If you have been to any large American city, but also to Italian ones, you will have noticed that avocado toast is now omnipresent on breakfast menus. From small cafes to brunch restaurants to fast food chains, you’re almost guaranteed to find some version of this dish. In recent years, with a growing appreciation for fats derived from plant sources like avocado, this dish has really become trendy among health and fitness enthusiasts.
Avocado toast: a constantly growing trend
From data taken from health monitoring apps to social media, too market research shows how much people love to start the day in a healthy way. And avocado toast, in particular, is among the trendiest choices, with an ever-growing and non-stop increase in popularity.
After all, this dish has become emblematic of the food trends of the last decade: it’s healthy, yet slightly indulgent, it can be vegan and gluten-free, and it’s very photogenic with #avocadotoast having over hundreds of thousands of posts from influencers and food lovers. And most importantly, it has the full support of celebrities like Gwyneth Paltrow.
From Bills Café in Sydney to everyone’s breakfast
Avocado toast as we know it today has began to spread in the early nineties of the last century. The first documented appearance on a menu dates back to 1993, when Sydney chef Bill Granger, who recently passed away at just over 50 years of age, served it in his café, Bills. This cafe, located in a sunny corner, became famous for simple dishes such as avocado toast, cottage cheese pancakes with honey butter and high-quality coffee. His popularity exploded and from there Granger opened other cafes in Japan, Korea and London.
In 1999, British chef Nigel Slater proposed a mashed avocado on toast recipe in his column for the Guardian. In the United States, New York’s Café Gitane is often cited as the first to adopt the dish, becoming the source of many imitations, especially the ones we see on Instagram, perfectly decorated with colorful ingredients.
Arguably the most important moment in the history of avocado toast, however, was when Gwyneth Paltrow included a recipe in her 2013 cookbook, “It’s All Good”. The recipe has been customized and iterated by many renowned chefs and food magazines, elevating avocado toast from a simple way of highlighting avocado to a visually iconic food trend.
The burnt side of avocado toast
However, as we have already written, the avocado hysteria is veering towards something more sinister than a simple culinary fadturning into a grave wrong whose consequences, as usual, are paid by the most vulnerable, those whose voices cannot be adequately heard.
In Mexico for example, growing global demand has rendered vast forests in the central-western regions of the country sterile. Centuries-old pine trees are being eradicated in favor of young avocado plants. As soon as avocados are planted, the pine trees’ days are numbered: due to the high water consumption of the new plants, the pine trees soon wither and die.
We know that the problem is not just confined to Mexico and news of criminal gangs who have jumped into the business and racketeering of avocado plantations they are found all over the world.
If you want to learn more about this burnt side of avocado toast you can read this article of ours.
Why Avocado Toast is the breakfast you should have more often
Given that conscious purchasing choices can make a difference even on a global scalelet’s see why Avocado Toast is the breakfast you should have more often.
It is healthy?
Avocado toast fits perfectly into a healthy diet. Avocados they provide fiber and a dose of healthy fats which help keep the heart healthy and prolong the feeling of satiety. Combined with foods that further increase fiber such as wholemeal or multigrain bread, the benefits increase. High-fiber diets are associated with the prevention of heart disease, diabetes and some types of cancer.
Nutrition
Calories and other nutritional information they vary depending on how you prepare your avocado toast. Here are the nutritional facts for avocado toast made on a slice of wholemeal bread with half of a medium avocado (50 grams):
Calories: 195 Fat: 11 grams Saturated fat: 1.5 grams Sodium: 150 mg Carbohydrates: 20 grams Fiber: 8 grams Sugars: 1 gram Protein: 5 grams Potassium: 425 mg
Health benefits
Besides being delicious, avocado toast offers numerous health benefits. One half avocado provides 11 grams of monounsaturated fat, linked to a reduced risk of cardiovascular disease and lower levels of inflammation. Monounsaturated fats may also improve blood sugar management and other health outcomes in people with type 2 diabetes.
Avocado is also one excellent source of fibre, vitamins, minerals and antioxidants, which contribute to overall health and a reduction in the risk of chronic diseases such as cardiovascular disease, type 2 diabetes and some types of cancer. Avocado can also help with weight management.
READ ALSO: Avocado and running: 5 reasons to include it in your diet
Part of a weight loss plan
Eating avocado has been linked to lower body weight, lower body mass index (BMI), and smaller waist circumference. Some small studies have shown that Eating an avocado daily can lead to weight loss. However, it is important to note that much of the research in this area is funded by the Hass Avocado Board, so there is the potential for bias in these reports. In this regard you can read why not, avocado is not exactly dietary.
Remember that weight loss isn’t caused or prevented by specific foods, but replacing some foods with others — like using avocado on toast instead of items high in saturated fat, for example — can help support that goal.
How to make avocado toast at home
Let’s see then how to make avocado toast at home.
Choose the right bread
A good avocado toast starts with good bread. Multigrain or wholemeal bread adds an extra layer of flavor (and additional fiber) to your avocado toast. Sandwich bread, as well as crusty artisan bread, are both great options. Just make sure the bread is thick enough to hold the toppings.
Finding the perfect avocado
Soft, ripe avocados are perfect for mashing and make for the best avocado toast. A perfectly ripe avocado will give slightly to pressure, but will not be soggy. You always can Cut your avocado into slices if you’re not sure you can mash it. A few small imperfections in the pulp are fine, just remove them before mashing. If your avocado is very brown or very soft, it may be past its prime. In contrast, an underripe avocado will be difficult to mash and will leave you with a lumpy result.
Give your avocado a little extra flavor
Simply add a pinch of salt and pepper can improve the flavor of your avocado cream, but it doesn’t have to stop there. You can liven it up with chopped fresh herbs, dried spices like garlic powder or chili powder, or lime juice for a touch of acidity.
What to put on avocado toast
If you want you can top your avocado toast with an egg, which works well for breakfast, as do thinly sliced tomatoes or smoked salmon like a variation on the bagel with cream cheese and salmon. Try adding veggies like cucumber, sprouts, or leafy greens to give your avocado toast a more lunch-worthy vibe. And of course, you can add a flavorful condiment like Sriracha, balsamic glaze, or salsa to finish it off.
Conclusions
Avocado toast is a satiating breakfast or snack which offers many potential health benefits. The nutritional value will vary depending on how you prepare it or where you order it.
Avocados provide healthy fats, fiber, vitamins, minerals and antioxidants, all of which contribute to overall health and reduced exposure to chronic diseases such as cardiovascular disease, type 2 diabetes and some types of cancer. Avocados can also help with weight management.
When paired with whole grain bread, you’ll consume even more fiber, vitamins and minerals, resulting in even more health benefits. Avocado toast is delicious on its own, but it can be even tastier with your favorite toppings. Add fruits, vegetables, nuts and seeds for an added nutritional boost.
READ ALSO: An avocado a day to lose weight and reduce your belly?
Photo by David B Townsend / Douglas Bagg / Anna Pelzer / cleo stracuzza
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