Don’t you just love avocados? I know so many people who do. Some people I know could just eat an avocado plain. Cut it in half, pull it apart, and use a spoon to scoop out the mushy flesh inside. Ewwww. Not my thing. I am not a fan of avocado at all. I usually get as far as cutting it in half and scoop out a portion, then it starts to get on my hands and under my nails and I am done. I end up putting it on a dish with a spoon or a knife — depending on the ripeness — and telling my husband he has to deal with it. I lean towards the idea that they taste like dirt. But I can’t actually remember the last time I tasted one. But the idea of it tasting like dirt is stuck in my head. People are often amazed that I don’t like avocado because most people LOVE them. They say, “Oh, but you must like guacamole?” And I don’t. But there are many smoothie recipes that have avocado in them. There is also a recipe that came with my blender for tortilla soup recipe that has a bit of avocado in it. I do like that, but it has a very small bit of avocado. I think that if you mix avocado with enough other stuff the taste can be disguised. After looking up nutrient information on them I am going to try to add it to more recipes. It seems the fat in avocados is unique and has the potential for many health benefits.
According to WH Foods about 85% of an avocado’s calories is from fat. But as you probably have heard it is a “good” fat. The properties in the fat contained in avocados have anti-inflammatory benefits. And you might have heard that more and more research is proving that chronic inflammation in the body is being linked to many illnesses and diseases.
The information I am seeing is that avocados are thought to help lower blood cholesterol levels. Also since they contain oleic acid it is believed they might help lowering risks of heart disease. These are some of the things that are meant by avocados contain “good” fat.
World’s Healthiest Foods nutrient information on Avocados:
1.00 cup (146.00 grams) = 233.60 calories
fiber 9.78 g / 39.1% of the DV
vitamin K 30.66 mcg / 38.3% of the DV
folate 118.26 mcg / 29.6% of the DV
vitamin C 14.60 mg / 24.3% of the DV
vitamin B5 2.03 mg /20.3% of the DV
potassium 708.10 mg / 20.2% of the DV
vitamin B6 0.38 mg /19.0% of the DV
“Avocados are a good source of fiber, potassium, and vitamins C, K, folate, and B6. Half an avocado has 160 calories, 15 grams of heart-healthy unsaturated fat, and only 2 grams saturated fat. One globe contains more than one-third daily value of vitamin C, and more than half the day’s requirements of vitamin K.”
According to Wiki, avocados originated in Mexico. Wiki further states “The avocado is a climacteric fruit (the banana is another), which means it matures on the tree, but ripens off the tree.” I didn’t know that. I always thought they were picked too soon, but apparently they ripen off the tree.
So do you like avocados? How do you eat them? Do you have any recipes that you put them in?
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