Posts Tagged “avocados”
As the common proverb goes, an apple a day keeps the doctor away. After a recent Penn State study, it appears the same may be true about avocados.
Nutritional science researchers Kristina Petersen and Penny Kris-Etherton found, in a study of 1,008 U.S. consumers, that eating just one avocado a day improved overall diet quality among participants.
“Previous observational research suggests avocado consumers have higher diet quality than non-consumers,” Petersen said in a press release. “So, we developed this study to determine if there is a causational link between avocado consumption and overall diet quality.”
The scientists examined changes in the Healthy Eating Index, a measure of diet quality based on national Dietary Guidelines, after the addition of a daily avocado.
They used an exploratory analysis approach to examine changes over 26 weeks. Petersen and Pugh hoped to assess the link between HEI and food intervention on cardiometabolic risk–related outcomes, as few past clinical trials have evaluated diet quality change.
They randomly split participants into two groups. One continued its usual diet, limiting avocado intake, while the other incorporated one avocado a day.
Of the control group, 72% were female. The self-reported racial and ethnic distribution of the cohort was 69% white, 21% Hispanic, 15% Black, and 6% Asian. The remaining 10% either did not answer, were listed as American Indian, or checked multiple races or ethnicities.
At week 26, a greater increase in the HEI score was observed in the avocado-supplemented diet group than in the habitual diet group. The reason for the change was more surprising than the outcome.
“We determined that participants were using avocados as a substitute for some foods higher in refined grains and sodium,” Petersen said. “In our study, we classified avocados as a vegetable and did see an increase in vegetable consumption attributed to the avocado intake, but also participants used the avocados to replace some unhealthier options.”
Petersen said she hopes implementation of healthier diets will help reduce incidents of chronic and preventable conditions, like heart disease, type 2 diabetes, and kidney disease.
The Avocado Nutrition Center supported the study but did not contribute to data analysis or interpretation, the university said.
Depending on the variety, this avocados can be round or pear-shaped, green or black, and small or large. Avocado skin is usually rough. The flesh, when ripe, is soft and buttery.
It is a climacteric fruit, which means it continues to ripen after harvest. Hass avocado is the most common and is available year-round.
If you are going to use it immediately after purchasing it, choose a ripe one with black skin that yields to a little bit of pressure when squeezed.
Avocados with green skin that are very firm are not ripe and should rest for a few days before eating.
If the skin is dark and wrinkled, or has dents or soft flesh spots, it may be overripe and unpalatable to eat.
Keep them fresh
Avocados are sometimes sold with hard, unripe flesh, which will often ripen in a few days. You can leave the fruit at room temperature or expose it to direct sunlight to accelerate ripening.
You can also place the sealed avocado in a paper bag with a banana; the ethylene gasses from the banana will accelerate ripening.
The flesh of avocados is notorious for turning brown quickly once exposed to air, which is called enzymatic browning.
Although unappetizing to the eye, the brown flesh is perfectly edible. Still, there are tips for slowing or reducing browning after cutting:
- Coat the flesh with lemon or lime juice.
- Wrap tightly with cling film or place in an airtight container and store in the refrigerator to reduce exposure to oxygen.
- Store an avocado half with some sliced onion in a sealed airtight container, as the sulfur compounds in the onion help preserve the avocado.
Unripe avocados should not be placed in the refrigerator, but once they are ripe it is okay to do so.
Did you know?
According to Harvard University, half of this fruit has more potassium than a medium banana, 487 mg of potassium versus 422 mg of potassium, respectively.
Ripe avocado puree is sometimes used as a face mask because of its high content of moisturizing oils and vitamin E.
Although not sweet, avocados are botanically classified as a fruit with a large berry and a single central pit, from the Persea americana tree.
Their nutritional profile makes them a staple in several healthy meal plans, such as the Mediterranean and DASH diets.
Avocados are a good source of fiber and contain more fat (the good kind) than carbohydrates, making them popular in low-carb diets.
Their heart-healthy fats do not raise blood cholesterol, which can be advised in traditional cholesterol-lowering regimens.
It is one of the most fat-rich plant foods, making it a popular inclusion in vegan and vegetarian diets.
The slightly earthy but neutral flavor of avocados works well in sauces, salad dressings, sandwiches, baked goods, salads and grain dishes for added richness.
Multiple vitamins
- Source of fat (mainly monounsaturated 67%)
- Fiber (mainly insoluble, but also soluble)
- B group vitamins
- Vitamin C
- Vitamin E
- Vitamin K
- Folate
- Potassium
- Magnesium
- Carotenoids (lutein, zeaxanthin)
A medium whole avocado contains about 240 calories, 13 grams of carbohydrates, 3 grams of protein, 22 grams of fat (15 grams monounsaturated, 4 grams polyunsaturated and 3 grams saturated), 10 grams of fiber and 11 milligrams of sodium.
Avocados are healthy fruit since the fruit is a great source of fiber, folate, Vitamin K, and nearly 20 vitamins, minerals, and phytonutrients that can help support healthy living.
According to the USDA, they’re also a cholesterol-free and natural source of heart-healthy fats, which help the body absorb vitamins like D, A, K, and E. Due to the fruit’s high fiber and healthy fat content, avocados make for a healthy addition to meals and snacks which can help shoppers feel satiated and assist in weight management.
“Avocados are the ultimate heart-healthy option consumers can incorporate into their diets and it’s important for them to know premium quality avocados are available right now,” said Raina Nelson, President/CEO Westfalia Fruit Marketing USA LLC .
“Avocados are extremely versatile and there are endless ways spark visual inspiration for shoppers by cross-merchandising fruit with utensils and ingredients that pair well, such as seasonings and lean proteins, in addition to popular uses in smoothies, toast, sandwiches, salads, homemade spreads, and more, she said.
The “Eat Healthy and Live Green” campaign launched recently by
The Peruvian Avocado Commission, aims to inspire consumers to embrace a healthier lifestyle that’s good for them and the planet.
The commission is promoting the myriad health benefits of avocados, believing it is important to driving demand.
McDaniel Fruit Company of Fallbrook, CA strongly supports the work of the Peruvian Avocado Commission’s marketing strategy focusing on the health benefits of avocados. It notes these efforts, in tandem with the Hass Avocado Board’s Avocado Nutrition Center research, help elevate the category for all avocado growers, packers and shippers and pave the path for continued growth in the category.
In addition to the trend in healthier eating, the Vancouver, B.C.-based Oppy of Vancouver, B.C. sees the versatility of avocados fueling demand.
The company sees awareness growing about the different ways to consume avocados, and this boost in demand will require supply from its current regions and beyond.
One big question is with rising food inflation, will consumers continue to purchase as many avocados?
Oppy admits it is hard to tell, admitting there’s absolutely a correlation between price and demand.
Since avocados are recommended as an item in the produce aisle with some of the most nutritional benefits, many view it as an important ingredient in their daily diet. This is why Oppy doesn’t see avocados being affected by inflation that much. So, while they may not be recession-proof, they are likely to be less price sensitive.
MONTREAL – Eating avocados can reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease, according to a new study recently published in the Journal of the American Heart Association.
Eating at least two servings of avocado a week reduces the risk of having a heart attack by 21% when compared to avoiding or rarely eating avocados.
‘‘It may come as a surprise to learn that fresh avocados are a heart-healthy fruit. After all, haven’t consumers heard that avocados are high in calories and fat? Popular belief is that low-fat diets are important for heart health, and that’s not entirely untrue. But low-fat is not the same as no-fat”, explained Miguel Barcenas, strategy and marketing consultant for the Association of Avocado Exporting Producers and Packers of Mexico (APEAM).
When health experts talk about “good fats” and “bad fats” they aren’t judging your snack habits. Good fats, which are monounsaturated or polyunsaturated, help nourish your body. In fact, Canada’s food guide explains the importance of limiting intakes of saturated fat to support healthy dietary patterns. One-third of a medium avocado offers 5 grams of monounsaturated fat and 1 gram of polyunsaturated fat in every 50-gram serving.
The “bad fats” are trans and saturated fats, which can cause trouble for your heart if they dominate your diet. More than 75% of the fats in avocados are the “good” kind, plus they have zero cholesterol. But the benefits don’t stop there! Avocados are sugar-free and are a good source of fiber (3 grams per 50 gram-serving).
In addition to looking at the overall impact of eating avocados, researchers did statistical modeling and found consuming half a serving of avocado (¼ cup) a day instead of the same amount of eggs, yogurt, cheese, margarine, butter or processed meats (such as bacon) lowered the risk of heart attacks by 16% to 22%.
Best of all, it’s now easier than ever to add avocados into your diet. Avocados are extremely versatile and go fantastically with a number of traditional meals, the latest trends in cuisine, or even plain by themselves. Visit the “how-to” page to learn great tips like choosing a ripe avocado or preparing the avocado in different forms (sliced, diced, mashed…). It’s easier than you think: just cut it in half, twist, remove the pit, cut into long slices or dice into cubes, and you’re all set.
So what are you waiting for?
For more information on Avocados From Mexico, visit https://avocadosfrommexico.ca/ or follow Avocados From Mexico Canada on Facebook.
ABOUT AVOCADOS FROM MEXICO
Avocados From Mexico exemplifies the positivity and dynamism attributed to avocados. Throughout the growing, packing and distribution processes, the brand stays loyal to its goal of offering good food that will be happily enjoyed in good company. Mexicanity is the emotion and energy associated with making guacamole and other delicious recipes. It’s also the parties and special occasions that bring family and friends together in the spirit of celebration, sharing and joy.
An expansion of of avocados in the global market has taken place at Naturipe with its first season distributing Colombia avocados in the U.S.
The company, a year-round grower-supplier of berries and avocados, says Colombia will contribute to the supply growth of avocados worldwide. Naturipe is also increasing the Colombian industry with “significant growing operations. In Colombia, we are executing a plan to have more than 2,500 acres of avocados farms in the next three years, mainly in the area of Caldas, Quindio and Antioquia to secure nearly year-round production of avocados from Colombia,” said Andres Carvallo, Board Chairman for Naturipe Avocado Farms.
“We have already planted 500 acres and have a global export business from Colombia of more than 6 million pounds. We expect our Colombian export business to grow to 45 million pounds annually in five years.”
Andrew Bruno, president of Naturipe Avocado Farms, says the company’s farms are located at various altitudes, ranging from 5,500 to 8,200 feet above sea level.
“This will give us a wider production window from October to March for our main harvest and from May to August for our secondary harvest,” he said.
“This allows us to provide our clients with quality, fresh fruit for 10 months of the year from Colombia.” Colombia gained access to the U.S. avocado market in August 2017. While volumes from the country in the U.S. market have been limited since then, it is expected to grow substantially as a supply origin over the coming years.
Mission Produce of Oxnard, CA is diversifying where it sources avocados to ensure more consistent avocado supplies, spurred in big part by a Mexican labor strike earlier this year.
While the company wants to have a year-round supply, but also is taking steps to have multiple sources for avocados to ensure more consistent of supply.
This was a big issue in the avocado category for imported product by the U.S. coming from Mexico. Labor strikes last season caused significant disruptions. To help avoid such issues in the future, Mission has been increasing its plantings in other countries.
The company has planted 1,500 hectares (about 3,700 acres) in Colombia and has also increased its acreage in Peru from 2,600 hectares to more than 3,000 hectares (about 7,400 acres).
Mexico easily remains the dominant avocado supplier for the U.S., having exported nearly 2 billion pounds of the fruit to the U.S. in 2018, according to the USDA. Peru, the most significant source of avocados aside from Mexico, exported roughly 180 million pounds of fruit to the U.S. last year.
An import and distribution facility in Mission, Texas has been opened by La Bonanza of Uruapan, Mexico, for avocados and guacamole products.
The La Bonanza, Mission, TX facility has 15,000 square feet, with 10 loading doors, 8 of them refrigerated for receiving and shipping, according to a news release. The facility can process more than 1,100 tons of product a day.
La Bonanza has packed and shipped avocados to the U.S. and Canada for 25 years, Gabriel Villasenor, president, said in the release.
“In that time, we have also added hundreds of our own hectares with plans to add more each year,” Villasenor said. “We own and maintain a fleet of 30 semis to deliver to the border and gas stations to guarantee fuel.”
The company also has a stake in a processing plant in Uruapan to offer guacamole products.
More than 90 percent of La Bonanza avocados are shipped to the U.S., Maggie Bezart-Hall, of La Bonanza’s sales and marketing, said in the release.
“The future of market growth and better supply to the U.S. and Canada is through direct sourcing of fresh and processed avocados from Mexico,” Bezart-Hall said in the release. “I joined La Bonanza because they are truly an integrated company that can offer high quality avocados from their own land and generations of partnerships with trusted family growers.”
By Drew Costly, SFGate
Retail prices for avocados have nearly doubled amid a global shortage of the fruit, but there’s a farm in Florida that’s got those prices beat by a long shot.
Miami Fruit in Florida is growing Pura Vida avocados with long necks and selling them for as much as $47 for a box.
The avocados – that have the normal marble, dark green skin, light green flesh and hard seed center, but with a long neck that starts where the basic avocados come to a point – have been going viral since the farm posted a video to Instagram in early August.
Each of the long-neck avocados weigh between 1-3 pounds, according to NBC’s Today Show reportt on the viral fruit, while California Haas avocados typically weigh 1/3 of a pound. California Haas avocados reached a high price earlier this year at $3.37 each, but per fruit price for the Pura Vida avocados range between $4.38 and $$15.66.