Avocados. These savory pear-shaped fruits are creamy, green, delicious, and one of the healthiest foods you can eat.
Native to central Mexico, avocados were a staple food of the ancient Aztecs, eventually spreading throughout central and South America. First discovered by Europeans during the 17th Century, they are now grown throughout the tropics and Mediterranean, including the southern United States.
In the US, there are two primary cultivars. The most popular is the Hass avocado, grown mostly in California. It features a bumpy dark brown to black skin and is proportionally higher in fat than the other variety, which is grown in Florida. These Florida avocados are generally larger in size a feature a smooth, bright green skin.
Not only do they taste good, but avocados are also one of the most nutrient rich foods around. They are a great source of folate, potassium, vitamin E, lutein, and magnesium. They are also high in fiber and healthy monounsaturated fats, which can help to lower bad cholesterol and raise good cholesterol. In addition, they contain antioxidants, which fight damaging free radicals in your body. This combination of factors means eating avocados regularly can help to protect your body from heart disease, cancer, degenerative eye and brain diseases, and more.
Most-often associated with guacamole, avocados taste great on their own and make a fresh, healthy addition to almost any meal, from salads to sandwiches and more. Spread one on a cracker, spoon one out and eat it plain, or toss a few slices on top of your favorite soup or chili. Here are a few other ideas to enjoy this versatile superfood!
Holy Guacamole!
Ingredients:
3 avocados, halved and pitted
1 lime, juiced
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon cayenne
1/2 medium onion, diced
1/2 jalapeno pepper, seeded and minced
2 Roma tomatoes, diced
1 tablespoon chopped cilantro
2 cloves garlic, minced
Directions:
Scoop the avocado pulp into a large bowl, lime juice, toss to coat. Drain and reserve the lime juice. Add the salt, cumin, and cayenne, and mash with a potato masher. Fold in the onions, jalapeno, tomatoes, cilantro, and garlic. Add 1 tablespoon of the reserved lime juice. Let sit at room temperature for one hour before serving.
Jaime McLeod is the Web Content Editor for the Farmers' Almanac. She is a longtime journalist who has written for a wide variety of newspapers, magazines, and websites, including MTV.com. She enjoys the outdoors, loves eating organic food, and is interested in all aspects of natural wellness.
If you notice a hole in the upper left-hand corner of your Farmers' Almanac, don't return it to the store! That hole isn't a defect; it's a part of history. Starting with the first edition of the Farmers' Almanac in 1818, readers used to nail holes into the corners to hang it up in their homes, barns, and outhouses (to provide both reading material and toilet paper). In 1910, the Almanac's publishers began pre-drilling holes in the corners to make it even easier for readers to keep all of that invaluable information (and paper) handy.
8 comments
Raul please do share your recipe for guacamole — sounds delicious. I don’t use cumin but love garlic and use lots of that. Thanks
Growing up in Southern California we always heard that Avocados have to be grown on a slope within some distance to the sea. For some reason they require a sea breeze and are grown on a slope that faces the sea. Is this true?
Also there were over 20 varieties of Avocados grown in California in the 50′s and 60′s but the Haas became the most popular, so gradually now the Haas is the main variety you see in the markets these days.
Well I just like them .peel and eat
My neighbor in Escondido CA, Mr. Good, explained to me, the oil content of any variety of avo depends on it’s maturity on the tree before picking. I now live in Miami and the tree
in my backyard produces the large Florida avo’s which are as oily as the CA Haas
variety. Great article. Thanks, varaha
Miami, FL
I prefer to say, pears are avocado-shaped…
I can’t wait to try these recipes. Jaime McLeod you are a great writer. You should be an investigative reporter. You always research a subject and bring out very interesting facts. Keep up the great work!
I love avocados! I try to eat a half of one every day. I just sprinkle a little himalayan salt on it. Unless I’m making an avocado dip, I don’t bother adding anything to it. So good for u!!!
Hi………I appreciate all the good information that you’re providing concerning avocados, allow me to tell you that within our Mexican or Hispanic Heritage avocados are consummed on a daily basis I also would like to tell you that the main ingredients in our guacamole, we don’t use cummin or garlic since thhese two types of spacies are irritant to some people. I have seen and taste these two spicies in what we call TEX_MEX restaurants but if you visit Mexico and tdon’t think you will see or taste that kind of guacalome.
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