair and health. Avocados are very popular in Mexico and has been a part of their diet since long. The word ‘avocado’ is believed to have derived from Aztec word ‘ahucatl’, which actually means testicles and it describes the shape of the fruit! Well, it is a pear shaped fruit and it comes with a myriad of benefits for our health as well as beauty. It is often said that, An avocado a day, keeps the cardiologist away! Without wasting anymore time, lets find out the 15 amazing benefits of avocado for skin, hair and health.
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Before we start exploring the benefits of avocado, let’s first check out the origin and history of Avocado.

Facts about Avocado

There has been evidence of Avocado consumption in Mexico that dates back to 10,000 years ago. According to researchers, humans began avocado cultivation almost 5000 years ago. Meso-american tribes like the Inca, the Olmec and the Maya used to grow avocado trees. During 16th century, Spanish became the first European to consume avocado. They used to call the fruit ‘aguacate’, and not avocado. The Spanish were responsible for bringing Avocado to Europe and then sold them to other countries including England.

It is believed that Sir Hans Sloane, an Irish naturalist, is the first one to have coined the word “avocado” in 1696. In 1833, a horticulturist named Henry Perrine, first planted avocados in Florida. However, it wasn’t until the 1950’s that avocados became popular throughout the USA and people started putting them in salads.
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Avocado tree belongs to the flowering plant family ‘Lauraceae’. The tree grows to 20 mt and has alternatively arranged leaves that are normally 12-25 cm long. The term ‘Avocado’ actually refers to the pear shaped fruit which is 7-20 cm long, weighs between 100 to 1000g and has a large seed in the middle. Tropical and Mediterranean climates are ideal for cultivating Avocado. And this climate condition is available in countries like climate conditions are available in southern and eastern Spain, Morocco, the Levant, South Africa, Venezuela, Colombia, Peru, parts of central and northern Chile, Vietnam, Indonesia, parts of southern India, Sri Lanka, Australia, New Zealand, the Philippines, Malaysia, Central America, the Caribbean, Mexico, southern California, Arizona, Puerto Rico, Texas, Florida, Hawaii, Ecuador etc.

Avocado, also known as ‘Nature’s Butter’, is an excellent source of over 20 vitamins and minerals which includes vitamin B, C, E and K, riboflavin, niacin, folate, pantothenic acid, magnesium, potassium, lutein, beta-carotene, omega-3 fatty acids as well as anti-aging antioxidants.

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Avocados in Different Languages

  • Avocado in English
  • Makhanphal in Hindi
  • Venna Pandu in Telugu
  • Vennai pazham in Tamil
  • Vennapazham in Malayalam
  • Benne Hannu in Kannada
  • Alpukat in Marathi
  • Kul-naspati in Bengali
  • Rujira in Gujarati

15 Surprising Benefits of Avocado for Skin, Hair and Health

So, there you have the origin, history and few interesting facts about Avocado. Now, lets talk about the best uses and the benefits of avocado for skin, hair and health.

1. Avocado delays Aging of Skin

2. Treat Acne using Avocado

3. Avocado for Skin Brightening

4. Avocado as a Natural Sunscreen

5. Avocado for Nourishing Dry Skin

6. Use Avocado as a Conditioner

7. Avocado Helps to Get Rid of Dandruff

8. Treat Dry and Frizzy Hair using Avocado

9. Avocado to Enhance Hair Growth

10. Avocado Helps in Digestion

11. Avocado for Better Vision

12. Avocado for Healthy Heart

13. Treat Arthritis using Avocados

14. Avocado Fights Depression

15. Avocado Keeps Liver Healthy

Benefits of Avocado for Skin

We will first talk about the most amazing Benefits of Avocado for our skin.

1. Avocado delays Aging of Skin

Why to use avocado for anti aging

While listing all the benefits of avocado for skin, its anti aging properties should come at the top of the list. Avocado is a great natural source of Vitamin A which helps to treat dry and flaky skin. It is also a great source of glutamine (antioxidant), Vitamin C as well as copper which boosts collagen production. As we all know, collagen, along with elastin, helps to maintain skin firmness and preserve its youthfulness. Avocados also contain oleic acid. It is a mono saturated fatty acid that has amazing moisturizing qualities to keep the skin soft and supple.

How to use avocado to treat premature aging

  • The best way to reap the anti aging benefits of avocado is by using avocado face mask. Add few drops of honey to mashed avocado and spread this face mask all over the face. Let it sit for 20 minutes and then, rinse off with luke warm water. This combination of honey and avocado works like a magic for aging skin. It makes the face look fresh and youthful.
  • Alternatively, you can also combine together 1 tsp coconut oil with (one) mashed avocado. Apply onto the face and let it sit for 30 minutes. Wash off. This is actually a night time skin care routine. Doing this on every alternate night will soften the skin and also make you look more youthful over time.

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2. Treat Acne using Avocado

Why use avocado to treat acne

Acne is one such problem that troubles almost all of us. But thankfully, nature has got some amazing acne treating ingredients, and avocado is one among them. The vitamin E benefits of avocado helps to fight with the acne causing bacteria as well as fades the acne scars. Mono-saturated fats in avocado helps to nourish and moisturize the skin while its anti inflammatory properties gives relief from the swelling and also the redness of acne. Also, avocado can regulate the production of excess oil by our sebaceous glands.

How to use avocado to fight acne

Below we are going to discuss how to reap this anti acne benefits of avocado.

  • Simply scoop out the flesh from one avocado and mash it with the back of a fork. Make sure there is no lump in the paste. Spread a layer of this on the face and then let it dry completely. Rinse off with water and repeat this process everyday to get rid of acne.
  • Alternatively, you can also add lemon juice and honey to mashed avocado. Mash one avocado in the same way mentioned above. To this add 1-2 tsp fresh lemon juice, 1 tsp honey and 4 tsp warm water. Mix well and massage it in a circular motion on the affected areas. Let it sit for 15-20 minutes. Wash off with cold water, pat dry the skin and apply oil free moisturizer. Repeat this face mask 3-4 times in a week to reap this benefits of avocado.

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3. Avocado for Skin Brightening

Why to use avocado for skin brightening

Next on our list of benefits of avocado for skin comes this one. Avocado contains loads of vitamin, specially vitamin E, which is known for its ability to solve uneven complexion issues and also make skin naturally radiant. Also, avocado contains an anti oxidant component known as glutathione, which is known to lower melanin levels in our skin. This in turn, helps in getting clearer complexion.
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How to use avocado for skin brightening

Check out below how to reap this benefits of avocado –

  • Take 2-3 avocados and cut them in half. Discard the seeds and scoop out the flesh. Mash the flesh and add a quarter of a cup of raw honey to the avocado pulp. Mix both the ingredients together and here is your DIY skin brightening face mask ready to use. You can transfer this to a jar, keep it in the fridge and use it for the next 3-5 days. Simply massage this mixture on to the face, wait for 15 minutes and then use cold water to remove the mask.
  • Alternatively, you can make your own skin brightening face mask by mixing papaya pulp to 1 boiled avocado pulp. Add Shea butter and honey to the mixture. Give it good mix and spread it on the skin. Let it sit for few minutes and then wash off with cold water. Regular application will brighten the skin over time.
  • Mash half of an avocado. To the avocado pulp, add juice of half lemon, 3-5 tbsp of coarse sea salt and mix everything well. Apply to freshly cleansed skin and massage it all over the face and neck for at least couple of minutes. Wash off and reveal your fresh bright skin. Here the salt works as a natural scrub while the citric acid present in lemon helps to brighten the complexion.

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4. Avocado as a Natural Sunscreen

Why to use avocado as a sunscreen

Avocado is a great natural sunscreen. Avocado oil contains lot of healthy fatty acids as well as high number of natural vitamins. According to research, polyhydroxylated fatty alcohols, which is a type of fat present in avocado can reduce the harmful effects of sun radiation as well as skin inflammation. Also, vitamin C and E plays a vital role in protecting our skin from sun damage. Avocado contains both of them. Vitamin C can fight UVA damage while vitamin E has the ability to prevent the damage done by UVB rays.
Check – 5 Affordable Best Sunscreens for All Skin Types

How to use avocado as sunscreen

  • As a sunscreen – Avocado oil acts as a great sunscreen. It has the highest amount of natural SPF among other vegetable oils. Also it is high in palmitic acid content which is why avocado oil gets easily absorbed by human skin. It forms a protective layer on the skin that guards it from sun damage and other external influences.
  • To treat sunburned skin – Mix together 1/2 ripe avocado pulp and 1 tbsp each of honey and plain yogurt. Also add some lemon juice and few drops of your favorite essential oil. Mix all the ingredients together to prepare a mask. Wash your face with warm water and apply the face mask all over the face. Let it sit for 15 minutes and then wash off with cold water. Follow it up with toner and moisturizer. This is one of the most amazing benefits of avocado for our skin.

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5. Avocado for Nourishing Dry Skin

Why to use avocado to nourish dry skin

This is one of the best benefits of avocado for skin. Vitamin A helps to treat dry and flaky skin. Also the vitamin E and the potassium present in avocado work as natural moisturizer for dry skin. Oleic acid benefits of avocado keepS the skin soft and supple. Plus, the vitamin B in avocado also soothes dry and inflamed skin as well as boosts cell metabolism.

How to use avocado to nourish dry skin

  • Take one ripe avocado and mash it. Add 1 tbsp olive oil to it and mix well. Apply a thick layer over dry skin and wait for 5 minutes. Wash off with luke warm water and follow this procedure at least 3 times in a week.
  • You can also mix together avocado oil and brown sugar to create your face scrub to make use of this benefits of avocado. Put 1 tbsp brown sugar in 1 tbsp avocado oil. Massage this on the dry areas of the skin in circular motions for 3-4 minutes. Wait for another 5 minutes and also rinse off with luke warm water. For best results, use twice in a week.
  • Here is another effective way to reap this benefits of avocado. Mash 1/4th of a ripe avocado and add a tsp plain yogurt to it. Then mix the ingredients nicely to form a smooth paste. Apply on the skin and wait for 10-15 minutes. Wash off with cold water. Reapply thrice a week for best results.

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Benefits of Avocado for Hair

So we have already talked about various benefits of avocado for skin. Lets now check out what are the main benefits of avocado for hair.

6. Use Avocado as a Conditioner

Why to use avocado as natural conditioner

We are starting our list of benefits of avocado for hair with this one. Avocado is full of mono saturated fatty acids as well as natural oils that are very effective in treating dry hair. Furthermore, the amino acids of avocado protects hair from damage and prevent hair breakage.
Check – 25 Best Tips for Long Hair & Effective Remedy for Short Hair

How to use avocado as natural conditioner

You need to use avocado oil in order to enjoy this benefits of avocado for hair. Mash 1 avocado and add this to 1 mashed banana. Mix it well so that there is no lump in it. To this add 1 tbsp each of avocado oil, coconut oil as well as honey. Apply this hair mask on to the hair and wait for 20 minutes at least. Wash off with warm water and then use a herbal shampoo to get rid of the traces of the mask. This is a great protein rich hair treatment containing all the benefits of avocado.

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7. Avocado Helps to Get Rid of Dandruff

Why to use avocado to treat dandruff

Here comes another massive benefits of avocado for hair. Avocado oil is very moisturizing. When applied on the scalp, it gets absorbed quickly and also keeps the scalp well moisturized. This in turn, prevents dryness and flakiness of scalp and keeps dandruff at bay.

How to use avocado to fight dandruff

You need to use an avocado hot oil treatment to reap this benefits of avocado. In a bowl, add 1 tbsp avocado oil and 2 tbsp olive oil. Now warm it up a bit. When the oil mixture feels warm to the touch, remove from the heat and add 3-4 drops of tea tree essential oil. Give it a stir. Apply this oil mixture all over the scalp and let it sit for 1-2 hours. After that, wash it off with a chemical free shampoo.

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8. Avocado Treats Dry and Frizzy Hair

Why to use avocado to treat frizzy hair

Next on our list of benefits of avocado for hair comes this one. Avocado is rich is fatty acids which prevents moisture loss when used on hair. The large amount of vitamins and minerals present in avocado help to nourish the scalp and the hair follicles. It also contains vitamin E which acts as a powerful anti oxidant that prevents hair loss by the free radicals.

How to use avocado to treat dry and frizzy hair

This is how to reap the benefits of avocado for hair –

Chop and blend 1 avocado and prepare a smooth paste. To this, add 1/4 cup of warm distilled water and blend it again to get a uniform consistency. Further, add 4 tsp baking soda to the mixture and then mix well. This is your DIY avocado shampoo. Moreover, pour it over your hair and then massage the hair and scalp for 1-2 minutes. Rinse thoroughly. Also, use this treatment twice a week to get rid of frizzy hair.

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9. Avocado to Enhance Hair Growth

Why to use avocado for hair growth

We often lose our sleep over hair loss. Its a very common yet a very serious issue. Thankfully you can treat hair loss problem with avocado. Avocado contains high amount of vitamin B as well as E which protect the hair cells and strengthen the hair. Moreover, Vitamin B is vital for hair growth while vitamin E can keep our scalp healthy. The mono saturated fatty acids present in avocado oil can nourish and strengthen dry and damaged hair strands and thus prevents hair loss due to breakage.

How to use avocado for hair growth

Check out how you can enjoy this benefits of avocado.

Make your hair mask by mixing together 1 chopped avocado, 1 egg yolk and water. You can simply put them in a blender and prepare a paste. Apply this hair mask on damp hair and also massage in to the hair as well as scalp. Let it sit for 20 minutes and then rinse off with warm water. Follow up with a chemical free shampoo.

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Benefits of Avocado for Health

So, we have already explored the various benefits of avocado for our skin and hair. Now, lets find out the benefits of avocado for our health.

10. Avocado Helps in Digestion

Why avocado helps in digestion

Avocado contains both soluble and insoluble fibers which helps our digestive system to work better. These fibers actually ensures smooth flow of food through the intestinal tract. Also, they can stimulate the digestive juices which allow better absorption of nutrients from the food. In fact, the fibers help to avoid conditions like constipation as well as diarrhea.

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11. Avocado for Better Vision

This is an amazing benefit for our health. This pear shaped, stone fruit contains carotenoids such as lutein and zeaxanthin. Moreover, these carotenoids help to protect our eyes against cataracts, eye diseases related to age as well as macular degeneration. Also, avocados are rich in anti oxidants that fights off the free radicals and thus, prevents any sort of damage done by them.

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12. Avocado for Healthy Heart

An avocado a day keeps the cardiologist away! Why? Avocados contain beta-sitosterol which is very effective in maintaining a healthy cholesterol level. According to researches, regular consumption of avocado can boost the antiatherogenic properties of HDL cholesterol, which helps in protecting the heart from atherosclerosis. Atherosclerosis is a disease in which the inside of an artery narrows and it can lead to stroke, kidney problems etc. One of the major avocado benefits is its ability to prevent hypertension, thanks to its high potassium content.

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13. Avocado is Useful to Treat Arthritis

The anti inflammatory properties of avocado play a key role in reducing arthritis pain. Researches have shown, the symptoms as well as the pain associated with arthritis can be reduced by consuming proper amounts of avocado over time.

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14. Avocado Fights Depression

Yes, that’s right. Avocados are very helpful in fighting depression. Homocysteine is an amino acid which forms naturally in our body. But high level of homocysteine can increase the risk of depression. It can block the production of serotonin as well as dopamine – the two hormones that regulate our mood and sleep. Avocados contain a high amount of folate which can prevent the formation of excess amount of homocysteine in our body, and thus, minimizes the risk of depression.

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15. Avocado Keeps Liver Healthy

The liver is probably the most important organ in our body and our entire system and well-being depends on it. Avocado is a superfood that can keep our liver healthy so that it can function smoothly. If you are suffering from fatty liver, avocados can help you. They contain healthy fats which lowers the level of bad cholesterol level as well as raise the good cholesterol level. Avocados contain glutathione, an antioxidant which can filter out harmful substances from liver and protect our liver cells from damage.

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So, these were my top 15 amazing benefits of avocado for our skin, hair and health. Hope you found this article helpful. Avocados are not only healthy, but also delicious and you can add them to salads ad various other recipes and enjoy the benefits of avocado.

About Kiran Raj Singh

Kiran born and brought up in Mumbai is the founder of beautifulhamesha.com. She is a Management graduate and beauty lover by heart. Kiran’s passion for make-up and beauty products motivated her to start beauty website. She started JAM Infotech online Pvt Ltd in 2016. She is married and has a beautiful daughter, Anika. She loves shopping, buying new beauty products, applying make-up in her free time.

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