What’s up with Avocado’s??
How many of us walk through the supermarket and look blindly past the avocado’s? What are these strange looking vegetables? Or, are they a fruit? Ironically, a avocado is considered a large berry with a seed. Many people think of it as a vegetable when actually it’s a fruit. The avocado comes from a tree native to the Caribbean and Central/South America. Although there are several variety’s of Avocado, one type that is quite popular that originates primarily out of Mexico is the haas variety. This variety is pear shaped and blackish when ripe. Interestingly, an average avocado tree produces about 1200 avocado’s annually. This fruit is regarded as climatic, meaning it matures on the tree but ripens off the tree.
The avocado is very popular in vegetarian cuisine, due to its meaty consistency. It’s usually seen as a substitute for meat on sandwiches and salads because of its high fat content. The fruit itself is actually creamy and smooth yet distinctly flavored. Many people may be familiar with guacamole, this avocado spread is popular on bread severed with salt and pepper. William Jarosh, RD of C & J Nutrition states, “Avocados are versatile- you can substitute a avocado for mayonnaise or use as a garnish on soups. Avocados are also a great source of healthy fats, and one of the few fruits that also contain fiber.” The average avocado contains about 600 calories and 14.5 grams of fat. This fat content number is high, but nearly two-thirds of the fat is the health promoting monounsaturated fat. This amazing fruit has 60% more potassium than bananas, and a great source of B vitamins, plus both vitamins E and K.
Research out of Ohio State has shown that haas avocado’s kill or stop the growth of pre-cancerous cells that lead to oral cancer. Steven M D’Ambrossio, lead author and member of the molecular carcinogenis and chemo prevention center states, “As far as we know, this is the first study of avocado’s and oral cancer.”
Next time your walking down the produce isle and a avocado pops into your view, think twice about buying one and use your own opinion and see what you think.