AVOCADO: THE BUTTER FRUIT

INTRODUCTION:

Avocado, also called alligator pear, fruit of Persea americana of the family Lauraceae, a tree native to the Western Hemisphere from Mexico south to the Andean regions. Avocado fruits have greenish or yellowish flesh with a buttery consistency and a rich, nutty flavour. 

An avocado's shape may vary from round to pear-shaped with a long, slender neck, and its color ranges from green to dark purple. Mashed avocado is the principal ingredient of guacamole, a characteristic sauce in Mexican cuisine.

FUN FACT:

○ When the Aztecs discovered the avocado in 500 BC, they named it āhuacatl, which translates to "testicle."

○ It is likely that the texture, shape, and size of the fruit, as well as the way it grows in pairs, inspired the name of the avocado.

However, after the Spanish conquerers arrived, the Aztec name was revised to "aguacate" which did not translate into "testicle."

○ People also speculate that the word "guacamole" translates to "testicle sauce," but this myth has been debunked by a Mesoamerican language specialist.

While most fruit consists primarily of carbohydrate, avocado is high in healthy fats. 

Numerous studies show that it has powerful health benefits. Here are some health benefits of avocado that are supported by scientific research: 

● Potassium is an important mineral that most people don’t get enough of. Avocados are very high in potassium, which should support healthy blood pressure levels. 100 g of avocado contains 377 mg of potassium. (IFCT values).

● Avocados and avocado oil are high in monounsaturated oleic acid, a heart-healthy fatty acid. Hence, numerous studies have also shown that eating avocado can improve heart disease risk factors.

● Avocados are high in antioxidants, including lutein and zeaxanthin. These nutrients are very important for eye health and lower your risk of macular degeneration and cataracts.

● Avocados may aid weight loss by keeping you full longer and making you eat fewer calories. They’re also high in fiber and low in carbs, which may promote weight loss.

● One dietary survey found that people who ate avocados had a much higher nutrient intake and a lower risk of metabolic syndrome.

● Avocados contain high levels of folate which help to decrease the risk of depression because folate helps to prevent the build-up of homocysteine, a substance that can impair circulation and delivery of nutrients to the brain.

TYPES OF AVOCADO:

WHY AVOCADO IS EXPENSIVE??

When an avocado orchard is planned to get planted, than the planters have to place orders for plant trees that come from certified nurseries an years in advance. On average, if planters are producing 100,000 pounds per acre, that takes about a million gallons of water, so 100 gallons per pound, so it'd be about 50 gallons per 8-ounce fruit. But that's dependent on what Mother Nature. It's really hard for planters to manage the unmanageable things that will affect a crop.

If one considers all these factors, plus the fact those avocados need to be shipped to different corners of the world with haste because they don't keep for longer than seven to 10 days after they are picked, and they need to get from farm to table quickly as a result, it's no wonder that’s why avocado is so expensive. 

WHY SOME AVOCADOS BITTER IN TASTE?

The reason for some avocados to taste bitter is under ripeness. So it is better to wait till the time they get ripe.

RECIPE:

Creamy Avocado Smoothie:

Ingredients: 

1/2 cup cubed frozen pineapple

2 cups packed fresh spinach

1 ripe avocado

1 banana

3/4 cup milk

3 tablespoons fresh lime juice 

1 teaspoon honey

pinch of sea salt

8 ice cubes

Instructions:

• Combine the pineapple, spinach, avocado, banana, coconut milk, lime juice, maple syrup, salt, ice, and protein powder, if using, in a blender. Blend until creamy.

• Taste and adjust the sweetness to your liking. If you prefer a sweeter smoothie, add more maple syrup. If the consistency is too thick, add more coconut milk, and blend again.

Musharrafa Asad

REFERENCES:

▪︎12 health benefits of avocado. Retrieved June 27, 2021, from https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/270406#benefits

▪︎15 Different Types of Avocados Out There You May Not Know About. Retrieved June 27, 2021, from https://www.onlyfoods.net/avocado-types.html

▪︎Avocado | Description, Types, History, Uses, & Facts | Britannica. Retrieved June 27, 2021, from https://www.britannica.com/plant/avocado

▪︎Creamy Avocado Smoothie Recipe—Love and Lemons. Retrieved June 27, 2021, from https://www.loveandlemons.com/avocado-smoothie/

▪︎The Bizarre History Behind the Word “Avocado.” Retrieved June 27, 2021, from https://www.businessinsider.com/avocado-history-word-testicle-2018-6?IR=T

▪︎Top 10 Brain Foods | Biohacker Summit. Retrieved June 27, 2021, from https://new.biohackersummit.com/2020/05/18/top-10-brain-foods/

▪︎Why Are Avocados So Expensive? Retrieved June 27, 2021, from https://www.mashed.com/187277/why-are-avocados-so-expensive/