No, no food, including avocado oil, can "unclog" or reverse existing plaque buildup (atherosclerosis) in the arteries. However, incorporating avocado oil into a heart-healthy diet can help prevent further plaque formation and manage the progression of heart disease.
In addition to lowering LDL cholesterol, avocado can actually raise HDL or "good" cholesterol. HDL cholesterol helps you get rid of extra cholesterol, bringing it to the liver to be eliminated as waste. This helps lower your risk of heart disease and reduces plaque buildup on the artery walls.
How are clogged arteries or arterial plaque treated?
Here are 15 foods that may help prevent clogged arteries.
It Contains Heart-Healthy Antioxidants
Avocado oil is rich in plant compounds that act as antioxidants—like tocopherols, phytosterols and carotenoids—which can support heart health. 3 These compounds work by neutralizing free radicals, the unstable compounds that cause oxidative stress and inflammation in the body.
Choose monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats, such as olive and canola oils, over saturated fats, like butter and lard, to minimize your risk of heart disease.
Cons of avocado oil include potential allergies (especially for those with latex/fruit allergies), adulteration/fraud in labeling (mixed with cheaper oils), high cost, environmental concerns (water use, deforestation), potential for greasiness/clogged pores in skincare, and its refined version losing some nutrients, though moderation is key for most downsides.
If you have coronary artery calcification, you should follow the recommendations for a heart-healthy lifestyle, including:
They're caused by high cholesterol, smoking, genetics, and a diet high in unhealthy fats. Symptoms of clogged arteries can include fatigue, shortness of breath, dizziness, and chest pain.
Certain actions and foods can help open blood vessels immediately. Deep breathing exercises, stretching, and light physical activity like walking can stimulate blood flow. Consuming foods rich in nitric oxide, such as beets, garlic, spinach, and dark chocolate, helps dilate blood vessels.
However, advanced atherosclerosis, defined as complex plaque with fibrosis and calcification, may not be completely reversible with currently available therapies12. Thus, the best chance to prevent and “cure” atherosclerosis may occur in young individuals before complex and potentially irreversible plaque can develop.
The symptoms – chest pain, tightness, and shortness of breath – can be similar, though. Sometimes, when arteries become completely blocked, a new blood supply develops around the blockage. This new blood supply, called collaterals, won't deliver as much blood to your heart.
Top Foods Cardiologists Want You to Avoid for Heart Health
Some doctors advise limiting or avoiding avocados due to their high calories and fat, potential digestive issues (FODMAPs) for those with IBS, interactions with medications like Warfarin, high potassium for kidney patients, and possible allergic reactions (latex allergy cross-reactivity). However, avocados are generally healthy for most people, providing good fats and nutrients, but moderation and awareness of individual health conditions are key, say experts.
Additionally, avocado oil may support cardiovascular health by acting as a natural blood thinner and inhibiting platelet aggregation. Together, these nutrients make avocado oil a powerful ally for heart health, skin hydration, and overall oxidative protection.
But there are some supplements and foods that you can include in your diet that can help to reduce the risk of contracting these disorders: Curcumin (Turmeric) – thought to reduce LDL cholesterol and the buildup of plaque.
Surgery may be done to fix a blocked artery and improve blood flow. Surgeries or procedures for coronary artery disease may include: Coronary angioplasty and stent placement. This treatment opens clogged blood vessels in the heart.
Cardiologists generally advise avoiding processed meats, sugary drinks and sweets, and foods high in trans fats and sodium, like most fried foods and salty snacks, because they raise bad cholesterol, blood pressure, and inflammation, significantly increasing heart disease risk. Focusing on whole foods and limiting these culprits is key for heart health.
For every additional egg consumed per week, the risk of plaque decreased by 11% (95% CI 3%-18%). No association was detected between egg consumption and risk of clinical vascular outcomes, over a mean follow up of 11 years and after adjustment for covariates.
Lab and animal studies have found that cinnamon may also help with atherosclerosis (fatty deposits in the arteries). But human studies are lacking. Two trials involving people with Type 2 diabetes didn't find that cinnamon helped with inflammation or plaque in the arteries.
Conclusions: A 270-day course of vitamin K2 administration in patients with CKD stages 3-5 may reduce the progression of atherosclerosis, but does not significantly affect the progression of calcification. Vitamin K2 significantly changes the levels of calcification promoters and inhibitors: dp-ucMGP, OC, and OPG.
An atherectomy is a procedure to remove plaque from an artery (blood vessel). Removing plaque makes the artery wider, so blood can flow more freely to the heart muscles. In an atherectomy, the plaque is shaved or vaporized away with tiny rotating blades or a laser on the end of a catheter (a thin, flexible tube).
Both olive oil and avocado oil are considered good fats and are an excellent source of monounsaturated fatty acids, which can help improve heart health. On the other hand, olive oil is slightly more nutritious on the whole because it contains more potassium, calcium, iron and vitamins.