A power packed pear. (Avocado)

Member Name: ninacolada86

Product:	Avocado
Date:	08/12/08 (103 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Delicious, and full of healthy benifits

Disadvantages: Can be expensive, and dont always taste so good when imported

Avocados are a super food, containing almost all you need to keep you going if caught in the jungle where they originate. They are from the pear family, and are native to Mexico, Central and South America. In the UK and Ireland they cost about 00.50-1.00 pounds depending on the time of year.

ABOUT AVOCADOS

Avocados are a pear shaped fruit, with bumpy green skin. When cut open the color is light green to golden yellow in the center. The flesh will brown on contact with oxygen, in order to prevent that, squeezing lime or lemon on the flesh will do the trick .

Avocados are 75% fat, but not the bad kind, it is monounsaturated fat. They also contain the highest amount of fiber for a fruit, and more then double the amount of potassium as bananas. They are rich in vitamin E, B and K.

CULINARY USE OF AVOCADO

Avocado is great eaten raw, with salt and lemon, you can also cube it and add it to salads, or blend it with fruits and yogurt for a nutritious smoothie!
A friend once made a delicious appitiser with avocados that I will share with you now:

Serves eight

4 avocados
300gr cubed feta cheese
3 capsicums diced(yellow or red)
salad dressing (mix chopped garlic, with olive oil, lemon, salt and herbs, like parsley)


Take four ripe avocado and half them lengthwise. Take out the seed. With a butter knife, gently score lines both horizontally and diagonally across the flesh (cut till the knife touches the skin, but do not break skin) The goal is to make cubes, when you have dissected the avocado, take a spoon and scoop the flesh out. You should now, have a pile of avocado cubes!
Set aside the skins. Now in a bowl mix feta cheese, with the avocado and capsicums. Pour over salad dressing and stir gently.
Take a spoon and scoop them into the avocado skins. You should now have eight "bowls" of avocado salad! (It is important to add lemon to the dressing as otherwise the avocado will brown)

COSMETIC USE OF AVOCADO

Avocado is a great natural moisturizer, cosmetic companies have been using it in face masks, creams and body butters for a long time. If you eat an avocado, then use the peel as a skin "wipe" Gently rub the inside over your face and leave overnight for a quick face lift. You can also mash avocado and place it on tired eyes, as a 15 minute mask. This is especially recommended if you have dry skin.

Summary: Full of healthy fats and vitamins, and even better it tastes fabulous.