Avocados: TODAY’s Apple that will help you keep the Doctor Away!

Ever heard of the saying ‘An apple a day keeps the doctor away”? Well, these days AVOCADO is the new apple. Due to the numerous health benefits of Avocado, it is continuously gaining popularity among health-conscious individuals.

Is Avocado a fruit?

Avocado is a large berry with a single seed that grows in warmer climates such as of Mexican or South American. And yes… Avocado is a fruit and not a vegetable.

What other names are Avocados known as?

Alligator Pear or Butter Fruit.

Botanical Name: Persea Americana

What is an Avocado from Inside?

Avocado has a single seed at its centre and its flesh is light green in colour, which has a soft, creamy & smooth texture.

How to choose a Perfect Avocado?

Test 1: Avocados that are darker in colour on the outside are riper than the lighter ones.

Test 2: Take the fruit in your hand and press it gently with your thumb. If it yields, it is ready to eat. If it is very soft, it may be overripe.

These are only TIPS; it is the practice of continuous buying that’ll make you an expert.

How to ripen an Avocado at home?

Do know that avocados do not ripe on the trees, they ripe after harvesting.

So don’t panic if you have bought an avocado that is not ripe enough to eat yet. Keep it outside the refrigerator for 2-3 days and it will attain just the right ripeness you require to eat it. However, if you want to delay the ripening process, you need to refrigerate it.

Instead of waiting for 2-3 days for it to ripe the natural way, you can ripe the avocado instantly too. Follow the below strategy to do so:

• Cover the avocado with an aluminum foil
• Keep it in the preheated oven for 10-12 minutes at 120 degrees. 
• Check the softness as explained above. If not done, heat again for 5-6 more minutes till it yields on touching.

How to Cut – Deseed – Flesh out Avocados?

1. Cut along its long side, down to the seed with a large knife.
2. Hold both parts of the fruit in both hands & twist the top half like you would open a jar.
3. Hold a sharp knife and firmly tap the knife blade on the centre of the seed until it sticks.
4. Twist the knife stuck to the seed towards the right to free it and take it out.
5. Now take a spoon and scope out its flesh.

What is the Nutritional Composition of Avocado?

Avocado is a nutrient dense fruit, which means that they provide vitamins, minerals and other nutrients that give positive health benefits, with relatively low calories.

Source: http://foodfacts.mercola.com

This means A single 3.5 ounce (100 gms) of Avocado fulfills the following daily national requirement intake:

Vitamin K: 26% | Folate: 20% | Vitamin C: 17% | Potassium: 14% | Vitamin B5: 14% |Vitamin B6: 13% | Vitamin E: 10%

• Small amounts of Magnesium, Manganese, Copper, Iron, Zinc, Phosphorous, Vitamin A, B1 (Thiamine), B2 (Riboflavin) and B3 (Niacin).
• Fiber: 27% (Consumption of Fiber assists in weight loss and metabolic health.)

Avocados do not contain any cholesterol or sodium. They are also low in saturated fat.

Source: https://authoritynutrition.com

What Benefits do you get by including Avocados in your Diet?

• Decrease the risk of obesity, diabetes, arthritis and heart disease.
• Lowers cholesterol levels (increases good cholesterol (HDL) and lowers bad Cholestrol (LDL)
• Results in healthy hair, eyes, and skin as well as increased energy.
• Being high in fiber & low in carbs, they are considered excellent for people who want to lose weight.

Avocados & avocado oil are high in monounsaturated oleic acid, a “heart healthy” fatty acid that is associated with reducing inflammation and has beneficial effects on cancer.

Avocados are excellent for pregnant women. It has also been proved that including avocado or avocado oil in your diet along with the vegetables can help to increase the nutritional value of other food consumed.

How can you include Avocados in your diet?

Here are a few tips you can follow to include Avocado in your Diet:

1. Avocado can be eaten raw (just add salt & pepper, and even lime juice)
2. Slice the Avocado and place it on your toast, it is an excellent replacement for butter.
3. Avocados make great toppings as well as side dish.
4. They can be mixed with other ingredients of your choice to make great sandwich spreads.
5. It also can be used as an amazing dip or guacamole due to its creamy texture.
6. You can even use it as a filling to your paranthas (Indian flatbread).
7. Make smoothies, although personally, I am not a very big fan of smoothies (too much work I guess). I like to eat fruits as whole or in salads.

How Much Avocado should you eat per day?

Bear in mind that avocados are high in calories, and that is why it is recommended to have only half or one avocado per day. Eating more than one avocado per day may cause diarrhea or nausea.

Keep in mind the following before starting to consume Avocados

There are a few things you need to be kept in mind before consuming Avocados:

1. Allergy: If you are experiencing mouth itching, swollen tongue, heavy breathing or stomach pain, it may be possible that you are allergic to avocados. Do keep in mind that if you are allergic to potatoes, tomatoes, bananas, kiwi, melons or peaches, your risk of being allergic to avocado increases. It is highly advised to consult a doctor.
2. Anticoagulant: If you are taking any type of anticoagulant (medicines that help prevent blood clots), kindly consult your doctor before including avocado in your diet.

Hope you find this article useful and will immediately work on including avocado in your diet. Do write below in the comment section if there are any questions you have for me.

XOXO