Medically reviewed by Casey Gallagher, MD
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Avocados contain healthy fats, vitamin E, and multiple antioxidants, which are all linked to skin health.
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A small study found that eating one avocado per day improved skin elasticity and firmness, though more research is needed.
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Avocado oil can be applied directly to your skin for potential skin benefits, and it’s a common component of many skincare products.
Avocados make for a delicious addition to your diet, whether you’re using them for salads, smoothies, dips, tacos, or more. But beyond their versatility in the kitchen, avocados also have a reputation for skin health benefits, with some calling them “nature’s moisturizer.”
Though more research needs to be done, the science does suggest that there may be some truth behind avocados’ nickname—these fruits contain a unique mix of plant compounds and nutrients that may help support your skin health.
Avocados’ Skin-Boosting Nutrients and Compounds
Research suggests that eating avocados regularly may help skin stay firmer, elastic, and hydrated. This is likely due to avocados’ healthy fat content, as well as their wide array of plant compounds and vitamins that offer antioxidant and anti-inflammatory effects.
1. Healthy Fats
Avocados are one of few fruits that contain high amounts of fat—most of that fat is oleic acid, a healthy, monounsaturated fatty acid that’s also found in olive oil.
Your skin is partly made up of fats, which help lock in moisture. Getting enough healthy fats in your diet can help keep that layer strong, improving skin hydration and elasticity. Oleic acid in particular may also help promote wound healing.
Avocados’ fat content also helps the body absorb certain vitamins that are considered essential for skin health, including vitamins A, D, and E.
2. Antioxidants
Avocados are rich in a number of different vitamins and plant compounds that have antioxidant properties.
Antioxidants help protect skin cells from unstable molecules called free radicals. The body generates free radicals in response to stressors, such as pollution and ultraviolet (UV) exposure—these molecules damage cell membranes, speed up wrinkle formation, reduce skin elasticity, and more. In fact, UV rays are thought to cause up to 90% of the visible signs of skin aging.
But avocados contain vitamin E, beta-carotene, lutein, zeaxanthin, and a variety of phenolic compounds, all of which have antioxidant properties that help neutralize some of these free radicals. This may help protect your skin.
These antioxidants—in combination with a plant compound called beta-sitosterol—also provide avocados with anti-inflammatory benefits. This can be helpful for your skin, as chronic inflammation has links to accelerated skin aging.
What Does the Research Say?
The fats, vitamins, and antioxidants found in avocados have links to better skin health, but there’s limited research on how avocado consumption as a whole impacts people’s skin.
However, one small 2022 study did investigate that question. Researchers asked 20 women to eat one avocado daily, while 19 women continued with their normal diet. After eight weeks, those who ate an avocado daily had improved elasticity and firmness in their skin, particularly around their foreheads and under-eye areas. The women who followed their usual diet didn’t see the same results.
Though the results are promising, larger and more diverse studies will be needed to confirm the findings.
Can Applying Avocado to Your Skin Be Beneficial?
Eating avocados may support your skin health from the inside out, but avocado—or rather, avocado oil—may also be useful when it’s applied directly to your skin.
You can use avocado oil as a moisturizer or add it to your skincare routine. It contains many of the same healthy fats, vitamin E, and antioxidant plant compounds that are found in the fruit.
In fact, avocado oil is already a common ingredient in many skincare products, including moisturizers and anti-wrinkle creams. Early research suggests it has antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties that may benefit skin.
That said, most studies to date have been conducted in lab settings or in animals, rather than in humans. More research is needed to confirm avocado oil’s effectiveness when applied directly to the skin.
Adding Avocados to Your Diet
In addition to their skin health benefits, avocados have links to better weight management, improved heart health, and more, making them a healthy addition to your overall diet.
Eating avocados regularly or daily can also be relatively simple, since they work in a wide variety of dishes. Try slicing avocado alongside scrambled eggs, mashing it on toasted bread, blending it into salad dressing, or adding avocado slices to grain bowls or soups.
