10 Fun Facts About Avocados (and 5 Tasty Recipes)
Learn 10 fun facts about avocados, from how to pick out the perfect one at the grocery store to the easy trick to make them ripen faster once you get them home.
1. Avocados are packed with protein.
Avocados contain four grams of protein, making them the fruit with the highest protein content!
2. Avocados are nutrient powerhouses.
One-fifth of an avocado contains 50 calories and nearly 20 vitamins and minerals, including fiber, potassium, folic acid and vitamins K, E, C and B6.
3. Choosing slightly ripe avocados is best.
Choose slightly ripe avocados that are firm but give way with a gentle squeeze. Avoid really soft and mushy ones or those with brown spots on the skin.
4. Lemon or lime juice will prevent browning.
Lemon or lime juice on cut avocado helps prevent browning, so don’t cut the avocados until you’re ready to use them. If you’re making an avocado-based dip such as guacamole, place the pit in the bottom of the serving bowl to help your guac stay green.
5. Avocados are fruits.
Though they’re not sweet, avocados are in the fruit family.
See more:Â How to Choose the Perfect Avocado
6. There are different varieties of avocados.
The taste and texture of avocados depend on the region in which they’re grown. Florida avocados are firmer and lower in fat. Hass avocados are from Mexico, and they are great for mashing to make guacamole.
7. You can use a banana to make them ripen faster.
The trick to ripening avocados quickly is to put them in a brown paper bag with a banana. Bananas release ethylene gas, a natural plant hormone that aids in ripening fruit.
8. You can use them for a substitute for butter.
In baked goods, avocados can be used as a healthy replacement for butter.
See more:Â How to Grow an Avocado Tree From a Pit
9. California and Florida are leaders in U.S. avocado production.
Almost all avocados grown in the country come from these two states.
10. The easiest way to remove the pit is to quarter the avocado.
Carefully cut the avocado in half lengthwise, then give the avocado a quarter turn and cut it lengthwise again. Separate the quarters and the pit will come out easily.
Avocado Recipes
Try a few of our favorite avocado recipes: