Avocados are a food that I only just came around to in the last five years or so. When I was younger, I would grow weary if guacamole came near my plate, and certainly didn’t go out of my way to get put any on my favorite Mexican dishes. Doing so would’ve been a travesty, or at the very least, a meal fail. But if I would’ve known then what I know now about this nutritionally-dense and versatile fruit, I’d have been eating it by the chip-fulls long before my college days.
Health Benefits: Avocados are incredibly high in vitamins A, C, E, K and B6, and also provide ample amounts of riboflavin, niacin, folate and pantothenic acid. In addition, avocados provide 54 percent of your recommended daily fiber intake. And perhaps the most exciting news about this fruit is that when eaten with other foods, such as blueberries, it doubles the amount of antioxidants your body is able to absorb!
Nutritional statistics: One cup of avocado diced contains approximately 240 calories, 22 grams of fat, 3 grams of saturated fat, 13 grams of carbohydrates, 10 grams of dietary fiber, 1 gram of sugar, and 3 grams of protein.
Cooking methods: Much to some people’s surprise, avocados can be prepared in many ways, both savory and sweet. Add them fresh to your morning smoothie or blend them up with a banana for a rich and simple vegan dessert. You can also mash them up with peas and put them over toast, or whirl them into a dressing with olive oil, salt and pepper. See our recipes below for just a few ways to use this heart-healthy fruit.
Recipes:
Grilled Prawn Salad with Tomatoes and Avocado Aioli
BBQ Tacos with Avocado Cole Slaw
Chocolate Avocado Banana Pudding
If you thought avocados were only for guacamole, think again. These recipes prove how versatile this powerhouse fruit is when it comes to both savory and sweet dishes. Pick a recipe and give it a go. I highly recommend the avocado cole slaw over BBQ tacos – the flavor combination is simply out of this world!
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