Foods to Ponder

Avocado


Until recently, I had no idea avocados are considered to be year round fruits.  So once I found out, they moved to the top of my list of foods to ponder.  Avocados are a great source of Vitamins A, C and E plus they are full of potassium, iron and fiber.  They tend to get a bad rap for being high in fat...so let me clarify.  One cup (which is A LOT) of sliced avocado has 234 calories, 21.5 grams of fat and 9.8 grams of fiber.  The fat breakdown is 3.1 grams of saturated fat (the bad kind) and 18.4 grams of unsaturated fat (the good kind!).  The American Heart Association recommends eating a diet low in fat and that the fats primarily be unsaturated.  Furthermore, according to the California Avocado Commission, avocados are a nutrient booster aiding in the absorption of fat soluble nutrients ( Vitamin A, D, E, K) in foods that are eaten along with the fruit.  All the more reason to eat them!


Selecting an avocado is simple.  Look for a fruit that is firm when pressure is applied (a light squeeze of the hand).  The harder the fruit--the less ripe...so if you are not planning on using the avocado immediately, pick a very firm fruit. If you need to ripen the fruit, simply place it in a brown paper bag at room temperature for a few days and it will be perfect.  Ripe fruit can be placed in the refrigerator.  Lastly, once you cut an avocado, it may turn brown due to the air contact.  Just sprinkle a little lemon juice over the fruit and it will slow down the browning process.  Questions on how to cut an avocado?  Here is an explanation of the step by step process.


There are the obvious ways to prepare and eat avocado--i.e. guacamole.  My favorite type of guacamole is a little bit spicy and a little bit sweet--this is a great recipe from Alton Brown of the Food Network.  Just be careful not to overdo it with the chips that typically go along with guacamole (I know it can be so addictive).  Then there are the not so obvious ways to eat avocados.  I like to use them as a fat substitute--meaning a fatty condiment substitute.  So instead of mayonnaise on a sandwich--add a few slices of avocado.  The creamy texture will still be there but the saturated fat and cholesterol will vanish!  Avocados are a great addition to salads or as a garnish to just about any protein (meat, fish etc.).  Feel free to send along your favorite way to enjoy an avocado.  Eat up!  










Email me at nicolesilva@weightthatsit.com