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The Avocado - a surprising and healthy fruit!

Back to Our Fruits, Vegetables and Fresh Herbs

While avocados are cholesterol-free like all fruits and vegetables, they do contain a fair amount of fat, but this fat isn't bad for your health. In fact, most of the fatty acids in avocadoes are monounsaturated. These "good" fatty acids play a heart-healthy role, helping to blood cholesterol levels.

Tips and advice

With their nutty-flavoured, creamy flesh, avocados go well with citrus fruit and salty foods such as ham and shrimp.
Avocados are usually eaten raw, split in two and sprinkled with lemon juice or in salads, sandwiches and dips such as the classical Mexican guacamole.
To split an avocado, cut it in two lengthways and twist the two halves in opposite directions to separate them. Using a knife, lift the pit out.
Cut avocados discolour rapidly; sprinkle them with lemon juice to prevent this.

Little-known Fact

Why are avocados sometimes rock-hard in supermarkets?

Avocados begin to ripen when they are cut from the tree, which is why they are sometimes rock-hard in the store.
Once they begin to soften, they spoil quickly. So it's best to buy relatively firm avocados free of blemishes and ripen them at home in a paper bag at room temperature.

How to ripen an avocado?

Avocados don't ripen properly in the refrigerator.
To test ripeness, press an avocado lightly with your fingers; a ripe avocado will give a little.
Depending on the variety, as a general rule an avocado's dark green peel becomes black when ripe.