I am writing this on a Sunday morning after enjoying a plate of avocado on toast for a late breakfast. Avocados are that delicious fruit that make me think about warmer months. They go so beautifully with ripe juicy tomatoes… actually, they go well with so many foods. I have found a sunny seat to spend a few hours as we are still in January and lockdown. I need to feel that sunshine today - it makes everything so much better!
Growing up, I don’t really remember having many avocados. I think they were a luxury ingredient, certainly not easily sourced and available year-round! However, over the last 20 years, avocados have become the ‘go to’ superfood and now that I know how to carefully select them (I have eaten them over-ripe and slightly stringy - that would put you off forever), I have rediscovered them for breakfast, lunch and dinner - basically any time of day and never really looked back!
Searching for previous blogs on avocados, I find plenty of recipes and delicious food photographs but not a lot on avocados themselves. They are as mentioned a ‘superfood’ so full of health benefits.
The popularity of the avocado is down to its rich, creamy, velvety texture and mild flavour. The avocado or Persea Americana is a fruit that belongs to the family of Lauraceae; a group that also includes members such as cinnamon and laurel. There are dozens of varieties of avocado ranging in size, colour and texture. All are native to tropical climates and when harvested, the flesh softens to a buttery texture that has become extremely popular in everything from toast toppings to desserts.
Here are five health benefits of avocado.
1. They are full of nutrients.
Half an avocado counts as one of your 5-a-day! They are an excellent source of monounsaturated fat and vitamin E. Avocados have more soluble fibre than other fruit and contain a number of useful minerals such as iron, copper and potassium and are a good source of the B vitamin, folate.
2. Source of heart-healthy monounsaturated fats
100g of avocado contains about 19g of fat, of which 12g are monounsaturated fats (only 4g of saturated fat).
The guidance around the types of fat we should be consuming for a healthy diet is ever changing. Currently, it is recommended that we choose unsaturated fats such as monounsaturated fat (like that found in avocados) as they are supposedly better for heart health than saturated fat.
Research suggests that monounsaturated fat helps to protect against heart disease and lowers blood pressure.
3. Help to lower cholesterol
The oils provided by an avocado include oleic acid and linoleic acid and are therefore recommended as part of a balanced diet to prevent high cholesterol.
4. Help regulate appetite
Avocados are high in calories due to the high fat content and those managing their weight might want to consider limiting the number of avocados they consume to two per week, while increasing the portions of other lower calorie fruits and vegetables. One small study has shown, however, that the fat content of avocados can lead to feelings of satiety which can help with appetite regulation.
5. Vitamin E helps keep eyes healthy
Alongside the benefits outlined above, they are a rich source of antioxidant vitamin E, plus a group of carotenes which are thought to help keep the eyes healthy.
Types of avocados
· The Hass and Fuerte avocados are the two main varieties sold in the UK.
· The Hass avocado hails from Guatemala and has a dark purple/brown, pebbled, slightly rough, thicker skin. The Hass avocado is oval in shape.
· In contrast the Fuerte avocado, from Mexico has a thin, smooth, brighter green skin. It contains less oil, making it less creamy. The thin skin of the Fuerte is less robust and so often picked under ripe to prevent becoming damaged in transport. As a result, Fuerte avocados take longer to ripen – and sometimes don’t – so Hass avocados are often the better bet.
History of avocados
Avocados are native to Central and South America and did not appear in the UK until the mid-1900s. They are now commercially produced in the US, Caribbean, Mexico, Brazil, Israel and Australia. Sadly the climate restricts avocado growth in the UK.
How to select and ripen avocados
Avocados are best eaten when they are perfectly ripe. To achieve this, leave them at room temperature for anything up to a week and feel them gently from time to time. When ripe, avocados should feel slightly soft when you apply some pressure.
A firm avocado will ripen in a paper bag over a couple of days or by putting them next to a banana in the fruit bowl. Avocados should not be put in the fridge until they are ripe. Once opened, you can squeeze lemon juice on the flesh to protect it from browning.
Avoid those which are overripe with brown, fibrous flesh as it will taste bitter and mushy! There isn’t any need to be inventive with avocados. They are best added to salads or mashed up as guacamole.
One of the top new vegan products and food trends is avocado dough. Replacing egg in brioche or rich bread dough https://www.veganfoodandliving.com/news/ms-launches-vegan-brioche-avocado-burger-buns-and-hot-dog-buns/
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