Avocados have always been at the forefront of the list of fruits that Millenials fawn over. But avocados are so much more than just a topper to toast or guacamole. Just like other fruits, avocados boast an array of uses ranging from recipes, home remedies, and skin treatments.
On top of its vitamins, minerals, healthy fats, and fiber, here are 70 creative avocado uses that are worth the try.
1) Hand Scrub
Try mixing up some mushy avocado with a little olive oil, sugar, and patchouli essential oil. The resulting mixture is an effective, exfoliating hand scrub, ideal for those who have dry skin on their hands. Try scrubbing your hands with this mixture twice a day for a few days in a row and you’ll quickly start to see results.
2) Avocado Foot Scrub
We could all do with being a little kinder to our feet. They have to put up with a lot, after all!
If you have rough or dry patches of skin on your feet, try applying this mixture: let the avocado pit dry out for a couple of days and then grind it up, mixing it in with mashed avocado, a little bit of cornmeal, and a sprinkle of sea salt.
Massage the paste into your feet and around your toes to soften hard areas, nourish dry patches, and leave your feet feeling so much better.
3) Soothe Your Sunburn
Stayed out in the sun a little too long? Forgot to re-apply your sunscreen? Well, an avocado can help! Mix it up with a teaspoon of honey and a little dash of lime juice before applying to the affected areas for 15 minutes or so. It can help to reduce inflammation and soothe painful patches.
4) Get Rid Of Dandruff
Dandruff affects a lot of people, and it’s never nice to find flakes on your clothes or in your hair. Fortunately, with their powerful moisturizing elements, avocados can soothe the scalp and prevent dandruff from forming in the first place. Try mixing them with tea tree oil and argan oil for a dandruff destroying hair treatment.
5) Stronger Nails
Avocados can even be used to strengthen your nails. Whether you’re eating them or applying directly, you can see and feel the benefits. For a direct treatment, mash up an avocado and apply to the cuticles, or simply rub a few drops of avocado oil onto your nails for a beautiful shimmer.
6) Face Moisturizer
Many face, body, and hair treatments involving avocados involve mixing them up with other ingredients like olive oil, honey, or coconut oil, but you don’t need any of those things to make a great moisturizer. Simply mash up a single, ripe avocado and apply the paste to your face for 15 minutes or so before rinsing. It can have incredible effects, nourishing and hydrating skin cells, reducing dryness, and more.
7) Avocado And Coconut Hair Mask
Avocados are filled with vitamins and healthy oils that can be really helpful for your hair, especially if you have dry or brittle strands. One of the best ways to use avocados is to combine them with another healthy hair ingredient: coconut oil. Simply mix up a mashed avocado with a couple of tablespoons of coconut oil and apply it to the hair, letting it rest before rinsing away.
8) Shaving Cream
Make your own all-natural shaving cream by melting some coconut oil and shea butter in a pan and placing the resulting mixture into a bowl. Add a little olive oil to the mix and then let it cool off in the refrigerator until it forms a solid.
Next, whip it up into a fluffy texture and add in half a mashed avocado before applying to your skin and shaving away your hair. Not only does it work wonders for shaving, it’ll moisturize and nourish your body at the same time.
9) Psoriasis Treatment
If you suffer from psoriasis or eczema, try mixing up some mashed avocados with a little fish oil to make a very effective topical treatment. The oils of the fish and avocado, when combined, offer deep healing power to repair dry, damaged, and irritated skin.
10) De-Frizz Your Hair
Avocado, when combined with a little olive oil, can be a dream treatment for frizzy hair. Try mushing up an avocado, blending with some olive oil, and applying the mixture before taking your shower. Once the mask has had 10-15 minutes to work, wash it away and shampoo as normal.
11) Natural Sunscreen
Did you know that avocado oil has an SPF of about 15? It’s not as strong as some of the commercial sunscreens out there, but for those in need of a little natural sun protection on mildly sunny days, it’s a great option.
12) Pesto
Mushed up avocado can be mixed in with regular pesto to make it creamier, healthier, and even more flavorful.
13) Sandwich Alternative
Do you eat a lot of sandwiches? Well, if you’re looking for a way to enjoy those same tasty flavors but without all the carbs, ditch the bread and stuff your sandwich fillings into an avocado instead!
14) Smoothies
Avocados are an awesome ingredient to add to your smoothies, helping you enjoy all that great nutritional content in every single sip. Try mixing them with bananas, berries, or kale for additional health benefits.
15) Avocado Eggs
Here’s a quick and easy recipe packed with protein, healthy fats, and lots of vitamins too. Peel your avocado and remove the pit. Then, carefully add some egg into the holes left by the pit. Spoon as much as you can into each hole, add some herbs and spices on top if you like, and bake in the oven until the egg is cooked.
16) Mousse
Chocolate mousse is always a delicious dessert, but it can’t exactly be classified as ‘healthy’. Well, if you substitute the cream for mashed avocado, any mousse or pudding recipe suddenly becomes much more nutritious!
17) Avocado Sour Cream
If you’ve never tasted avocado mixed with sour cream, it’s time to give it a try! When combined, these two ingredients form a super spread or delicious dip.
18) Fries
You’ve heard of sweet potato fries, now say hello to avocado fries! Crunchy on the outside, fluffy in the middle, baked avocado fries can be a great side dish or snack at any time of the day. To make them, get rid of the peels and pits and chop some fry-shaped slices. Roll them in flour, egg, and breadcrumbs before baking on a high heat.
19) Avocado Mashed Potatoes
To get the tastiest mashed potatoes, we often add a whole bunch of fatty, unhealthy butter or cream. Instead, add some mashed avocados! They’ll add that soft, silky texture you get from the butter, but without all the calories and unhealthy fats.
Add some warm milk if you need to make the texture a little smoother.
20) Add To Risotto
PurĂ©ed avocado can be an awesome ingredient to add to your risotto recipes too. The texture works so well and it’s a great way to add nutrients to your meal.
21) Aphrodisiac
Avocado pits are said to be highly effective aphrodisiacs. A good way to harness their potential is to slide them up and leave them to soak in some wine for a few weeks, before enjoying it with your partner on a romantic evening.
22) Eye Treatment
We often see people with slices of cucumber over their eyes to soothe puffiness and refresh the undereye area, but did you know you can do the same thing with avocados too?
Just slice off a couple of pieces and place them under each eye, letting them sit for about 15-20 minutes. They’ll add a lot of moisture and life to your undereye areas, making that ‘tired look’ fade away.
23) Avocado Pit Foot Massagers
There’s no need to spend so much on expensive massage tools and equipment when you can get the same great results using a few avocados instead! Place a few avocado pits in a big bowl and then roll your feet over them. The hard pits can help to relieve lots of tension from your soles and heels.
24) Salad Dressing
Another fun way to bring the benefits of avocados into your diet is to blend up a ripe avocado with a few garlic cloves, a little lemon juice, some apple cider vinegar, a spoonful of mustard, and any other herbs or spices you like. Add water if needed for the texture and drizzle it over your salads.
25) Soothe Itchy Skin
Got some itchy or irritated skin? It’s always wise to speak to a dermatologist for expert advice, but if you’re looking for a little home remedy, smash up an avocado pit and let it soak in some olive oil for a few days or a week. Apply the oil to the affected area to sooth irritation and make your itchiness disappear.
26) Avocado And Aloe Hair Mask
Mash or blend an avocado with two tablespoons of aloe vera gel and a teaspoon of coconut oil to make a magical hair mask with nourishing, strengthening, and anti-inflammatory properties. Not only will it strengthen your hair strands, the inclusion of aloe vera gel will also help to moisturize and soothe your scalp too.
27) BBQ Avocados
Looking for something a little healthier to put on the menu at your next barbecue? Try slicing up some avocados and placing them straight on the grill. They taste great when cooked this way.
28) Avocado Pit Shampoo
The flesh of an avocado isn’t the only useful part. You can grind or grate the pits and boil them in water before mixing in with your shampoo to add more moisture and vitamins to your hair with every wash.
29) Pasta Sauce
Many creamy pasta sauces are rich in fats, but you can make a really tasty alternative pasta sauce by blending avocados, garlic, milk, and olive oil.
30) Avocado Tea
Who needs teabags when you have an avocado in the house? You can chop up the pit and place it in a tea diffuser, adding boiling water to create a really tasty tea that is highly rich in antioxidants for healthy skin, hair, and reduced risk of diseases too. If it’s too bitter, consider adding some honey.
31) Avocado Bread
Just like banana bread or pumpkin bread, avocado bread can be a great tasting and healthy treat for the whole family to enjoy. Simply mix in an avocado with your usual bread recipe.
32) A Natural Fabric Dye
If you like to dye your clothes or fabrics, you may be using toxic and potentially harmful dyes. Instead, try boiling fabrics with pits and skins of avocados to produce an attractive, pale-pink, all-natural color.
33) Avocado And Coconut Oil Face Mask
No matter what kind of skin you have, this face mask can act become a key part of your skincare routine. It’s made by mixing a mushed up avocado with a tablespoon of coconut oil and a tablespoon of aloe vera gel. Apply 1-2 times per week for 15-20 minutes each time.
We already know about the benefits of the avocado. The coconut oil adds moisture, hydration, and anti-inflammatory properties, while the aloe vera gel leaves you with a cool and refreshing feel.
34) Ice Pops
Try blending up some avocado with coconut milk and pouring the mixture into an ice pop mold. Let it set overnight and cool yourself off with these tasty treats on a sunny day.
35) A Diabetic Dietary Aid
If you have diabetes or are at risk of developing it later in life, add some avocados to your diet. They’re rich in healthy, monounsaturated fats that aid your body in dealing with glucose more efficiently, helping to keep your blood sugar in check.
36) Hummus
Mix up avocados, chickpeas, some garlic, a dash of lemon juice, a little tahini, and a drizzle of olive oil for a really tasty and party-friendly hummus to share with friends and family.
37) Avocado And Banana Hair Mask
Bananas are rich in silica, which is a key ingredient for helping hair shimmer and shine, and it works wonders when paired with avocado. Simply mush up a whole banana and half an avocado and apply the resulting mixture to damp hair, leaving for 15-20 minutes before rinsing away.
38) Cookies
Avocados are actually a really useful and nutritional substitute for butter in many baked recipes. You can even use them to make chocolate chip cookies, swapping out the butter in whatever recipe you use for mushed up avocado purée.
39) Toast
Obviously, no list of avocado ideas can be complete without this one! If you’ve never tried avocado toast, you’re missing out. Toast up some of your favorite bread and smear over some sliced or mashed avocado, mixed up with lemon juice, olive oil, and other ingredients you like such as garlic or chili flakes.
40) Fruit Salad
For a super healthy snack, chop up some of your favorite fruits and don’t forget to add some avocado in there too. It is a fruit, after all, and it helps to add some mch-needed healthy fats to any fruit salad.
41) Ice Cream
Here’s a really delicious way to enjoy the benefits of avocado and cool off in the summer sun. Blend up some avocados with coconut milk, honey for sweetness, and a dash of lemon juice for flavor. Freeze it overnight and enjoy!
42) Avocado And Spirulina Face Mask
This face mask recipe combines two true superfoods: avocado and spirulina. You’ll need half an avocado and a tablespoon of spirulina powder to make it. Like other masks, simply apply for 15 minutes before rinsing off. The spirulina and avocado combined create a veritable vitamin cocktail your skin cells will love!
43) Baby Food
Little ones can enjoy avocados too. In fact, when all mushed up, they can make for a great baby food! The texture is great for infants to eat and avocados provide babies with healthy omega-3s, along with vitamins and minerals too. Simply blend it up in a blender and add some water if you want to make it super soft and runny.
44) Avocado And Beeswax Hand Salve
If you have dry, rough skin on your fingers and palms, this hand salve could be just what you need! Make it by melting some beeswax pastilles with a little avocado oil. Leave the mixture to sit and cool overnight before rubbing it into your hands.
45) Whipped Cream
Did you know that if you put a ripe avocado in an immersion blender and just keep blending, it’ll eventually turn into a fluffy whipped cream-like substance? It’s delicious on top of desserts and can be mixed with herbs and spices for a savory treat too.
46) Avocado, Yogurt, And Honey Hair Treatment
It’s time for another magical avocado hair treatment. This time, you’ll want to blend half an avocado with a cup of Greek yogurt, a couple of tablespoons of olive oil, and a single tablespoon of honey. The honey helps to moisturize and protect the hair, while yogurt can also add moisture and prevent dandruff.
47) Makeup Remover
Got some stubborn makeup that just won’t go away? Avocado oil can help! It’s a really effective makeup remover for eyeline, mascara, and more. Simply add a dab to a cotton ball and wipe over your face. As an added bonus, it will moisturize your skin at the same time as removing the makeup.
48) Avocado And Egg White Face Mask
Here’s a great face mask for those with oily skin. To make it, mix a mashed avocado with a single egg white. Apply the mixture to your face for 15-20 minutes before rinsing away. The avocado works perfectly with the egg white to provide nourishing proteins and vitamins to your skin, while also reducing the amount of natural oils you produce.
49) Pizza Topping
Looking for something a little different to top off your homemade pizza? Try some avocado slices.
50) Soap
Ever tried making your own soap? With avocados, it’s easy! Simply melt down some avocado purĂ©e, lye, water, coconut oil, and olive oil in a slow cooker or on the stove.
Be extra careful with the lye, however, as it can be quite dangerous in some situations. Add a little essential oil if you want to give your soap a nice fragrance and let it harden in a mold before using.
51) Margaritas
Mixed up with triple sec, lime juice, tequila, terragon leaves, and some agave nectar, avocados can make magical margaritas.
52) Post-Workout Snack
If you’re looking for a good time to chow down on avocados, consider making them part of your post-workout recovery. They contain many amino acids, essential for building new muscle cells and repairing muscle damage too.
53) Avocado And Honey Body Treatment
Don’t forget that avocados aren’t just for your face and hair. The benefits can be enjoyed all over the body too! Mix up some mashed avocados with honey for a really effective moisturizing body treatment.
54) Avocado And Oatmeal Face Mask
A ripe avocado mixed up with a couple of tablespoons of cooled oatmeal can make for a really effective and nourishing face mask, especially for oily or greasy skin. The oatmeal works to wipe away dead skin cells and soak up excess oils, while the avocado gives your skin cells the vitamins, fats, and minerals they need.
55) Soothe A Toothache
Some people have even found that cutting off a piece of avocado pit and applying it to an aching tooth can help to soothe the pain. Be sure to consult a doctor or dentist if you have recurring tooth pain, however.
56) Acne Treatment
Just a few drops of avocado oil, applied on a regular basis, can help to reduce the effects of acne. It works by hydrating the skin without leaving any excess oils behind.
57) Chilled Avocado Soup
Avocados can be mixed up with cucumbers, yogurt, milk, onions, and vegetable broth to make a really tasty cool soup. It’s very nourishing and absolutely delicious too. Try adding black pepper or a squirt of lemon juice if you like a little extra flavor.
58) Fresh Breath
It might sound strange, but avocados can be an amazing cure for bad breath! Simply chew on a little bit of avocado to cleanse your mouth of any odorous elements.
59) Avocado And Oatmeal Hair Mask
Mix up half a cup of oatmeal and leave it to cool, before adding half of a mashed or blended avocado to the mixture. Apply this to your hair from root to tip and leave for 15 minutes before washing away. Oatmeal is great for soothing the scalp and nourishing the skin on your head, while the avocado works its magic on your hair.
60) Daiquiri
Avocados can even be used in alcoholic cocktails or alcohol-free mocktails! For an avocado daiquiri, try blending some mashed avocado with lemon juice, lime juice, syrup, and ice. Add rum if you want to make it alcoholic, or simply drink it down as a refreshing and nutritional beverage.
61) Avocado And Banana Face Mask
Give yourself the spa treatment using nothing but an avocado and a banana! Ideal for any skin type, this mask is made by mushing up half a banana and half an avocado. You’ll need to leave it on your face for about 15-20 minutes for best results.
The banana brings lots of vitamins and unsaturated fats to the mixture, while the avocado offers lots of other skin-friendly elements to leave your face feeling soft, supple, and smooth.
62) Guacamole
The number one use of avocado still has to be guacamole. For a truly authentic flavor, mix in some onions, tomatoes, cilantro, jalapenos, garlic, lime juice, and a sprinkle of salt.
63) Mayonnaise
Mayonnaise is super tasty, but it’s also very high in fat and calories. If you want to enjoy a smooth and delicious spread on your sandwiches with greater nutritional content, try mashed avocado instead. You can even mix in a little bit of mustard for flavor.
64) Pancakes
Make avocados a part of your breakfast in the best possible way by adding some mushed avocado into your pancake mix. It works surprisingly well!
65) Truffles
You can satisfy your sweet tooth and get a whole bunch of healthy fats at the same time by making avocado truffles. There are plenty of recipes out there, but for a simple one, all you need to do is melt some chocolate, mix it in with some mashed avocado, and let the mixture set in the refrigerator before rolling into truffle-sized balls.
66) Baked Potatoes
Most people pour butter all over their baked potatoes, and while it tastes great, it’s not super friendly for your body. Be kinder to yourself by adding some mashed avocado to your baked potato instead.
67) Vegan-Friendly Avocado Frosting
If you’re following a vegan or paleo diet, or you just want a healthier and more nutritious form of frosting, try blending up an avocado with some cocoa powder and a little maple syrup for sweetness. The resulting paste works great when spread on cupcakes or brownies.
68) Avocado And Yogurt Face Mask
If you have dry skin and need a little extra moisture, try mixing half an avocado with a tablespoon of yogurt and applying the mixture to your face. Thanks to the probiotics in yogurt, as well as their calcium and mineral content, this mask can be a really effective cleanser.
69) Curry
Try mixing up some mushed avocado with coconut milk and then adding curry powder, turmeric, ginger, garlic, and other typical curry spices to make a dish you’ll want to eat again and again.
70) Avocado And Honey Face Mask
Let’s finish up with one final face mask, this time using two key ingredients: avocado and honey. This one is really effective for those with dry skin, as well as those who have acne. All you need to do is mix up an avocado with a tablespoon of honey, applying the paste to your face and letting it sit for 20 minutes before rinsing away.
The honey adds a glow to your skin, as well as offering anti-inflammatory effects, while the vitamins and minerals of avocado can make your face feel soft and smooth.
So when you encounter an avocado in your local grocer, just think of the things you could do with it that’s not toast or guacamole.
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