Avocado oil (Prunus Armeniaca)

Description of Avocado essential oil:
The tree grows to 20 m (65 ft), with alternately arranged, evergreen leaves, 12-25 cm long. The flowers are inconspicuous, greenish-yellow 5-10 mm wide. The pear-shaped fruit is botanically a berry.The oil is used in cosmetics, and to some extent in salad dressings. It is a rich heavy oil, that is deeply penetrating and rich in vitamins A and D, lecithin, potassium as well as vitamin E. Avocado oil is a penetrating oil that is easily absorbed and suitable for all skin types. It is an effective skin moisturizer thanks to its regenerating and structuring abilities. It is often part of wrinkle fighting creams and dry skin products composition.

Appearance : Thick liquid

Color : Light gold/yellow

Chemical constituents: Avocado oil has various chemical compounds that include flavoids, tannins,Pantothenic acid, lecithin, fatty acids which include Palmitic, Palmitoleic, Stearic, Oleic, Linoleic.

Extraction: It is extracted by cold expression of the seed.

Aromatherapy uses:
The aromatherapy properties include regenerative, astringent, carminative, very penetrating and a superb emollient.

Pharmaceutical uses:
Avocado oil is a penetrating oil that is easily absorbed and suitable for all skin types. It is an effective skin moisturizer due to its regenerating and structuring abilities. It offers nourishing for dry and dehydrated skin, eczema, solar keratosis and improves elasticity. Avocado oil's moisturizing and skin softening properties make it a valuable addition to anti-wrinkle, anti-aging and mature skin blends. It is very useful when treating sun or climate damaged skin that is dehydrated and undernourished as it is said to help with regenerating the skin and softening the tissue.

Cosmetics and Toiletries:
Avocado helps in rubbing hair. It is also believed to be an effective sexual stimulant and is used to make ointments aimed at delaying old age. Avocado oil is especially beneficial in preparations for very dry skin. It is rich in unsaponifiables, avocado oil has outstanding regenerative properties. Like most vegetables oils, due to its content in essential fatty acids, avocado oil offers a restructuring quality, which keeps the skin moisturized. It is also a good hair growth stimulant. Avocado oil is used in many cosmetics and beauty preparations including products for damaged hair (permed or dyed), baby hair, body and hand products (massage oils and creams, sun care products), face care products, eye creams, nourishing creams for damaged, mature, dry and sensitive skin and for baby's skin.

Flavorings
In North America, avocados are primarily served as salad vegetables, merely halved and garnished with seasonings, lime juice, lemon juice, vinegar, mayonnaise or other dressings. Often the halves are stuffed with shrimp, crab or other seafood. Avocado flesh may be sliced or diced and combined with tomatoes, cocumbers or other vegetables and served as a salad. The seasoned flesh is sometimes used as a sandwich filling. Avocado, cream cheese and pineapple juice may be blended as a creamy dressing for fruit salads. Diced avocado can be added to lemon-flavored gelatin after cooling and before it is set, and chunks of avocado may be added to hot foods such as soup, stew, chili or omelettes just before serving. In Guatemalan restaurants, a ripe avocado is placed on the table when a hot dish is served and the diner scoops out the flesh and adds it just before eating. For a ";gourmet"; breakfast, avocado halves are warmed in an oven at low heat, then topped with scrambled eggs and anchovies.

In Brazil, the avocado is regarded more as a true fruit than as a vegetable and is used mostly mashed in sherbet, ice cream, or milk shakes. Avocado flesh is added to heated ice cream mixes (such as boiled custard) only after they have cooled. Some Oriental people in Hawaii also prefer the avocado sweetened with sugar and they combine it with fruits such as pineapple, orange, grapefruit, dates, or banana. In Java, avocado flesh is thoroughly mixed with strong black coffee, sweetened and eaten as a dessert. Avocado slices have been pickled and marketed in glass jars.

Industrial uses:
The oil is used as hair-dressing and is employed in making facial creams, hand lotions and fine soap. It is said to filter out the tanning rays of the sun, is non-allergenic and is similar to lanolin in its penetrating and skinsoftening action. In Brazil, 30% of the avocado crop is processed for oil, 2\3 of which is utilized in soap, 1/3 in cosmetics. The pulp residue after oil extraction is usable as stockfeed.