Have you heard of an “alligator pear”? Sounds weird, right? Actually, “alligator pear” is another name for the avocado! That’s because avocados are shaped like pears and have bumpy green skin like alligators.
Avocados are extremely nutritious. They are low in saturated fat and free of any cholesterol or sodium. On the other hand, avocados are high in healthy fats, fiber, and other nutrients such as vitamin K, vitamin C, folate, and potassium. This may be surprising, but avocados actually contain more potassium than bananas. In a 100 gram (3.5 ounces) serving of avocado, there is about 14% of the recommended daily allowance (RDA) of potassium while a banana contains 10% of the RDA. Avocados are good for vision because they contain lutein and zeaxanthin, which are two phytochemicals that are essential to eye health. Also, avocados are high in fiber, with about 6-7 grams (27% of the RDA) in a 100 gram serving.
Image Source: David Marsden
Avocados can be used in so many recipes, not just guacamole. You can spread avocado on toast, bake an egg in it, grill it, stuff it, use it in sandwiches, put it in salad, or just eat it plain; the uses are endless! Although avocados are usually used for eating, you can also use avocados in do-it-yourself beauty treatments! Avocados are known for their moisturizing properties because they are high in potassium, vitamin B, and vitamin E. You could use avocados to make a homemade hand treatment, face mask, hair mask, body butter, or many other beauty treatments.
Here are some tips on choosing ripe avocados: choose avocados with unblemished skin and gently squeeze the avocado to see if it is slightly soft. For California Hass avocados, dark green or purplish-black skin indicates ripeness. Even if you don’t like eating avocados, there are so many other ways you can use them, as stated above. So, go to your local grocery store and buy some avocados today!
Featured Image Source: skeeze
