Living in South Florida I am spoiled by the amount of fresh produce available. Adding to that, there is so much Caribbean and South American influence. It’s no secret that fresh fruits and vegetables are healthy, and here, there is a tremendous choice. So, when a friend gave me a fresh avocado from their yard, I’m obviously going to eat it. This one was huge, much bigger than the Haas avocados I’m used to. It’s a Choquette, they grow here. I like my avocado served simple; salt, pepper and a squirt of lime, delicious. But, it prompted me to write about something that is delicious and healthy. Please read on.
I have written posts about some of the things in our diet that we need to watch, like cholesterol and carbohydrates. Also about things we need to try to include in our diets, like salads and oatmeal, and some ingredients that are beneficial to our bodies like garlic. To that list I’ll add avocados, because they’re more than just guacamole.
The avocado is native to southern Mexico and Guatemala, and was domesticated about 5000 years ago by the Mesoamericans. The name as we know it is from the Spanish “aguacate” which is derived from the ancient Nahuatl language “ahuacatl”. A soup was made from the avocado, it was called “ahuacamolli” in the Nahuatl language, which, became “guacamole” in Spanish. Mexico is still the number one producer of avocados globally. Over 2 million tons, of which 80% are the Haas variety.
For as much as we love avocados, they do have a dark side. Avocados require the most amount of resources per pound of fruit produced. Specifically water, the demand being so high that it put’s stress on the surrounding areas. Global warming is going to affect the production of avocados. And, because there’s money involved, some Mexican drug cartels are getting involved and demanding “payments” from the farmers. This happens to such a degree that some people have come up with the term Blood Avocados. There’s a dark side to anything that makes money, and, I don’t believe we should stop buying avocados. We just need to be informed, and maybe know where our supply is coming from, Mexico is not the only place where avocados are grown. Chile, Peru and California also have them as a crop.
There are a few varieties of avocado, Haas being the most popular because the tree bears fruit year round. Sometimes called the alligator pear. It has a high yield per tree, has a long shelf life, and, tastes delicious. All making it the most commercially successful variety. Another popular variety is the Choquette. They grow naturally down here in south Florida. If you have an avocado tree down here, you’ll naturally have friends who love these avocados. The flavor isn’t as intense as the Hass, and they have a shorter shelf life. However, the have a good taste and are much bigger.
Something that everyone who eats avocados has had to deal with is the avocado turning brown. Firstly, we need to differentiate it turning brown from being sliced open and brown from bruising. Bruising is very common. The avocados certainly get handled a lot, from when they’re picked to when they reach the store. Then, everyone gives them a squeeze to see if they’re ripe. All that is bruising.
However, there is browning from cutting open, and, here’s where science comes into play. There is a chemical reaction between oxygen in the air and enzymes in the avocado that cause it to brown. Minimizing the contact with the air, like wrapping in saran wrap, or putting in a sealed container helps. Also, using another enzyme to slow the process, like squirting lemon juice works too. I have also found that storing the avocado half with the pit also seems to stop the browning process. These storage containers allow you to do that. I’m not going to pretend to have a trick, but I can give you the reason why.
As much as avocados taste great, they are also good for you. The flesh has a slightly oily consistency, and avocado oil that comes from it is good for cooking, with a high smoke point, it’s great for sautéing. You’ll find more on my post on cooking oils and fats. The good thing about avocado oil is it’s monounsaturated, which is heart healthy. It’s also packed with vitamin B; 28% DV of B5, 20% DV of B6, and, 20% DV of B9. There’s more, they’re high in fiber, both soluble and insoluble, this promotes gut health, and, controls your eating by making you feel fuller after a meal. There’s more information about the different types of fiber in my post about lentils. They are also low in sugar, therefore have a low glycemic index which is good for those with diabetes.
It doesn’t really matter if you’re eating a Haas or Choquette, the nutritional value is the same. It’s pretty versatile. Sliced as a side, added to a salad, put it on something crispy, like toast. This slicer is awesome, I love it. And, of course, add it to pretty much any Latin dish. It goes great with my Shrimp Tacos No matter how you serve it, I hope you enjoy, and thanks for reading