A new study from the American Chemical Society shows that the healthiest part of an avocado is the seed
After several tests, researchers have found that the seed husk, which is the thin membrane outside the seed, contains chemical compounds that could be used to treat a number of diseases, and even cancer.
“It could very well be that avocado seed husks, which most people consider as the waste of wastes, are actually the gem of gems because the medicinal compounds within them could eventually be used to treat cancer, heart disease and other conditions. Our results also suggest that the seed husks are a potential source of chemicals used in plastics and other industrial products,” said Debasish Bandyopadhyay, Ph.D.
Researchers came to this conclusion after grounding up about 300 dried avocado seed husks into 21 ounces of powder. After that, they processed it into oil and wax and analyzed them. Data from the analysis shows that there are 116 chemical compounds in the oil and 16 in the wax.
Moreover, among the chemicals found in the oil, there are several that appear to be medicinal, such as behenyl alcohol (used in anti-viral medications) and heptacosane (which can inhibit the growth of tumor cells).
On the other hand, wax yielded compounds that can be found in several flexible plastic and synthethic materials, such as shower curtains and medical devices.
