Fondly known as “supercado” or “alligator pear” the avocado is loaded with nutritional perks and is beloved among guacamole aficionados.
Avocados are one of the most inexpensive anti-aging tools for your skin! Don’t let its rough outer covering fool you — the inner smoothness and creaminess are what we need for youthful skin. With all the antioxidants, amino acids and essential oils inside an avocado to help repair damaged hair, moisturise dry skin, treat sunburns and maybe even minimize wrinkles, an avocado tree could be the next fountain (tree) of youth!
Their thick skin protects them; it’s natural packaging! You can’t eat the skin, but it shields the green goodness inside, making avocados perfect for travel. It’s a climacteric fruit, meaning it matures on the tree but ripens off the tree.
You might be inclined to call an avocado a vegetable, thanks to its green hue and savoury taste, but the avocado is technically a fruit and even more specifically, a single-seeded berry.
Avocados are gluten free, dairy free, vegan, vegetarian and cholesterol free, so there’s no need for special labels.
Potassium is an important mineral that most people don’t get enough of. Avocados are very high in potassium, which should support healthy blood pressure levels.
Avocados tend to be high in fibre about 7% by weight, which is very high compared to most other foods. Fibre can have various important benefits for weight loss and metabolic health.
Avocados are one of the only fruits that contain heart-healthy monounsaturated fat (the good-for-you fat) that helps boost good (HDL) cholesterol and lowers bad (LDL) cholesterol.
Avocados are high in antioxidants, including Lutein and Zeaxanthin. These nutrients are very important for eye health and lower the risk of macular degeneration and cataracts.
Not only are avocados healthy, they’re also incredibly delicious and go with all sorts of foods. You can add them to salads and various sorts of recipes, or you can simply scoop them out with a spoon and eat them plain. They have a creamy, rich, fatty texture and blend well with various other ingredients. A notable mention is guacamole, which is arguably the most famous use of avocados. It includes avocado along with ingredients like salt, garlic and lime.
Not ripe? Put the avocado in a brown paper bag for 2-4 days, or you can speed up this process by adding a banana or apple to the bag.
The creamy texture and healthy fats make for a surprisingly-easy baking substitution. And no, you won’t be making green muffins. In the right ratios, you can ditch some butter and replace with avocado for healthier chocolate chip cookies, banana bread and brownies.
Enjoy Eric’s satisfying Texmex Salad for lunch at The Wicket, topped with our favourite avocado.
ERIC’S TEXMEX SALAD
Ingredients
sweet corn
beans, various
avocado, sliced
chicken, roasted or poached
mixed greens
red pepper, sliced
lime juice
Method
Add each ingredient into a bowl separately and then slice avocado over the top. Drizzle with lime juice to add an extra kick and enjoy!