Avocado oil may have anti-ageing properties like those attributed to olive oil, researchers have said.

Fat pressed from the exotic fruit could be a potent weapon against conditions such as heart disease and cancer, according to research presented at the annual meeting of the American Society for Biochemistry and Molecular Biology in San Diego, California, US.

Avocado oil is similar in composition to olive oil. It is associated with low levels of chronic disease in some Mediterranean countries.

New research conducted in Mexico has demonstrated its power to combat destructive rogue oxygen molecules. These unstable “free radicals” wreak havoc in the body, triggering chain reactions that destroy cell membranes, proteins and even DNA.

Many ‘antioxidant’ chemicals in vegetable and fruits such as carrots and tomatoes are known to neutralise free radicals. But according to Christopher Cortes-Rojo, who led the research , they cannot reach the free radicals in mitochondria.

Experiments on yeast showed avocado oil was effective against mitochondrial free radicals. Yeast cells treated with the oil were able to survive high exposure to iron, which triggers production of huge numbers of the molecules.