Avocados and avocado oil are widely marketed as a premium health food, but a real, credible university study found that the vast majority of avocado oil sold in the US isn’t what its label claims. (Based on the insights of Dr. Eric Berg)
Key Takeaways
- A real 2020 UC Davis study found 82% of tested avocado oil samples were rancid or mixed with cheaper oils like soybean, canola, or sunflower — some “pure” labeled bottles contained nearly 100% soybean oil.
- A follow-up UC Davis study found 70% of private label avocado oils had similar issues, showing this remains an ongoing problem.
- Unlike olive oil, avocado oil has no FDA standard of identity or legally binding purity definition in the US, creating a real regulatory gap.
- “Product of the US” labeling can be misleading — a product can be grown and blended elsewhere and still qualify, as long as it’s bottled domestically.
- Ethylene-based ripening is standard, EPA-regulated commercial practice — it may modestly affect nutrient development compared to natural ripening, but doesn’t leave fruit entirely devoid of phytonutrients.
What a Real Study Actually Found
In 2020, researchers at UC Davis published the first extensive study of commercial avocado oil quality and purity, testing 22 different bottled products across major brands. The findings were striking: at least 82% of the samples were either rancid before their expiration date or mixed with other, cheaper oils. In three cases, bottles labeled “pure” or “extra virgin” avocado oil were found to contain nearly 100% soybean oil — an oil that’s far less expensive to produce and commonly used in processed foods. Other samples were diluted with sunflower, safflower, or canola oil. A follow-up UC Davis study, examining 36 private label avocado oil products, later found that 70% were similarly rancid or mixed with other oils, showing this remains an ongoing issue even as awareness has grown.
Why This Is Legal — and Why It’s So Hard to Catch
Unlike olive oil, which has an internationally recognized definition for what “extra virgin” actually means, avocado oil has no legally binding standard in the US governing its extraction, purity, or labeling. The FDA has not adopted formal standards of identity for avocado oil, leaving a genuine regulatory gap that’s made it easier for lower-quality or diluted products to reach store shelves without meaningful enforcement. Because the diluting oils and oxidation aren’t necessarily detectable by taste or smell alone, especially after a process called deodorization removes off-putting odors, most consumers have no practical way to identify a compromised product just by using it.
Understanding Oxidation
Oxidation is essentially the rusting of oil — a gradual chemical breakdown that occurs with exposure to light, heat, and time. Oxidized oil doesn’t just lose flavor and nutritional value; consuming oxidized fats has been linked to increased inflammation in the body. Since deodorization can mask the smell of oxidized oil without addressing the oxidation itself, a product can smell and taste normal while still being chemically degraded.
What Makes Avocado Oil Different From Seed Oils (When It’s Genuine)
Avocado oil comes from the pulp of the fruit rather than a seed, which is part of why genuine, unadulterated avocado oil contains vitamin E and chlorophyll — both natural antioxidants that help protect the oil from oxidation in the first place. This is a meaningful distinction from many seed oils, which typically lack this same natural antioxidant protection and tend to be much higher in omega-6 fatty acids.
Country-of-Origin Labeling Can Be Misleading
A product labeled “Product of the US” doesn’t necessarily mean the avocados were grown in the US. Under current labeling rules, a product can be grown elsewhere and blended in another country entirely, and still qualify for a “Product of the US” label as long as the final bottling happens domestically. This is a real feature of how country-of-origin labeling works for many processed and blended food products, not unique to avocado oil specifically, but it’s worth knowing since it can create a misleading impression of a product’s actual origin.
The Expiration Date Problem
There’s no legal requirement for avocado oil bottles to carry a true expiration date. Many bottles instead show a “best used by” date without ever using the word “expiration,” and typically don’t disclose when the oil was actually processed — making it genuinely difficult to know how long a bottle has been sitting before it reached the shelf, let alone how long it’s been in your pantry since.
What About Guacamole and Cosmetics?
Fast food guacamole has, in at least one well-documented past case involving a major chain, been found to contain a very small percentage of actual avocado, with green peas, hydrogenated oils, and food starches making up much of the volume instead — worth keeping in mind rather than assuming all restaurant guacamole is primarily avocado. Cosmetic products marketed around avocado oil can be similarly misleading: checking the ingredient list often reveals soy oil, palm oil, or mineral oil listed ahead of avocado oil, meaning the product contains far more of those other oils than the avocado oil featured in its marketing.
A Note on Ripening
Avocados are often ripened using ethylene gas as part of standard commercial produce handling — this is a widely used, EPA-regulated practice across the produce industry, not unique or inherently harmful to avocados specifically. It’s worth being precise here: force-ripening can compress the natural biochemical maturation timeline compared to on-the-tree ripening, and some research suggests naturally ripened produce may have modest nutritional advantages in certain compounds — but describing commercially ripened avocados as entirely “devoid” of phytonutrients overstates what the evidence actually shows. Buying firm avocados and letting them finish ripening on your own counter is a reasonable way to have more control over this process if it matters to you.
How to Choose Better Avocado Oil
- Choose oil in a dark glass bottle, not clear plastic — light accelerates oxidation
- Look for a genuine expiration date, when available
- Avoid the cheapest option on the shelf, since dilution is more common among lower-priced products
- Look for a harvest or production date, and choose the freshest option available
- Unrefined (virgin) avocado oil should have a visible green tint — pale, clear oil signals a refined product or possible dilution
How to Choose Better Avocados
Look for California-grown varieties, particularly Hass avocados, over the cheaper, shinier bagged varieties, which are sometimes coated in wax to improve their appearance. To check ripeness, gently press with your thumb — a slight give indicates ripeness, no give at all means it’s not ready, and if your thumb sinks in too easily, it’s overripe.
The Bottom Line
Avocados themselves remain a genuinely healthy food when chosen well — they’re relatively low in omega-6 fat compared to seed oils, and a single medium avocado provides a meaningful amount of potassium (commonly in the range of 500-900 mg) along with magnesium. The issue isn’t the fruit itself; it’s a real, documented quality and labeling problem specific to the commercial avocado oil supply chain, worth navigating with a bit more label awareness than most people currently apply.
Is it true that most avocado oil isn’t really pure avocado oil?
Based on real UC Davis testing, yes — 82% of samples in a 2020 study and a majority in a later study of private label oils were rancid or diluted with other, cheaper oils, despite label claims of purity.
How can I tell if my avocado oil is genuine just by looking at it?
You can’t fully tell from taste or smell alone, since deodorization can mask oxidation. Look for a dark glass bottle, a visible green tint for unrefined oil, a harvest or production date, and avoid the cheapest options, which are more commonly diluted.
Does ethylene ripening really strip avocados of nutrients?
Not entirely — ethylene ripening is a standard, EPA-regulated commercial practice used across the produce industry. It may modestly compress natural nutrient development compared to on-the-tree ripening, but describing the result as completely “devoid” of phytonutrients overstates the evidence.
Is avocado itself still a healthy food despite this?
Yes — the issue is with oil quality and labeling in the supply chain, not the fruit itself. Whole avocados remain a good source of potassium, magnesium, and healthy fats relatively low in omega-6 compared to many seed oils.
Smart Avocado Oil Shopping Checklist
- ☐ Choose a dark glass bottle, not clear plastic
- ☐ Look for a genuine expiration or harvest date
- ☐ Avoid the cheapest brand on the shelf
- ☐ Check that unrefined oil has a visible green tint
- ☐ Choose California-grown Hass avocados over shiny, waxed bagged varieties
- ☐ Be skeptical of “Product of the US” claims without more specific origin details
Frequently Asked Questions
Disclaimer: This article is for general informational purposes only and is not a substitute for professional medical or nutritional advice. Product quality and labeling practices can change over time; consider checking for more recent testing data before making purchasing decisions if this is a significant concern for you.