As far as nutrition is concerned, is dressing a salad with avocado oil the same as adding sliced avocado to it?

– Jennifer Garvez
(City withheld), CA

Absolutely not.

Although avocado oil is a wonderful source of heart-healthy monounsaturated fats (especially oleic acid), slices of avocado provide a lot more nutrition.

A 120-calorie tablespoon of avocado oil contains vitamin E, lutein — a carotenoid that helps combat macular degeneration — and unique phytonutrients that, in preliminary clinical studies, have been found to significantly slow down — and in some cases halt — the growth of certain pre-cancerous cells.

Half an avocado, meanwhile, clocks in at 115 calories and provides all those components along with:

• 4.5 grams of fiber
• 18% of your vitamin K needs
• 15% of your daily folate requirement
• 10% of your vitamin C and potassium needs