There is no argument; with their delicious taste, healthy attributes, and versatility in a variety of different plates and dishes, avocados are undoubtably this month’s superfood.
What makes avocados so great? Try one and you will see. Their smooth, buttery texture invites use in many dishes in restaurants and homes across America. In salads, sandwiches, spreads, and sauces, avocados have quickly become one of the most commonly used fruits in the world.
That’s right. Contrary to popular belief, avocados are in fact a fruit, not a vegetable. They belong to the Genus Persea in the Lauracea family, one of 150 species of evergreens, which cultivate in subtropical regions. These superfruits are nutrient dense, and are loaded with potassium, omega-3 fatty acids, vitamins A, C, and E, and also fiber. Eating avocados can also reduce stress, due to their richness in vitamin B.
The avocado originated in the south-central region of Mexico, sometime between 7000 and 5000 B.C. This fruit was not cultivated until several thousand years later. Rudolph Gustav Hass is responsible for growing the first avocado, guess what its name is. Yep, the Hass avocado is the most popular form of the fruit used today. Last year, 4.25 billion Hass avocados were cultivated, which is equal to 1.9 billion pounds. If you happen to see avocados in your kitchen or at the grocery store, they are most likely a Hass avocado. That being said, there are in fact hundreds of avocado species across the world.
An amazing, and unique, way to use avocados in a delicious dish that can be enjoyed by many, is to turn them into avocado bacon fries. Cut an avocado, or two, into equally sized slices, and wrap each with a sliver of bacon. Place them on a baking sheet, and cook in the oven at 425 degrees for 12 to 15 minutes until the bacon is crisp. Just like that, you have a tasty low-carb snack! This dish goes very well with ranch dressing as well, just don’t tell our registered dietitian!
Fun Facts:
There is enough guacamole eaten on Super Bowl Sunday to fill a football field twenty feet thick, 53.5 million pounds consumed.
Not only are avocados used in sandwiches, salads, sauces, and other savory dishes, Brazilians use avocados to make ice cream as well!
Although avocados are grown, and mature on a tree branch, it is only until they are plucked from that tree that they begin to ripen.
The origin of the word guacamole stems from the Spanish explorers’ inability to pronounce the Aztec word for avocado, “ahuacatl”.
Avocados contain four grams of protein, making them the most protein rich fruit on the planet!