The avocado may not be so pretty on the outside, but it sure is health giving on the inside. Consider forming a long-term relationship with this power food. Why?
Nutritional benefits
- Contains approximately 20 vitamins, minerals and phytonutrients.
- Naturally sodium free and cholesterol free.
- As an “unsaturated fat” (good fat) it is one of the first fresh foods a baby can enjoy. Unsaturated fats are known to be important for normal growth and development of the central nervous system and brain.
- Acts as a “nutrient booster” by enabling the body to absorb more fat-soluble nutrients such as alpha and beta-carotene as well as lutein. (According to the American Heart Association, lutein acts as an antioxidant / anti-inflammatory which may block cholesterol absorption in foods that are eaten with the fruit).
Choosing a fresh avocado
- When you hold an avocado, it should feel heavy for its size and not have mushy spots.
- Gently press on the bottom with your finger; ripe avocados will feel slightly soft.
- Avocados mature on the tree, but they soften and develop their fullest flavor after picking. A firm green avocado will ripen within three to four days. If the skin is green with black patches, it will be ready for use in two to three days. A ripe avocado will be dark green or black and will yield to gentle pressure from a thumb.
Storing avocados
- Ripening or ready for use avocados can be stored at room temperature
- To speed up ripening, store the avocado in a brown paper bag
- To slow downripening, refrigerate the avocado
Keeping the color
The peeled avocado turns brown because of oxidation (exposure to oxygen in the air) much like an apple turns brown after it has been sliced. There are many suggested methods for keeping the green color after peeling, but none are 100 percent effective. Following are the most frequently used methods:
- Sprinkle lime juice on the exposed surface of the peeled avocado
- Cover with plastic wrap and press the wrap right next to the peeled fruit
- Cover in an air tight container immediately after preparing
- Leave the avocado pit in the unused portion of the avocado
- Or, you can use the tried and true method of scraping the brown part off the avocado and enjoy what remains
