All About Avocados

Learn all about avocados including the health benefits and how to cook and eat them. Includes lots of recipe ideas

Ok ok, I know avocados are technically a fruit and all, but I've decided that I want them to be a participant in my Veggies All Year series.

So let's celebrate that lovely fruit/veggie wanna-be...

Avocado Nutrition

*1/4 cup mashed avocado {about 1/2 of an avocado} has 96 calories, 8.9g fat (1.2g saturated fat), 5g carbohydrates, 3.9g fiber, 1.2g protein, 9% Vitamin C, 5% Vitamin E, 15% Vitamin K, 8% Vitamin B6, 13% Folate, 9% Pantothenic Acid, 8% Potassium

One small avocado is about 100-110 grams mashed.

Avocado Fun Facts

*Avocados are fruit, not veggies.

*Avocados have beneficial fats in them that help you absorb specific vitamins — fat-soluble Vitamins A, D, E, and K.

*To ripen an avocado, place it in a brown paper bag and store at room temperature. Refrigeration will slow the ripening process. Adding a banana to the bag will speed up the ripening process.

*It takes about 12-18 months to grow avocados

*California produces over 90% of the avocados consumed commercially in the US

*Like most veggies, avocados are packed with antioxidants and phytonutrients. And they are anti-inflammatory.

Avocado Tips

*When shopping for avocados, look for avocados that have no blemishes and are not mushy. Skin color is not a very adequate indicator of ripeness {there are many different types of avocados that vary in color}. You want the avocado to yield to gentle pressure but not feel too soft. Hard avocados will take a few days to ripen.

Try checking the top of the avocado next to the stem to see if that yields to gentle pressure. This is an easier way to determine ripeness in my opinion.

*Avocados' peak season is between March and September.

*Store uncut, ripe avocados in the refrigerator for to 2 to 4 days. For storing cut avocados, put lemon or lime juice on them and tightly wrap them in plastic wrap or store them in an air-tight container in the fridge. If it browns too much, you can slice the top layer off.

*One small/medium avocado has about 1/2-2/3 cup mashed avocado. One large avocado has about 2/3-3/4 cup mashed avocado.
I cut open three avocados to test this 🙂

*One small/medium avocado has about 2/3-3/4 cup chopped avocado. One large avocado has about 3/4-1 cup chopped avocado.

*Avocados turn brown pretty quickly, so adding lemon or lime juice to them can help prevent browning. Also, covering tightly with plastic wrap can help prevent browning.

What is your favorite way to eat avocados?