Avocados are extremely nutritious and can add a lot of flavor to a salad, omelet, smoothie or many Mexican-inspired dishes. Although it is botanically a fruit, the avocado is commonly viewed as a vegetable and actually is nutritionally similar to a fat. The pit of the avocado is usually discarded, although you can use the pit, or seed, to grow an avocado tree. Some raw food advocates claim that avocado pits are a healthy addition to your diet, but the California Avocado Commission advises against the consumption of the avocado pit.
Avocado Pit
Raw food advocates eat an avocado pit by grinding it into smoothies. Avocado pits have a very bitter flavor and some claim that they have a high antioxidant content. However, avocado pits are not meant for human consumption, according to the California Avocado Commission, and could actually contain substances that prevent the proper absorption of some nutrients, which could interfere with your optimal health.
Avocado Flesh
Even though some people advocate that avocado pits provide important nutrients, nobody can deny that the flesh of avocados is definitely tastier and a lot more nutritious. The green and smooth flesh of a raw avocado provides heart-healthy monounsaturated fats and vitamin E, as well as fiber, for only 50 calories per serving, which is about one-fifth of a medium-sized avocado.
Health Benefits of Avocado
The monounsaturated fats and vitamin E found in avocado are the same nutrients that are at the cornerstone of the Mediterranean diet found in olive oil and nuts. Eat the flesh of avocado, but not its pit, to promote healthy blood cholesterol levels and reduce your risk of developing serious health problems such as cardiovascular disease. Moreover, the flesh of avocado, but not its pit, can add taste and variety to your healthy diet and help you maintain healthy eating habits.
Grow Your Own Avocado Tree
An avocado tree takes a long time to grow from a pit, but while you keep it inside your home, it will improve the quality of the air by producing oxygen. Although your avocado tree may never produce tasty avocados, growing your own avocado tree is a fun experience for the whole family and it can also add character to your landscaping once you plant it outside.
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