Avocados – Love One Today

I love avocados. My dad introduced me to this delicious fruit when I was young. He would slice up a Hass avocado (his favorite variety) fresh from the farmers market, sprinkle it with salt and pepper, and serve. I would use the tongs of my fork to eat one thin slice at a time. Ahhh, mindful eating moment.

Later I discovered that avocado could be mashed and made into a sandwich spread in place of mayo, or combined with tomato and onion and renamed guacamole, or even blended with kale and frozen fruit and turned into a super smoothie! Here are some more innovative uses that really caught my eye:

Chocolate Avocado Icing

Cream of Avocado Soup

Grilled Avocado

As a dietitian, I like to know what tasty food like this nutty, creamy avocado does for my body (not just to my taste buds).

Did you know?:

• Avocados contribute nearly 20 vitamins, minerals and phytonutrients to the diet, including 8% of the Daily Value for dietary fiber and 4% of the Daily Value for potassium, per one ounce serving.
• Over 75% of the fat in avocados is unsaturated (monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats), making them a great substitute for foods high in saturated fat.
• Avocados contain 76 milligrams of beta-sitosterol per 3-oz. serving (100 g). Beta-sitosterol is a natural plant sterol which may help maintain healthy cholesterol levels.
• Avocados contain 81 micrograms of the carotenoids lutein + zeaxanthin per 1-oz. serving (30 g). Lutein and zeaxanthin are carotenoids which research suggests may help maintain eye health as we age.
• The avocado’s smooth, creamy consistency makes it one of the first fresh foods a baby can enjoy.

In addition to these amazing benefits of avocados, here is a look at what’s in 1oz of avocado:

My husband and I continue the tradition of buying Hass avocados at the farmers market Sunday mornings and finding different ways to use them. If all else fails, it’s salt and pepper!

I think I’m going to go love an avocado today. How about you?

P.S. If browned avocado gets you down, or if you have trouble waiting for your avocados to ripen, OR if you’re not sure how to pick or store this green fruit, LoveOneToday.com is the answer to your woes.

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Disclaimer: Although I did receive financial compensation for writing this post, all views and opinions expressed on this blog are purely and entirely my own and based on my own unique experiences. For nutrition information on avocados, please be sure to visit the LoveOneToday.com website.