By Robert DeSalvo | Wealth of Geeks
Americans ate more than 2.7 billion pounds of avocados in 2022. While there’s no more recent data, based on the berry’s exponential growth over the last 24 years, it’s reasonable to assume that the average citizen eats more than 10 pounds of the ahuacate fruit every year.
The rising demand for healthy food products and awareness of healthy lifestyles across the United States drives avocado sales increasingly higher. Not only do avocados possess numerous nutritional and health benefits, but new varieties and innovative recipes have influenced U.S. production of and spending on the tropical fruit.
The avocado — also known as the avocado pear or alligator pear — is botanically a large berry with single seed surrounded by creamy, smooth flesh. Avocados grow on a type of laurel tree native to the Americas. In California alone, 3,000 growers cultivate avocados on more than 50,000 acres.
“My favorite way to use avocados is for breakfast on toast with an egg on top,” says Alec Sills-Trausch of Explore With Alec. “It’s super healthy and keeps me full throughout the morning.”
Avocado Health and Nutritional Benefits
Avocado consumption is popular among individuals seeking healthy lifestyle choices. Avocados have cholesterol-lowering properties, potential to serve as a protein source, and high levels of monounsaturated fat, potassium, fiber, folate, essential vitamins, and minerals. Many consider the avocado a superfood: a food rich in compounds considered beneficial to one’s health.
According to Medical News Today, avocados are a true super fruit.
- Avocados supply vitamins B6, C, E, and K, as well as folate, riboflavin, niacin, pantothenic acid, magnesium, and potassium. They also provide beta carotene, lutein, and omega-3 fatty acids.
- Every 100 grams of avocado contains 76 milligrams of beta-sitosterol, a plant sterol that helps lower cholesterol and support a healthy heart.
- Avocados are a good source of folate. Scientists found a link between low folate levels and depression.
- Avocados are high in natural fiber, which helps maintain digestive track health and lowers the risk of colon cancer, stroke, hypertension, diabetes, and obesity.
- Avocados contain lutein and zeaxanthin, two chemicals naturally occurring in plants that offer antioxidant protection and help minimize eye damage from UV light.
- Avocados and avocado extracts have antimicrobial properties that protect one against certain bacterial infections.
Surprising and Unexpected Avocado Recipes
There are so many more uses for avocados than just mashing them up as the star component of guacamole or spreading them on avocado toast. The year-round availability of the avocado makes it a staple in hotels, restaurants, cafes, and homemade meals. Avocados can even be stored in the freezer for later use in ice cream and smoothies.
Here are 10 imaginative avocado recipes that expand the fruit’s possibilities.
- Ultra-Creamy Avocado Smoothie: This delicious and nutritious smoothie requires only a few ingredients: ripe Hass avocados, any type of milk, sweetened condensed milk, and crushed ice.
- Baked Avocado Chips: This healthier alternative to potato chips requires one ripe avocado, two ounces of grated Parmesan, and one tablespoon of everything bagel seasoning.
- Avocado Chocolate Mousse: Dessert blogger Chocolate Covered Katie concocted two different versions of avocado chocolate mousse that are purportedly rich, creamy, and smooth without tasting like avocado at all. The avocados provide the desired buttery texture, while cocoa powder, melted chocolate chips, and Dutch cocoa deliver the chocolate flavor.
- Avocado Egg Salad: Have a salad for lunch or dinner without having any actual lettuce in your bowl. This this creamy avocado egg salad can be enjoyed as a sandwich, on an everything bagel, or just with a fork! Add chopped onions or fresh jalapeños for a little extra kick.
- Avocado Bread: This bread recipe uses avocado in place of butter or oil. If one can get beyond eating bread with a slightly green hue, avocado bread offers a dose of healthy fat and unique flavor not found in traditional bread.
- Avocado Deviled Eggs: Some diced avocado added to the mixture blended together in a food processor gives these deviled eggs the goal creamy texture.
- Avocado Truffles: No one will know the chocolate and mashed avocado filling in these bite-size dessert treats is “green” unless the baker reveals the recipe beforehand.
- Frozen Avocado Margarita: It only takes 10 minutes and a high-powered blender to make this playful margarita consisting of blanco tequila, lime, lime juice, amber agave, triple sec, ice, and avocado. Don’t overblend because the margarita will become too thick and more like a smoothie instead of a margarita.
- No-Bake Avocado Cheesecake: The smooth, buttery texture of avocados helps form a custardy base without using gelatin. Lime adds zest and a tangy flavor, but the light green color of this cheesecake is 100% due to avocado. Like the title suggests, the mixture is poured into a pan and must set at least six hours up to overnight.
- Avocado Ice Cream: This tasty ice cream is relatively easy to make and does not require churning. In a blender, combine one avocado, one 14-ounce of sweetened condensed milk, two tablespoons of lemon juice, and a pinch of fine salt. In another large bowl, whip two cups of cold heavy cream. Then fold the heavy cream into the avocado blend until the whole mixture is well blended. Freeze four hours or overnight and enjoy avocados in a new way.
“I don’t eat dairy, so I mash some into my morning omelet and sprinkle a little nutritional yeast over it,” says Tiffany McCauley, the Gracious Pantry. “It’s the closest you can get to that creamy texture without using cheese.”
This article was produced by Media Decision and syndicated by Wealth of Geeks.
