Avocado, the wonder fruit.

A bite of History

The avocado is originated from South and Central America. The avocado tree was the sacred tree of life for the Mayas and the Aztecs who named it the tree with testicles: "ahua guati" not only by analogy to the avocados form but also because the avocados grow by pair of two.
Around 1519, the Spanish Conquistadors introduced the avocado tree in Europe. In occident, considered as an exotic fruit the avocado became a product of luxury, therefore it was reserved to the elite . it only gain popularity when the U.S.A at the beginning of the XX century start its mass production.
The Spanish called the fruit "aguacate", the French "avocat", and the anglophone "avocado".

Fruit or vegetable?

The avocado is incontestably a fruit; it is the overgrowth ovary of a yellowish little flower.In Brazil or in Polynesia the avocado is served as a desert with sugar and lemon/rum, and even as an Ice cream.
However most of us consider it as a vegetable because of its use in many salted starter dishes.

The Green goodness

The avocado is an oleaginous fruit with many characteristics:
  • has an important vegetable content
  • is rich in vitamins (A, B, C, D, E, and K)
  • contains proteins, minerals,
  • is a source of potassium, phosphor, magnesium.
In fact forget about eating a banana after an effort, you might as well eat an avocado! Its energetic value is higher than any other fruit.
It has been proven that the avocado allows our organism to:
  • prevent certain form of cancer
  • help lower the bad cholesterol
  • help ill some liver damage
  • contribute to the skin rejuvenates
  • help with the good functioning of the cardio- vascular system
The avocado tree medicinal virtues are well known too. The infused leaves are used to treat indigestion, diabetes, and menstruations discomfort. Its oil is use for many dermatologic care products.
and the seed is use in the composition of aphrodisiacal supplies!

Avocado the beauty fruit

Avocado is a must-have for beautiful hair and skin. The avocado has more nourishing natural oils than any other fruit; and it also contains squalene, which is a hydrocarbon often used in cosmetology, because it helps to oxygen and smoothes the skin. You will find a few care advises & homemade Beauty Recipes in the links below.

Informations & Tips

The avocado grow on a tree where it remain for month, it will only mature when it will fell off the tree or will be pick up. So next time you go shopping, remember that the harder the avocado is the fresher it will be!
Here are a few tricks to accelerate the ripping of the avocado:
  • Wrap the fruit in a plastic bag or a newspaper in order for the avocado to be surrender by its own ethylene*.
  • Place the avocado in the middle of your fruit basket, the others fruits will produce enough the naturel ethylene* for its maturity.
*ethylene: Ethylene is a gas involved in the process of ripening in fruit that causes them to become more edible, softer, and sweeter.
Once it has softened, you can preserve the fruit for at least a week by placing it in the vegetable bin in your fridge.
The flesh of the avocado quickly begins to darken when exposed to the air, to prevent this:
  • add some acid (lemon or vinegar) to slow down the darkening process.
  • place the seed in the middle of the mix avocados to keep the dish fresher for longer if you do not wish to add any unwanted acidity.
  • prepare your avocado dish minutes before serving to retain its fresh green color,
Although is not recommended to freeze a whole or sliced avocado, it can be frozevery well as a puree (do not forget to add some acidity!). The puree could then be use in mixes, dips, and sandwiches. Frozen avocado can be kept 3 to 6 months.

The Avocado seed

Is the avocado seed edible?
The seed of the avocado contains a concentrate of tannins, and these makes the taste extremely bitter. Tannins is an acid commonly found in some drinks (e.g. wine, coffee, tea.); but in some cases it can be the cause for an allergic reaction.
It has also been recently been proven that the whole of the avocado tree including the skin and the seed of the fruit contains a toxin called persine that seem to be toxic to birds.
I personally will not take any chances and will just discard the pit!
The secret ink.
If you were to press the avocado seed, a very white thick liquid will come out. Its smell and texture is similar to Almond.
When expose to the air this liquid, turns red because it contains some tannin. The Spanish Conquistadors used it as an indelible ink to write most of theirs letters and official documents.
Butt in water
Butt in water
In potting soil
In potting soil

Growing an avovado tree

In certain cultures, planting an avocado seed is regard as a lucky charm. The process is fun and really easy.
Butt in the water: after you remove all the avocado flesh, wash the avocado pit gently. (To speed up germination you can decide to remove the brown seed coat, beware not damage the pit).
Holding the pit “pointed” side up,poke three toothpicks into the side of the seed at even intervals. Then perch the pit in a drinking glass of water, making sure that the pit “butt” constantly immerse in water. Change the water every two weeks or as soon as the water become dirty. Once there substantial roots, transplant your baby tree in soil.
In potting soil: remove the light brown seed cover. Plant the seed preferably in a mix of sand and soil. Do not bury the seed entirely (see picture). Water your plant enough to keep the soil moist.
this may interessed you:
The germination could take weeks or in some case could never occur!
The avocado tree:
  • Likes loads of light and a fresh and wet atmosphere.
  • Growth is relatively slow; it will take about 8 or 9 years for it to produce any fruit in good growing condition, so it will be very unlikely for an indoor avocado to ever flower or ripen fruit…
  • It will lose all its leaves every years after producing new ones