Avocado!! The Most Nutritious Fruit!!

Common name - Alligator pear (English), Palta (Spanish) are some of the common names in which Avocado is known by. Origin - They are known to originate from Mexico. Scientific name - Persea americana. Appearance - Avocadoes have a leather-like appearance with a smooth, creamy, greenish-yellow flesh. Avocados vary in weight from 8 ounces to 3 pounds depending upon the variety.
Avocado Varieties
Many of the varieties listed below are available as certified organic fruit. Click on a link below to take you to the particular avocado variety you wish to review. Bacon Hass Lamb Hass Gwen Fuerte Pinkerton Zutano Reed Bacon - Bacon is a medium sized fruit with a smooth and a yellowish green skin. Bacon has a light tasting flesh. It is a good pollinator for Hass. Bacon Description Size Appearance Ripe Characteristics  1. Oval-shaped fruit  2. Medium to large seed  3. Easy peeling  4. Light taste Medium, ranging from 6 to 12 ounces Smooth thin green skin with a yellowish green flesh. Skin remains green, darkens slightly Fruit undergoes gentle pressure when ripe. Hass - Hass is the common variety of California Avocado. Hass productions are famous in Southern California regions. The color of its skin changes from green to purplish-black when it is ripe. Hass Description Size Appearance Ripe Characteristics  1. Oval-shaped fruit  2. Small to medium seed  3. Easy peeling  4. Great taste Full range from average to large, 4 to 13 ounces. Stony, thick but malleable skin. Pale green flesh with creamy texture. Skin darkens as it ripens Fruit undergoes gentle pressure when ripe. Lamb Hass - Lamb has smooth texture, with buttery flavor. Color of the flesh and seed ratio is similar to Hass except the black colored skin which is slightly darker than Hass. Lamb Hass Description Size Appearance Ripe Characteristics  1. Pebbly skin with pale green flesh  2. Smooth, creamy, nutty taste  3. Large in size  4. Symmetrical in shape Ranges in size from 11.75 oz to 18.75 oz. Looks and ripens similar to a Hass avocado. Oval in shape with a medium-size seed. Skin darkens as it ripens. Undergoes gentle pressure when ripe. Gwen - Gwen haves similar taste, texture and appearance of Hass, but slightly larger in size. Harvesting time is generally from January to September in southern California. Gwen Description Size Appearance Ripe Characteristics  1. Fleshy oval fruit  2. Small to medium seed  3. Easy to peel  4. Great taste Medium to large, ranging from 5 to 14 ounces Stony, thick but malleable green skin. Creamy, gold-green flesh Green skin turns dull. Fruit undergoes gentle pressure when ripe. Fuerte - A hybrid Mexican variety which is the original high quality California Avocado. Harvesting time is generally from November to March. Fuerte Description Size Appearance Ripe Characteristics  1. Pear-shaped  2. Medium seed  3. Peels easily  4. Great taste Medium to large fruit, ranging from 5 to 13 ounces Soft thin green skin. Creamy, pale green flesh. Skin remains green always. Fruit undergoes gentle pressure when ripe. Pinkerton - Relatively longer neck when compared with other avocadoes. Its flesh has a nutty taste. The skin is medium thick which is similar to Hass. Pinkerton Description Size Appearance Ripe Characteristics  1. Long, pear-shaped fruit  2. Small seed  3. Easy peeling  4. Great taste Large fruit, ranging from 9 to 18 ounces Medium thick green skin with slight pebbling Creamy, pale green flesh. Green skin deepens in color as it ripens Fruit undergoes gentle pressure when ripe. Zutano - Zutano has a good flavor with a greenish skin. Harvesting time for Zutano is generally from September and is available through early winter. Zutano Description Size Appearance Ripe Characteristics  1. Pear-shaped fruit  2. Easy to peel  3. Light taste  4. Waxy bumps on the skin Average to large fruit, ranging from 7 to 14 ounces Shiny, thin yellow-green skin. Pale green flesh with light texture Skin holds on to color when it is ripe. Fruit undergoes gentle pressure when ripe. Reed - Large, round fruit which is similar to the shape of a lemon. Reed varieties are available during summer season and early fall. Reed Description Size Appearance Ripe Characteristics  1. Round-shaped fruit  2. Easy to peel  3. Good taste  4. Medium Seed Average to large fruit, ranging from 7 to 18 ounces Thick green skin. Pale green flesh with creamy texture Skin holds on to color when it is ripe. Fruit undergoes gentle pressure when ripe.
West Indian Avocado
West Indian type avocados yield enormous, soft round, glossy green fruits that are low in oil secretion and weighs up to 2 pounds. Guatemalan types produce medium ovoid or pear-shaped, pebbled green fruits that turn blackish-green when ripe. Mexican variety fruits are generally small with thin skin that turns glossy green or black when ripe. The flesh of avocados is deep green near the skin, becoming yellowish nearer the single huge, indigestible ovoid seed. Seeds may germinate inside an avocado when it is over-matured, causing internal molds and breakdown. The oil content of avocados ranks second when compared to olives among fruits.
Nutrients in Avocado
Avocados are rich in potassium and consist of nutrients such as dietary fiber, vitamin B6, vitamin C, vitamin E, potassium, magnesium and folate. This fruit is an outstanding source of monounsaturated fat.
Vitamins (one avocado medium) Vitamin A 1230 I.U. Vitamin B3 (Niacin) 3.9 mg Vitamin B1 (thiamin) 0.2 mg Folate 124.6 mg Vitamin B6 0.56 mg Vitamin C 15.9 mg	Minerals (one avocado medium) Phosphorus 82.4 mg Calcium 22 mg Potassium 1204 mg Iron 2mg Sodium 20 mg
Note: The content given in the table is fixed according to our calculation; hence it may not be accurate.
Avocado Facts
Avocadoes exist in more than 500 varieties. It is also called as Alligator pear because of its texture and shape. Babies usually need fats and proteins in their diet, which avocado provides in abundance. Besides US and Mexico, Brazil, Dominican Republic and Colombia are the world’s top most avocado producing countries. A single avocado tree bears nearly 200 to 500 fruits per year. Avocados have 60% more potassium when compared to that of bananas. Hass is the common avocado in Unites States. Avocados consist of mono and polyunsaturated fat which acts as a good substitute for food rich in saturated fats.
Avocado arrests Cholesterol
Avocado is considered as a cholesterol controller because it is a rich source of monounsaturated fat which lowers the LDL levels by raising the HDL levels. The fat content in Avocado does not add in to your cholesterol level. Researchers say that mono/polyunsaturated fats are the opposite of saturated fats, because they facilitate lowering the cholesterol level.
Notes on Avocado
Depending upon type and variety, avocados vary greatly in shape, size, and color. Most of them tend to be pear-shaped, but some are almost spherical. Some have rough or leathery textured skin, while others have smooth skin with a shade of green color. The color ranges from green to maroon, brown or purplish-black as they ripen. Avocados become very soft when they are ripened properly. Ripening process normally takes 3 to 5 days at room temperature. Ripening can be slowed down by refrigeration. Avoid : Avocados with dark sunken spots, irregular patches, cracked or broken surfaces which are the signs of decay. Look for : For immediate use, select slightly soft avocados which yield to gentle pressure on the skin. For use in few days, buy firm fruits that do not yield to the squeeze test. An extra tip : To avoid the browning of avocado flesh when exposed to air, immediately place the peeled fruit in lemon juice until ready for use. Irregular light-brown markings are sometimes found on the outside skin. These markings generally have no effect on the flesh of the avocado.