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 Avocado (Persea americana or Persea gratissima), originally brought from Mexico, has not been anything exotic for us for a long time. Avocado is probably the most popular ingredient in guacamole (a snack made from pureed avocado pulp), but this healthy fruit can do more. But only when it's really ripe.
They are never harvested from ripe avocados. If it had not been torn off, it would have fallen, still unripe, to the ground. To prevent this, unripe fruits are harvested immediately when they are still quite hard. This is not a problem, because pear-shaped avocados are classified as climacteric fruits that ripen after harvest. Therefore, in the store, you can safely take still hard fruits.
If you buy an already ripe fruit, it is highly likely that it has been stored for a long time (and most likely incorrectly), and many buyers have pressed it in their hands, checking for firmness. Therefore, it is better to buy an unripe fruit in advance so that it has enough time and ripening. If time is short, you can wrap the apple and avocado in newsprint, as the ethylene emitted by the apple speeds up this process. An avocado can be considered ripe if the pulp gives in to pressure easily.
While the peel of a Hass avocado turns black when properly ripened, a fuerte avocado must be used before the peel turns black because it is a sign of unfitness for this variety.
Once the avocado is cut, the green-yellow flesh begins to oxidize and darken. This process can be prevented by sprinkling lemon juice on the pulp. The antioxidants in ascorbic acid (vitamin C) counteract oxidation.
Avocado is a healthy fruit, but too fatty
Avocado contains the highest amount of fat (30%) of any fruit and vegetable, and therefore it is often called the buttery fruit - also because its pulp, due to its creamy consistency, is very similar to butter. Not only vegetable fats, but also a large amount of vitamin A, carotene, biotin and vitamin E make the fruit so healthy. In any case, it must be remembered that the presence of fats also implies a higher calorie content than other fruits. 100 grams of avocado contains approximately 200 calories. Avocados should be eaten with caution, especially by diabetics, as the mannoheptulose contained in avocados inhibits insulin production and can lead to high blood sugar levels.
Guacamole: cream of avocado as a dip
Avocado dip sauce, guacamole is a Mexican dish, it is eaten with pleasure with nachos chips, and also as a side dish for meat. Those looking to make their own guacamole sauce can experiment with different flavors. The famous guacamole recipe consists of mashed avocados, lemon or lime juice, onions, salt and pepper.
Guacamole is often seasoned with diced tomatoes, garlic, chopped red or green capsicum (chili or tabasco) or cayenne pepper, and coriander or basil. In this way, you can add spice or different flavors to the avocado cream. Hobbyists can mix the guacamole with cream or yoghurt to bring the sauce to the desired consistency.
Guacamole is not only a sauce for chips, but also an incredible side dish for grilled dishes. Guacamole goes best with meat, it will also be very tasty in combination with white bread - just right as an ingredient in a large sandwich.
Growing avocados is tricky
If you want to grow an avocado yourself, you must very carefully remove the seed from the very ripe fruit and rinse it before planting. It is best to put the seed with a slightly protruding pointed end up in the very middle of a vessel filled with loosened substrate, filling it so that the bone is two-thirds on the surface. You need to keep the seed in a warm, bright place and water it regularly, as it should be moist all the time, but not damp. Depending on the temperature of the soil, the seed germinates for four to six weeks, in cold temperatures this can last for months.
E.A. Mironova
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