They seem to be on every menu – some places are even putting avocado in every single thing on their menu, like this restaurant in New York. The fruits (yes, they are technically fruits – and more technically, berries) are tasty, easy to work with (once you figure out if they’re ripe) and very good for you. They’re the basis of guacamole, they spread really well on toast (just ask any millennial) and their fat content makes them a good replacement for cheese, mayo, and butter.
Once a luxury food served on royal tables, avocados belong to the genus Persea in the Lauraceae family and are also called alligator pears (thanks to their bumpy skin) and avocado pears – though botanically speaking, they are not related to pears.
Avocados are full of nutrients – folate, potassium (they actually have more potassium than bananas), vitamin B5, vitamin B6, vitamin c, vitamin e, vitamin k – not to mention fibre and healthy fats. In fact, their fat content is the reason avocados are one of the few fruits that have SmartPoints in the Weight Watchers program –because it’s really easy to overconsume them: How many of us can polish off an entire bowl of guac in five minutes?
But as long as you are mindful of your portions (half of a medium avocado is 5 SmartPoints),there’s no reason to ration your avocado intake. Here are five simple ways to enjoy avocados, from Love One Today.
- Just on their own – a perfectly ripe avocado with some cracked pepper and sea salt can be really satisfying on its own, or alongside any meal
- As a spread – jump on the millennial bandwagon and put some avocado on your morning toast
- Guacamole and dips – a classic choice for dunking veggies and chips – need we say more?
- In salads – avocados add creamy texture and rich flavour to any kind of salad, and work well with lots of different dressings – you can make them the main focus or just a small component
- In sandwiches and burgers – their creaminess can punch up any sandwich
Avocados, delicious though they may be, are notorious for their ripening woes – they seem to go from not ripe to spoiled in a matter of hours. Click here for a guide to choosing the perfect avocado, and here for help ripening, handling and using avocados. And if all else fails, don’t fret – avocados that last twice as long may be coming to Canada soon.