•Avocados are a fruit, not a vegetable, belonging to the genus Persea in the Lauraceae family
•Avocados are sodium and cholesterol-free and have only five grams of fat per serving, most of it the monounsaturated kind
•Avocados were once a luxury food reserved for the tables of royalty, but now California Avocados are enjoyed around the world by people from all walks of life
•Brazilians add avocados to ice cream
•Filipinos puree avocados with sugar and milk for a dessert drink
•The avocado is also called an Alligator Pear because of its pear-like shape and green skin
•Avocado is a corruption of the Spanish word aguacate, which is in turn a corruption of the Aztec word ahuacatl
•California produces about 90 percent of the nation's avocado crop
•San Diego County is the Avocado Capital of the U.S., producing 40 percent of all the avocados grown in California
•There are nearly 5,000 avocado growers in California; the average grove size is around 10 acres
•A single California Avocado tree can produce about 500 avocados (or 200 pounds of fruit) a year although usually average about 60 pounds from 150 fruit
•There are seven varieties of avocados grown commercially in California, but the Hass is the most popular, accounting for approximately 95 percent of the total crop volume
•California Avocados grow year-round
•About 43 percent of all U.S. households buy avocados
======================================================================== AVOCADO NUTRITION FACTS:
- Avocados contain just 5 grams of fat per serving.
- Avocados contain NO cholesterol and NO sodium.
- Avocados contain 60% more potassium per ounce than bananas!
- Avocados are high in fiber, vitamin B6, vitamin C, vitamin E, potassium and folate.
TRUTH ABOUT AVOCADOS:
1. Protein
Avocadoes provide all 18 essential amino acids necessary for the body to form a complete protein. Unlike the protein in steak, which is difficult for most people to digest, avocado protein is readily absorbed by the body because avocadoes also contain fiber. If you are trying to cut down on animal sources of protein in your diet, or if you are a vegetarian, vegan or raw foodist seeking more protein, avocadoes are a great nutritional ally to include not merely as an occasional treat, but as a regular part of your diet.
2. Beneficial Fats
Avocadoes provide the healthy kind of fat that your body needs. Like olive oil, avocadoes boost levels of HDL (the "good" cholesterol). HDL cholesterol can help protect against the damage caused by free radicals. This type of cholesterol also helps regulate triglyceride levels, preventing diabetes. A study published early this year in the Canadian Medical Association Journal found that a vegetarian diet, which includes HDL fats, can reduce levels of LDL (the "bad" cholesterol) as effectively as statin drugs.
3. Carotenoids
Avocadoes are an excellent source of carotenoids. Although many people associate carotenoids only with red and orange produce, avocadoes are also an excellent source of this phytonutrient.
Avocadoes, also known as alligator pears, offer a diverse range of carotenoids including not only the better known ones such as beta-carotene, alpha-carotene and lutein, but also lesser known varieties
of this type of phytonutrient such as neoxanthin, zeaxanthin, chrysanthemaxanthin, neochrome, beta-cryptoxanthin and violaxanthin. Every time you consume foods rich in carotenoids, you deliver high quality vitamin A to your body, thereby protecting eye health. Carotenoids also enhance the functioning of the immune system and promote healthy functioning of the reproductive system.
Since carotenoids are fat soluble, eating avocadoes optimizes the absorption of these nutrients.
4.Anti-Inflammatory
The combined effect of the deluxe package of nutrients contained in avocadoes offers powerful anti-inflammatory benefits. Avocadoes' unique combination of Vitamins C and E, carotenoids, selenium, zinc, phytosterols and omega-3 fatty acids helps guard against inflammation. This means avocadoes can help prevent or mitigate against both osteo- and rheumatoid arthritis.
5. Heart Health
The fat content, which causes some uninformed health "experts" to deem avocadoes as unhealthy, actually provides protection against heart diseases. Studies have shown that oleic acid improves
cardiovascular health. Oleic acid is the primary fatty acid in avocadoes. Many people now take supplements in order to consume more omega-3 fatty acids to lower their risk of heart disease.
Avocadoes are rich in omega-3, delivering 160 milligrams per cup of alpha-linoleic acid.
6. Choosing and Eating
To get the most nutritional value from avocadoes, avoid those which have become over-ripe. You can identify these at the store because they will have dents and feel overly soft when you hold them. A ripe avocado should have no dents in its skin and will feel slightly soft when squeezed. You can also buy unripe avocadoes, which feel very hard when gripped, and permit them to ripen at home. The
portion of the avocado closest to the skin is the most dense in nutrients, so be sure to scrape the skin clean before discarding it.
Learn more:
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HOW FATTENING ARE THEY?
Contrary to popular belief, avocados are not fattening. Even though they have a high fat content and are high in calories, they are also packed with many essential nutrients which will help to fill you up fast, and keep you feeling full.
You can safely eat one to two avocados per day without any weight gain. As a matter of fact when substituting them for other snacks, such as high-calorie, sugary, processed foods, you will find yourself eating a lot less. As a result you may even lose weight. You can easily substitute them for mayonnaise on a sandwich, or for cheese and sour cream. They can even be used as a substitute for butter and eggs in your baking.
Information courtesy of: http://www.3fatchicks.com/avocado-facts-how-fattening-are-they/
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