5 Food Facts: Avocados

If I had unlimited access to organic avocados, I would eat at least one every day! Guacamole is a staple around here but I put avocados in literally everything from smoothies to pesto. See some of my favorite avocado recipes below these 5 facts!

1. Avocados should be dubbed the love fruit! Yes, avocados are a fruit. Avocado trees do not self-pollinate; they need another avocado tree close by to bear fruit. The avocado is an Aztec symbol of love and fertility, and they also grow in pairs on trees.
2. Avocados are one of the best fruits for your health. Loaded with insoluble and soluble fiber, vitamin K, folate, pantothenic acid, vitamin B6, vitamin C, potassium, vitamin E, niacin, and riboflavin. They are even considered anti-aging gems and can be used in DIY beauty rituals.
3. Avocados provide your body with “good” healthy monounsaturated fats that heart keeping your cholesterol levels in the healthy range, and lowers your risk for heart disease.
4. Researchers found that adding avocados to salad and salsa (foods used in the study) can significantly enhance your body’s ability to take up the benefits of carotenoids, due primarily to the lipids in the avocados.
5. The word avocado comes from the Spanish word Aguacate. Ancient Aztecs considered avocados a fertility fruit, and the Mayans used them as an aphrodisiac.

Bonus Fact: Avocados cure bad breath. It’s true, so eat the garlic and eat the avocados. Nature always has a cure!

Fun Fact: Did you know you can eat the avocado seed? Watch this video:

Ripening Hacks: To naturally ripen a green hard avocado, place it in a brown paper bag for 2-4 days with an unripe/green banana. If you’re having trouble in picking a ripe avocado you can simply use the color and squeeze test below:

Color and squeeze test for ripe avocados: Hass avocados are typically the most consumed in the U.S. Hass avocados should be dark green, near black when ripe. Gently squeeze and you should feel an indent happen easily. An avocado is ripe when it has a firm but creamy texture. Overripe avocados have a sour taste and dark spots much like a banana peel. If you’re enjoying a Bacon, Fuerte or any of the green avocado varieties (lucky you), you’ll use the same squeeze test as above but these avocados don’t darken the same way Hass avocados do so don’t wait. If it indents, or gives into your thumb, eat it!

Avocado Recipes:

Vegan Pesto Avocado Watercress SaladSuperfood Organic Black Bean Quinoa with Avocado

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