Is Avocado Oil Good for Triglycerides? What the Science Says

November 19, 2025 •

4 min read

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), nearly 25% of U.S. adults have high triglycerides. As part of a balanced diet, incorporating healthy fats like those found in avocado oil may help improve your lipid profile, including reducing triglyceride levels.

Quick Summary

Avocado oil, rich in monounsaturated fats like oleic acid, can positively influence triglyceride levels when used to replace less healthy fats. Its antioxidant properties and high smoke point further support heart health, making it a viable dietary choice.

Key Points

Rich in Healthy Fats: Avocado oil is primarily composed of monounsaturated fats, especially oleic acid, which is known for its heart-healthy benefits and ability to help lower triglycerides when used as a replacement for saturated fats.
Improves Lipid Profile: Studies indicate that incorporating avocado oil into the diet can help reduce LDL ('bad') cholesterol and triglycerides while potentially increasing HDL ('good') cholesterol.
Excellent for High-Heat Cooking: With a smoke point of up to 520°F, avocado oil is a stable and healthy choice for high-temperature cooking methods like frying and searing, preventing the formation of harmful compounds.
Contains Antioxidants: The oil is a good source of antioxidants like vitamin E and lutein, which help combat oxidative stress and inflammation, contributing to overall cardiovascular health.
Effective when Replacing Unhealthy Fats: The benefits for triglycerides are most notable when avocado oil is used as a direct replacement for unhealthy saturated and trans fats from sources like butter and margarine.
Backed by Research: Both human and animal studies have shown that avocado oil can produce positive changes in blood lipid indicators, similar to other monounsaturated oils like olive oil.

Understanding Triglycerides and Heart Health

Triglycerides are a type of fat (lipid) found in your blood. After you eat, your body converts any calories it doesn't need for immediate energy into triglycerides, which are then stored in fat cells. Later, hormones release these triglycerides for energy between meals. High levels of triglycerides, known as hypertriglyceridemia, can increase your risk of heart disease and stroke. Managing triglyceride levels often involves lifestyle modifications, including diet and exercise. This is where the role of cooking oils, and specifically avocado oil, comes into question.

The Nutritional Profile of Avocado Oil

Avocado oil is derived from the pulp of the Persea americana fruit and is rich in healthy fats, vitamins, and antioxidants. Its nutritional composition is a key factor in its potential health benefits.

Monounsaturated Fats (MUFAs): Avocado oil is primarily composed of monounsaturated fatty acids, especially oleic acid. This is the same fatty acid that makes olive oil so heart-healthy. Diets rich in MUFAs are consistently linked to improved blood lipid profiles.
Antioxidants: The oil contains a beneficial amount of antioxidants like vitamin E, lutein, and carotenoids. These compounds help protect your cells from oxidative damage caused by free radicals.
Phytosterols: It also contains plant compounds called phytosterols, which have a structure similar to cholesterol and may help block cholesterol absorption in the gut.

How Avocado Oil Impacts Triglyceride Levels

The potential benefits of avocado oil on triglycerides are primarily tied to its high content of monounsaturated fats. Here’s how these fats work:

Replacing Saturated Fats: A significant strategy for managing high triglycerides is to replace saturated and trans fats with unsaturated fats. When used in place of less healthy fats like butter, animal fats, or partially hydrogenated oils, avocado oil provides a healthy alternative that supports better lipid metabolism.
Improving Lipid Metabolism: The oleic acid and other monounsaturated fats in avocado oil have been shown to help improve overall cholesterol and lipid profiles. While some human studies show modest reductions in triglycerides when using avocado oil, the most significant effects are seen when it replaces sources of unhealthy fats.
Reducing Inflammation: Avocado oil's antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties may also play a supporting role. Chronic inflammation is a risk factor for heart disease, and by reducing inflammatory markers, avocado oil contributes to overall cardiovascular health.

Avocado Oil vs. Other Healthy Cooking Oils

When evaluating oils for heart health, it's useful to compare avocado oil to other popular choices like extra virgin olive oil. Both are excellent sources of monounsaturated fats, but they have some differences.


Feature	Avocado Oil	Extra Virgin Olive Oil	Canola Oil	Coconut Oil (Refined)
Fat Composition (Predominant)	Monounsaturated	Monounsaturated	Monounsaturated and Polyunsaturated	Saturated
Heart-Healthy Benefits	Supports healthy lipid profile, anti-inflammatory	Extensive research supports heart health benefits, rich in polyphenols	Lowers cholesterol and triglycerides, good omega-3 source	Should be limited due to high saturated fat content
Smoke Point	Very High (~520°F / 271°C)	Moderate (~375°F / 190°C)	High (~400°F / 204°C)	High (~400°F / 204°C)
Flavor Profile	Neutral, slightly buttery	Distinctive, fruity, and peppery	Neutral	Mild, tropical
Best For	High-heat cooking, frying, roasting	Dressings, finishing, light sautéing	Baking, general cooking	Use sparingly due to saturated fat

Both avocado and extra virgin olive oil are excellent choices for managing triglycerides due to their high content of beneficial monounsaturated fats. However, extra virgin olive oil is backed by more extensive long-term research, particularly within the context of the Mediterranean diet. Avocado oil’s distinct advantage is its exceptionally high smoke point, making it more versatile for high-heat cooking methods like stir-frying and deep frying.

How to Incorporate Avocado Oil into Your Diet

To get the most out of avocado oil for triglyceride management, consider these tips:

Use it for High-Heat Cooking: Its high smoke point makes it ideal for frying, roasting, and searing. This ensures you are not producing harmful compounds from overheated fats.
Create Healthy Dressings: Its neutral flavor profile makes it a great base for homemade salad dressings and marinades, allowing other flavors to shine.
Sauté and Stir-Fry: Replace standard vegetable oil or butter with avocado oil when sautéing vegetables or stir-frying meats.
Moderation is Key: Like all oils, avocado oil is calorie-dense. Use it in moderation as part of an overall balanced, heart-healthy diet.

Conclusion

In summary, yes, avocado oil is good for triglycerides, particularly when used to replace sources of saturated and trans fats in your diet. The oil’s rich composition of heart-healthy monounsaturated fats, especially oleic acid, combined with its antioxidant properties, can contribute to improved blood lipid profiles and overall cardiovascular health. While it is not a cure-all, its inclusion in a balanced diet is a scientifically supported strategy for managing triglyceride levels and supporting heart health. Remember to consider your overall diet and lifestyle, and consult with a healthcare professional for personalized advice on managing your lipid levels.

For more in-depth nutritional information and comparisons, consult authoritative sources like the American Heart Association.

How to Lower Triglycerides

Reduce Refined Carbs and Sugars: High intake of sugars and refined carbohydrates, including sweetened drinks, is a major contributor to high triglycerides.
Increase Unsaturated Fats: Swap saturated and trans fats for healthier unsaturated fats from sources like avocado oil, olive oil, and nuts.
Boost Omega-3s: Incorporate omega-3-rich foods such as fatty fish, flaxseeds, and walnuts into your meals.
Get Regular Exercise: Aim for at least 30 minutes of daily physical activity to help lower triglycerides and improve heart health.
Maintain a Healthy Weight: Managing your weight through a balanced diet and regular exercise can significantly impact your triglyceride levels.
Limit Alcohol Intake: Excess alcohol consumption can raise triglyceride levels, so moderation is recommended.
Prioritize Fiber: A diet rich in fiber from whole grains, fruits, and vegetables can aid in regulating blood lipid levels.

Frequently Asked Questions

Yes, avocado oil can help lower triglycerides, especially when it replaces sources of saturated and trans fats in your diet. Its high content of monounsaturated fats supports healthy lipid metabolism.

While there is no specific dosage, most recommendations for healthy fats suggest using avocado oil in moderation, typically around two tablespoons per day. The key is to use it as a substitute for unhealthy fats.

Both avocado oil and olive oil are rich in monounsaturated fats and are excellent for heart health. While olive oil has more extensive research, avocado oil is equally effective in supporting a healthy lipid profile. Avocado oil's high smoke point gives it an advantage for high-heat cooking.

The primary component is oleic acid, a type of monounsaturated fatty acid. Oleic acid, along with other healthy fats in avocado oil, helps improve blood cholesterol and lipid levels when replacing less healthy alternatives.

High triglycerides are typically caused by an excessive intake of calories, especially from refined carbohydrates, sugars, and saturated fats, not healthy unsaturated fats like avocado oil. However, consuming any oil in large quantities contributes extra calories, so moderation is key.

Both refined and unrefined avocado oil offer heart-healthy benefits. Unrefined (extra virgin) oil retains more nutrients and has a more robust flavor, making it great for dressings. Refined oil has a higher smoke point, making it better for high-heat cooking.

In addition to adding healthy fats like avocado oil, lifestyle changes such as regular exercise, managing weight, limiting alcohol, reducing sugar and refined carb intake, and eating omega-3-rich foods like fish can significantly help lower triglycerides.