The Big Coconut: Avocado

Avocados are a perfect food that replaces imperfect protein foods such as meat, eggs, cheese and poultry. Avocados contain high quality essential fatty acids and proteins that are easily digested. They also contain 14 minerals which regenerate and stimulate growth. They are an excellent source of iron and copper which build red blood cells. Avocados contain sodium and potassium which support a healthy alkaline blood balance. Because of their low sugar content and absence of starch, avocados are excellent for diabetics or sugar-sensitive disorders. This fruit contains vitamins A, B1, B2, B3, C, iron, phosphorous and magnesium. Avocado is high in vitamin E which slows down aging.

The avocado, or alligator pear, is a common evergreen found in Mexico and Central and South America. There are over 400 varieties. The Mexican variety is grown in the San Joaquin Valley of California, the Guatemalan in Southern California and the West Indian in Florida. Pear-shaped or oval fruit are borne 2 to 3 years after planting. Avocados are the highest in producing fruit oil, consisting of almost 30% oil. Filled with enzymes, avocado is a source of fat that is easy to digest. Because of its ability to easily combine with starches, it makes a great dip for raw vegetables. Blended with fruit, it produces a highly-nutritious baby food. We consider this precious fruit so important that we have given it its own section amongst the fruit recipes.  Purchasing perfect avocados can take some practice; it is a delicate fruit. Avocados can go from being perfectly ripe to over-ripe in a matter of a day. This will result in the oil becoming rancid and mushy, discoloring to an unsightly brown. So we suggest that you buy them unripe and allow them to ripen on the counter. Unripe avocados will be dark green and hard. As they begin to ripen, they turn a dark greenish brown and become slightly soft to thumb pressure. The inner flesh of a ripened avocado will be a gorgeous lime green without any brown spots. The easiest way to remove the flesh is to cut the fruit in half, lengthwise, and twist open. The pit will remain in one side. Remove by imbedding knife into the pit and twisting.