Avocado oil may have anti-ageing properties similar to those attributed to olive oil, researchers say.
A study presented at the American Society for Biochemistry and Molecular Biology annual scientific meeting in California showed that avocado could combat free radicals which contribute to ageing, artery damage and cancer.
While many antioxidants in vegetables and fruits are known to neutralise free radicals, they cannot reach those in mitochondria.
However, experiments on yeast cells showed that avocado oil was effective against mitochondrial free radicals, Mexican researcher Christopher Cortes-Rojo told the conference.
Our results are promising because they indicate that avocado consumption could improve the health status of patients with diabetes and other patients through an additional mechanism to improvement of blood lipids," he said.
SOURCE: http://www.asbmb.org/ American Society for Biochemistry and Molecular Biology Annual Scientific Meeting 2012 .