Avocado is a fruit that is enriched with many essential nutrients. These include vitamins, minerals, fiber, healthy fats, and antioxidants. Avocado is known for its benefits to the skin and contains more potassium than bananas (which is really saying something!).
This fruit has also been called ‘the beauty fruit’ because it smoothes wrinkles and moisturizes the skin. Avocado oil is made by pressing avocados to extract the oil. This is different from other oils made by pressing seeds or fruits (for example, olive oil). So how long does avocado oil last? The answer is given below.
How long does avocado oil last?
| Avocado oil | Pantry | Fridge |
|---|---|---|
| Unopened | Best-Before Date | / |
| Unrefined & Opened | 3 Months | 8-9 Months |
| Refined & Opened | 4 Months | Up to 1 Year |
An opened avocado oil can last for 8 months in the fridge. Avocado oil does not last forever. It will go bad after a while. If you use avocado oil at room temperature, it will last only about 3 months. If your avocado oil turns brown or yellow and has a foul smell like paint or peanuts, then do not eat it.
The shelf life of avocado oil depends on its best date and how it is stored. Unopened avocado oil can last for 9 months at 25 degrees Celsius. If you keep your opened bottle of avocado oil in the fridge, it will stay fresh longer. Also, if you keep it away from light and moisture, then its shelf life can be extended further.
The best way to store it is by keeping it tightly closed in a dark place away from moisture. Opened bottles of avocado oil should be placed in the fridge to keep it fresh for longer.
So, if you use it regularly, buy small quantities of avocado oil so that you do not have to keep replacing your opened bottle. Be sure to check for any foul smell or discoloration before using it on your food.
What are the types of avocado oil?
There are many types of avocado oil. These include olive-pomace, refined, virgin, and extra virgin. Depending on the process used to extract the oil, each type has different benefits for your health.
Extra virgin oil contains the highest amounts of antioxidants and monounsaturated oleic acid, which help reduce cholesterol levels in your blood. Cold-pressing avocados make virgin oil without chemicals or heat to protect the antioxidants and nutrients. This type of oil contains both monounsaturated fatty acids and polyunsaturated fatty acids (healthy for your heart).
Refined oil has been extracted with chemical solvents like hexane and then filtered to remove the solvents. It contains a small amount of monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fatty acids, which can cause oxidation or become rancid easily. Olive-pomace oil is created by extracting oil from the residue left after pressing olives for their extra virgin oil. In addition, avocado and argan oils are also used in beauty products.
Why is avocado oil good for your health?
Avocado oil can be a healthy part of a balanced diet if you buy and use it correctly. Avocados contain monounsaturated oleic acid, which helps to improve blood lipid profiles, lowers cholesterol levels, and reduces heart disease risk factors.
Avocado oil is a great source of vitamin E, which plays an important role in reproduction and protecting cells from oxidative damage. In addition, it also contains other antioxidants like glutathione, alpha-carotene, and beta-carotene. These antioxidants protect the body from free radicals that can cause cancer or premature aging. Glutathione also helps the liver to detoxify harmful substances and remove them from your body.
Avocado oil is known as a ‘functional food‘ because it contains properties that help reduce disease risk factors. It can lower cholesterol and blood triglyceride levels, make platelets less ‘sticky,’ and improve blood vessel function, lowering blood pressure.
How to tell if avocado oil has gone bad?
If you open an avocado oil with a strange color or smell, do not use it. If the avocado oil is darker with a funky smell, toss it out.
Avocado oil can go bad quickly if it’s been exposed to excess light, heat, or oxygen, which oxidizes the fatty acids and makes them rancid. It can also go bad easily if it has been extracted with chemicals and solvents like hexane.
If you store your avocado oil in a cool, dark place, then its fatty acids will not oxidize, and it will last for more than one year. If you keep it in the fridge, then it can stay fresh much longer.
How to store avocado oil properly?
You can store oil in the fridge, but it will solidify and becomes difficult to use. You can also store it in a cool, dark place that is away from light or moisture.
If you want to keep your opened bottle of avocado oil fresh for longer, then put it in the fridge. However, let it return to room temperature before using it once you take it out.
In general, make sure to store your avocado oil as you would any other cooking oil and use it within one year of opening the bottle. Avocado oils will last longer if they are extracted with natural cold-pressing methods instead of chemical solvents, but even those can go bad within a few months if not stored properly.
Should I refrigerate the avocado oil?
YES, you can refrigerate the oil, but it will become thick and solidify.
NO, it is not necessary to refrigerate the avocado oil since these oils will become rancid quickly if not stored properly.
YES, you should always refrigerate your opened bottle of avocado oil and keep it in the fridge until you finish it. This keeps the fatty acids from going bad and oxidizing easily so that the oil stays fresh for many months.
What to do with expired avocado oil?
If you have expired oil, then you can use it for other purposes like lightning fire, as a lubricate for rust, or as a smooth finish for the furniture.
In general, avocado oil is very difficult to use when it has expired, even if you add it to dishes in small amounts, because the shelf life of this oil is not very long. In addition, its fatty acids can go bad easily and create digestive problems or skin irritations when used in the wrong formulations.
Conclusion
How long does avocado oil last: In conclusion, avocado oil is a great cooking oil that you can use for your heart-healthy diet to get essential fatty acids in your body. However, always remember to store it properly, so it does not oxidize and go bad quickly.
If you have any other questions, then please ask them in the comment section below, and we will try to answer them as soon as possible.
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References
- https://dailydelish.us/faq/does-avocado-oil-solidify-in-the-fridge/
- https://www.ucdavis.edu/food/news/study-finds-82-percent-avocado-oil-rancid-or-mixed-other-oils