Today I happily welcomed back a long lost friend into my life. It seems like ages since we were last together and I have been, almost desperately, craving the reappearance of my dearest one. Well, yesterday afternoon, my much-missed comrade returned, as fat and pear-shaped as always but beautiful nonetheless. Of course my favourite pal was instantly invited to dinner and took pride of place at the table as we celebrated the joyous return - Avocados are back in season!!
Avocados are just so delicious and nourishing that it is hard for me to live without them. In fact they are one of nature’s most perfect foods and the Guinness Book of Records names them as the most nutritious fruit in the world!! (Yes they are a fruit and botanically classified as a berry) Avo’s, as they are affectionately known, are an
amazing health food, containing 60% more potassium than bananas and more than 20 nutrients, including vitamins E, B6, K and C.
As part of a healthy diet, avocados can help lower cholesterol and blood pressure and reduce the risk of heart disease and strokes. The high fibre content is good for the bowels and optimal digestive function. Avocado has also been revered as a sexual stimulant and
the name stems from the Aztec word ‘ahuacatl’, which means testicle – a reference to its shape as it hangs from the tree! With all that nutritional goodness packed inside it stands to reason that it would enhance every bodily function!!
Many people, especially dieters, have steered away from eating avocados due to their high fat content but not all fat is the same and the fat in avocados is good fat! Avocados contain monounsaturated fat, especially oleic acid, which is easily metabolized by the body. They also offer the great benefit of making
nutrients from other vegetables more easily available to the body. This is clear evidence and justification for eating them with everything! There are
many different varieties of avocados and generally the ones grown in the Caribbean are a little lower in fat than others.
There is so much to rave about avocados that I’ll have to continue next week with more delectable uses and vital information! Hope you can find an avocado to munch on in the meantime.
Your articles are great and entertaining, keep on doing what you are doing.