As of: April 12, 2024 10:26 a.m
Avocados are considered a healthy superfood, but also unecological. Why is this so, what should you pay attention to when purchasing and how can you tell that the fruit is ripe and aromatic?
Whether in salads or sushi, as a topping for bread or for vegan desserts: Avocados have been one of the most popular foods for several years. No wonder, because the fruits with their creamy, nutty flesh are very healthy: they contain many important vitamins and minerals and many vegetable fats. These are mainly healthy, polyunsaturated fatty acids, which, among other things, prevent heart disease. Because of these healthy fats, the avocado is not fattening, although it is relatively high in calories and is even considered the fattest fruit.
Buying avocados: How do you recognize ripe fruit?
Botanically speaking, avocados are berries. They grow on trees up to 20 meters high in subtropical and tropical regions. We have them available all year round and often come from Spain, Israel, Peru, Chile and Mexico. In Germany, the main varieties available are “Fuerte” – recognizable by its smooth, green skin – and “Hass” with a thick, uneven and almost black skin.
Avocados are often sold in stores quite hard and unripe, so they will continue to ripen for a few days at room temperature. Pre-ripened fruits are also available, as are so-called flight avocados, which come to us not by ship but by plane and were therefore able to ripen on the tree for longer. If the peel gives slightly under pressure, the fruit is ripe. Ripe avocados have a yellowish-green flesh with a creamy, soft consistency. A ripe avocado will last about two days in a container of water in the refrigerator.
Prepare avocados as guacamole or in a salad
Avocados are also a delicious base for desserts, for example mixed with coconut milk or quark and garnished with pistachios.
Avocados only taste good raw; when cooked, they become bitter. Their slightly nutty aroma goes very well with salad. The fruits are also delicious as a puree or pureed as a guacamole dip or with a little salt on bread. After cutting, the flesh quickly turns brownish, but with a few splashes of lemon juice it retains its greenish color. It also helps to leave the pit in the bowl with the pulp. Avocados are also a good base for desserts, for example mixed with banana or with a little cocoa powder, vanilla and orange juice.
Why are avocados considered unorganic?
Avocados are very healthy, but have a poor ecological balance. There are several reasons for this. On the one hand, cultivation uses a lot of water: for one kilogram of avocados, this can be more than 1,000 liters of water, depending on how dry the growing area is. Another problem: Avocados are often grown in monocultures, some of which require forests to be cut down. Since plants in monocultures are more susceptible to diseases and pests, large amounts of pesticides are often used.
The long transport routes are also problematic: an avocado from South America travels more than 10,000 kilometers before it ends up on our plate. Therefore it has a poor CO2 balance – regardless of whether it was transported by ship or even by plane.
Only eat avocados occasionally
Because of their problematic ecological balance, it is recommended to only eat avocados occasionally and, if necessary, to prefer fruits from Spain or Israel. You should also choose organic products if possible, because they are not treated with pesticides and are not grown in monocultures. Some initiatives and organizations are also committed to protecting water resources.
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Eat better! | April 14, 2024 | 4:30 p.m