The avocado is a tree that is native to South Central Mexico, classified as a member of the flowering plant family Lauraceae. Avocado also refers to the tree's fruit, which is botanically a large berry containing a single seed.
Spanish conquistadors had their own historian, Oviedo, who reported positively about avocados discovered in Mexico around 1519. But this interesting fruit has graced Central and South America for perhaps 10,000 years, according to the avocado-inspired drawings and artifacts found in early Aztec settlements.
A judge from Santa Barbara took the first Mexican avocado trees to California in 1871. California now grows 90% of the U.S. avocado crop in more than 6,000 groves.
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.
Also known as an alligator pear or butter fruit, the versatile avocado is the only fruit that provides a substantial amount of healthy monounsaturated fatty acids (MUFA). Avocados are a naturally nutrient-dense food and contain nearly 20 vitamins and minerals.
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. 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.
There is no doubt that the calorie content of avocados is greater than other fruits and vegetables. One small study has shown the fat content of avocados can lead to feelings of satiety which can help with appetite regulation.
However, as research has developed, the avocado has been commended as a good example of a nutrient dense food. 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.
Energy and a healthy libido are crucial for great sex, and avocados can give you both. They're loaded with minerals, monounsaturated fats (the good kind that protect the heart and lower cholesterol), and vitamin B6—all of which help keep your energy and sex drive up.
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 and is an indication of rot.