Avocado- a very valuable fruit plant, cultivated by man five thousand years ago: until that time, people ate the fruits of wild species. Archaeologists have discovered cave paintings depicting the fruits of the avocado tree, made by ancient people who lived in the 10th century BC.
Biologists call this culture American Perseus, the Aztecs called it "forest oil", and in translation from English the name of the fruit, covered with a dark green bumpy peel, very reminiscent of rough alligator skin, sounds like "alligator pear" (photo can be seen below).
Biological characteristic
Perseus americana belongs to the species of evergreen fast-growing plants of the laurel family and grows in tropics and subtropics. The height of this tree with a straight strongly branched trunk can reach eighteen meters.
The leaves of the avocado tree are glossy, elliptical, over 30 cm long, continuously changing throughout the year. The plant blooms with small unsightly bisexual flowers located in the axils of the leaves.
The fruit of the "alligator pear" is a one-seeded berry that has the shape of a pear, ellipse or ball. Depending on the variety, the weight of ripe avocado fruits can range from fifty grams to two kilograms, and the length can vary from five to twenty centimeters.
A ripe avocado fruit has one large pit (seed) and an oily yellowish-green flesh containing a large amount of fat. The immature fruits of the "alligator pear" are covered with a tough dark green skin that darkens as they ripen.
Is avocado good for you? What vitamins does avocado contain?
The beneficial properties of avocados are explained by the presence of a number of substances that are extremely important for the human body. Avocado fruit contains:
A large number of useful trace elements.
Wide range of B vitamins.
Multivitamin complex, including vitamins of groups D, E, C, K and PP. Vitamin E is extremely important for human health, as it oxygenates the cells of the human body, while preventing their aging. Vitamin e in avocados is contained in such quantities that it makes this fruit a champion among its brethren.
A group of biologically active substances that have a rejuvenating effect.
A complex of unsaturated fatty acids, the most important of which is elaic (oleic) acid.
Fats.
Vegetable fiber.
And yes, the fruit is considered an excellent aphrodisiac, another plus, right?
Avocado Mystery
Many people ask the question: is an avocado a fruit or a vegetable? Biologists say that it is a fruit, because the fruits ripen on a tree and have a bone inside. However, the low sugar content of the pulp has led some to believe that the avocado is a vegetable.
The taste of avocado is reminiscent of an unripe pumpkin, and the texture of the oily pulp is similar to butter with a hint of pine nuts. Thanks to such a unique taste, avocados are used as a vegetable: they are great for making salads, soups, all kinds of sandwiches and pates.
Only sometimes, remembering that it is still a fruit, the fruits of American Perseus are added to sweet desserts.
A base avocado sauce that goes well with all kinds of salads, fish and meats, traditionally made from lemon juice, avocado pulp and salt. Residents of tropical countries, when making sauce, add spices, herbs, and sweet peppers, which in this case positions the perseus fruit as a vegetable.
How does an avocado grow?
The benefits of avocado
Such a rich chemical composition has made the avocado fruit an extremely useful food product that has a beneficial effect on the functioning of all organs and systems of the human body. How useful is avocado?
The benefits of avocados are, first of all, in their high nutritional value and the ability to quickly satisfy hunger and restore lost strength.
The benefits of these fruits in the treatment of hepatitis, diseases of the gastrointestinal tract, duodenal ulcers and cholelithiasis have long been noticed.
Strengthens immunity. Since the fruit is very rich in minerals and vitamins, avocados are great at blocking viruses and have an anti-inflammatory effect. The pulp helps the body in recovery from illness or surgery, replenishes the energy of people who play sports.
Its use improves the functioning of the cardiovascular system, lowering blood cholesterol, thereby preventing the risk of strokes and heart attacks. This effect is achieved due to the unsaturated fatty acids included in this fruit.
Lowers blood pressure. The high content of potassium in fruits has a supportive function for metabolism, fixes blood pressure within normal limits.
The benefits of avocados for patients suffering from anemia are indisputable, since this fruit contains a complex of substances involved in the synthesis of hemoglobin.
The benefits of avocados for improving the condition of the nervous system are due to the presence of a wide range of B vitamins.
The benefit of daily consumption of avocados for patients suffering from insomnia, neuroses and headaches is to get rid of these ailments.
Improvement of the skin regeneration system - a plant rich in vitamins and minerals has a beneficial effect on the skin, promotes its rejuvenation, and also slows down the process of wrinkles and tames inflammation.
It has a beneficial effect on the state of the liver, protecting it from diseases and excessive intoxication.
Thanks to oleic acid, the use of avocados can be considered a good prevention of cancer.
Reduces the risk of diseases of the organs of vision - the nutrients contained in the fruit improve vision, are the prevention of diseases such as the appearance of cataracts and macular degeneration.
Facilitates the period of pregnancy - vitamin B6 helps fight malaise and favorably affects the development of the fetus.
avocado calories
People who watch their weight often ask the question: “how many calories are in an avocado?” The calorie content of avocados ranges from 160 to 220 kcal, making it the most nutritious fruit, the nutritional value of which exceeds that of eggs and lean meats.
Despite the high calorie content, some people use avocados for weight loss (reviews about this can be found on the Internet). Everyone knows that for every 100 g of avocado pulp there is 20 g of fat, but this fat is easily processed by the human body, since it is one of the monounsaturated vegetable fats.
Using avocados for weight loss, you need to remove all fatty foods and pastries from your diet, replacing them with a half or a quarter of a ripe fruit. The benefits of fruits are due to the presence of L-carnitine in them.
Avocados for weight loss can be used not only in the recipe of the finished dish, but also as a full-fledged snack.
Remember! Avocado is not subjected to heat treatment and is consumed raw, because after processing the plant loses its beneficial properties and becomes absolutely tasteless.
Avocado oil: properties and applications in cosmetology
What is the benefit of avocado for hair and skin?
Avocado oil, the benefits of which are due to the richness of its chemical composition, is widely used in cosmetology in the manufacture of various products for weakened hair, dry skin and thin nails. It contains proteins, carbohydrates, vitamins, saturated and unsaturated fatty acids.
Avocado oil for hair helps fight hair breakage, split ends and lack of natural shine (this is confirmed by the reviews of many consumers). Its use is especially recommended for hair weakened by highlighting or perm.
If you add avocado cosmetic oil (10 drops per 100 ml) to your regular shampoo or hair conditioner, you can significantly increase the effectiveness of these cosmetics.
Avocado oil hair mask is done on the day of the intended shampooing. A few tablespoons of warm oil is rubbed into the scalp, after which it is distributed over the entire length of the hair. The head is wrapped with plastic wrap and insulated. The mask is aged for at least half an hour and washed off with shampoo.
Avocado oil for the face can moisturize, protect, saturate with nutrients and restore its former beauty to aging skin. Vitamins E and A, which are extremely beneficial for the skin of the face, can only be absorbed in the presence of fats, which are so rich in avocados.
Avocado oil face mask is especially effective for aging and hypersensitive skin. The simplest option, as evidenced by the reviews of fans of this product, is a mask of avocado oil-soaked napkins, which is applied to the skin of the face shortly before bedtime (a quarter of an hour is enough).
Avocado oil for the face can be used in combination with essential and vegetable oils, as well as in a mixture containing a number of natural products (honey, egg yolk, sour cream).
Thanks to the mask with avocado oil, the immunity of the skin increases, as its susceptibility to the effects of negative environmental factors decreases.
avocado oil
Useful properties of avocado seeds
You read about the beneficial properties of avocados above, but after eating its nutritious oily pulp, a large and beautiful bone remained. Don't rush to throw it away.
Valuable substances for health are contained in the avocado seed: copper, potassium, folic acid salts, vitamins (K, C5, B), antioxidants, anti-cancer substances.
Below are a few ways to use avocado pit for health.
1. The contents of the bone can be added to fruits and berries
To do this, it is necessary to open the very hard shell of the stone, remove its dense contents and chop with a knife or use a blender.
The resulting mass can be dried, or left as is. Since the taste of the stone mass is bitter due to tannins, it is best to add it to various fruit and berry dishes. The nutritional value of the dishes will only benefit from this.
2. Avocado seed tea
To brew tea from a stone, you must first divide it into pieces. Then pour the pieces with boiling water and let it brew. Complement bitter tea with honey or sweets.
3. Healthy drinks with avocado pit
Your favorite drinks can be made healthier by adding a mass of avocado pits to them. Combinations based on juices are good: cucumber, apple and bone mass; different fruits and bone mass; mango, pineapple, ginger and bone mass.
4. Useful addition to the Mexican Enchilada sauce
Remove the internal contents of the bone and keep cool for up to 7 days. Then grate the inside of the bone or chop in a blender and add to the already prepared sauce. Do not get carried away, because the sauce can become very bitter.
5. Cleanse your face with an avocado pit
Already in a known way, process the avocado seed and chop its contents. Prepare a face mask based on banana, avocado pit mass, lemon pulp and olive oil. It turns out a face scrub mask.
6. Homemade hair shampoo with avocado pit.
The nutrient mixture for washing hair is prepared as follows. First you need to boil the grated pulp of the bone in water for half an hour. Next, mix honey, rye bread, boiled pulp, about two liters of warm water and a little of any hair shampoo. In the resulting solution, wash your hair weekly so that they become shiny and beautiful.
avocado pit
Growing avocados at home from seed
Readers interested in how to grow avocados are encouraged to read this section of our article. Avocados are grown from a large long seed or cutting, you can use air layering. Most often, the method of growing fruit from the stone is chosen.
Detailed instructions on how to grow an avocado from a seed:
- Free the bone from the pulp and remove the shell.
- Plant in the ground with the base away from the stem of the fruit.
- Then it is good to sprinkle with soil on top, not forgetting to leave the top of the bone.
- Suitable container for planting with a diameter of 10 - 14 cm.
- Fill with prepared mixture. Soil for avocados is suitable made from a mixture in equal proportions of sand, turf and humus.
- Plant the seed at a depth of 1-3 cm.
- Germination time can take from 14 to 60 days, with the right temperature regime of 25 - 30°C
If you follow all the rules for planting avocados, the plant will quickly sprout, and will delight the gardener with green shoots.
Avocado at home grows well only in a very bright room and requires moderate watering. Another indispensable condition for the good development of avocados is the right pot. Avocado, which has an extremely long root, grows well in elongated floor planters, so window pots are not suitable for it.
Pruning a plant is one of the main places for care. The plant quickly rises up and spreads long branches. The first 3 years, the best solution is to transform the plants in the form of a bush. It is necessary to carry out constant pinching of the shoots, and cut off the extra ones that drown out the crown.
Only after 5 years, the avocado begins to bloom beautifully, and soon brings the long-awaited fruits. Small yellow flowers appear usually in the spring season. Until half a year flowering continues. Plant varieties are best chosen so that they do not need cross-pollination. Then, the fruits will be born on their own. To increase the yield in adult plants will help cleansing from new shoots that are actively formed at the ends of flowering branches.
The fruits ripen closer to winter, and when they fall, they are severely damaged. Still unripe fruits are removed to avoid damage. Gradually, the fruit ripens and acquires softness, normal taste. Home grown avocados weigh only 150 grams.
Plants are subject to many diseases. Often, improper care conditions in the cold season contribute to the appearance of colored spots, stripes, leaves begin to dry out. In the warm season, insects may appear: spider mites, aphids.
Other ways to sprout an avocado pit at home:
- Avocado pits can be sprouted in a glass of water by sticking three or four toothpicks into their shell, using them as spacers.
- The bone suspended in this way should be half immersed in water. After the roots appear, the sprouted bone is planted in a pot.
- Avocado seeds can be wrapped in a piece of damp cotton wool and wait for them to separate into halves. After that, they are planted in pots. The first shoots appear in a couple of weeks.
Many people tend to grow avocados indoors. If you follow all the rules for caring for the plant, maintain the desired room temperature, competently treat diseases and insects; then avocado fruits will please for a long time, and the volume of the crop will increase every year.
What to cook with avocado
Recently, the popularity of avocado dishes is gaining huge momentum. The main hit is the guacamole salad. It is recommended to serve it before the main course of hot dishes, as an appetizer to whet the appetite, goes well with white wines. A variety of cooking and serving methods can satisfy the needs of the most sophisticated gourmet.
The main key to the success of making guacamole is the quality of the products. It may be difficult to find a good avocado in the store, but without this ingredient, the meaning and essence of this dish is lost.
Compound:
- Avocado 200 grams (2 pieces).
- Tomato 100 grams (1 piece).
- Leek 30 grams.
- Lime 1 piece.
- Jalapeno pepper pickled 20 grams.
- Cilantro 5 grams.
- Olive oil.
- Salt.
- Sugar.
- Ground black pepper.
- Wheat or corn chips.
Cooking method:
Peel the avocado, cut into small cubes. Remove the peel and core of the tomato (cut the skin, dip in boiling water, after that the skin peels off and is easily removed; the core is the white center and seeds) and also cut into small cubes. Finely chop the leek, cilantro (leaves only), and jalapeno peppers. Mix everything, add the zest of a whole lime and its juice. Add olive oil, sugar, salt and pepper to taste. Mash the mixture with a fork or masher.
Serve with chips.
In this case, a not entirely homogeneous mass will turn out, that is, it will be possible to feel the various ingredients tactilely, this method of preparation gives the dish a special touch. But you can turn everything into a homogeneous mass.
Bon appetit.
Frequently asked Questions
- How to choose an avocado in the store? The ripe fruit should be firm, but when pressed with fingers, its flesh should be easily pressed in and no longer take its original shape. How to choose an avocado so as not to get a rotten fruit? It is better to refrain from buying fruits with large black spots: most likely, they are already spoiled. There should not even be a hint of rotting at the base of the fruit.
- How to peel an avocado? First, the fruit is cut into halves, making a circular incision along its perimeter with a sharp knife. Separation of the halves of a mature fruit is easily achieved by turning them in different directions. To remove a bone, it is enough to draw around it with the tip of a knife. How to peel an avocado to free it from the peel? To do this, the peel of one of the halves is cut from top to bottom and removed in one piece. Then they do the same with the other half.
- How to eat avocado correctly? Ripe fruits are cut in half, the stone is removed and eaten, scraping the pulp with a spoon. Raw fruit is the healthiest.
- What does an avocado taste like? The taste of avocado is reminiscent of an unripe pumpkin, and the texture of the oily pulp is similar to butter with a hint of pine nuts. Thanks to such a unique taste, avocados are used as a vegetable: they are great for making salads, soups, all kinds of sandwiches and pates.
Harm avocado
- Avocados can harm people who are allergic to citrus fruits.
- Obvious harm to the fruit in the presence of individual intolerance to this product.
- If a person is allergic to latex, eating avocados can be harmful to their health.
Conclusion: In the absence of these contraindications, the avocado fruit is extremely beneficial.
