How Does This Ayurvedic Food Improve Wellness?

CLINICAL AYURVEDIC REVIEW

Few foods from the plant kingdom echo the heavy richness of fine cheeses, creams and butter as does the avocado. Avocado melts in your mouth like brie or ice cream, and provides the creaminess that most associate exclusively with dairy, but is actually an oily berry.

Healthy Fats to Keep You Slim

Although Avocado is unusually high in fats, it has no cholesterol and is an excellent choice for those wanting to lose weight. Officially it's on the list of foods for kapha types to avoid. However, avocado can be a very satisfying replacement for butter, cheese, and even creamy desserts, moderating your appetite for these less-healthy foods. Plus, it provides the healthy fats your body needs, essential Omega 3's and 6's which are necessary for a healthy metabolism. This buttery green fruit is also packed with vitamins, minerals and even complete proteins.

Grounding & Nourishing

Avocado grounds while it nourishes. It's heaviness is comforting and calming, redirecting attention inward. Avocado can be compared to mushrooms for the earthy qualities it can impart; however, adding a wedge of lime, a pinch of salt, or cilantro will help lighten up avocado, and assist your digestion of this heavy fruit. It combines well with any foods (bitters and sours) that improve fat digestion and metabolism.

The avocado's heavy, oily, and cool qualities lubricate the intestines and moisten dry lungs. Eating this nourishing food helps soothe the joints, moisturize dry hair, skin and nails, and enhance libido. Avocado strongly builds ojas, and is an excellent baby food.

Some people are allergic to the flesh as an overripe avocado turns black.

About Avocado

The avocado fruit grows on trees, but does not ripen until after it has been picked. It has a pear shape, and a rough, dark green to black skin with tiny bumps, which earned it the name "alligator pear". Unlike other fruits, avocado isn't sweet at all, and is rarely referred to as a berry. It is the "meat or flesh of the avocado" that is cut from the large brown seed inside. It has also been called "butter fruit" because of its creamy, buttery texture.

Did you know that guacamole hails from ancient Aztec culture? The Aztecs traditionally made guacamole by mashing fresh avocado with sea salt, onions, and tomatoes in a molcajete (mortar and pestle). This satisfying, oily dish was relatively low in fat. Avocado was a staple in Latin America, in part because it is a great source of heart-healthy fats and is a rich source of many vitamins. Avocado trees are currently growing in tropical and Mediterranean climates around the world.

Buying & Preparation

When choosing an avocado, give it a gentle squeeze; ripe yields to pressure and is a little soft. Too soft to the touch means it is overripe, and will probably be brown or stringy when you cut it. Avocadoes usually only take a few days to ripen, and will ripen faster if stored with other fruit. Once cut, the flesh turns brown quickly after exposure to air, so it's important to eat the whole avocado within a day or two. Squeezing a bit of lime or lemon juice over the exposed part helps to preserve color and taste after it is peeled.

Another trick for extending the life of opened avocadoes and avocado preparations, such as guacamole, is to place the avocado seed in the dish (or leave it in half the fruit). This is commonly done in Mexico, and helps maintain the color and flavor of the dish.

Avocados may become inedible when cooked, although Hass varieties (the most common) can be lightly cooked. In general, there are few recipes that call for heating avocadoes. It is more common and tasty to add avocado to a raw salad or as a topping with a cooked dish.

Cooking Avocado

Avocado is a delicious food all by itself. Simply slice a ripe avocado in half, add a sprinkle of salt, and scoop out the flesh with a spoon.

Avocado creaminess makes a great spread superior to mayonnaise. It's hard to imagine nachos without dipping them in guacamole, a famous Latino recipe including avocado, garlic, cilantro, and lemon juice and occaisonally tomato form. Guacamole dip may be served alongside raw veggies, as a topping for burritos, tacos, and even beans and rice. In general, avocado also combines well with corn, chicken, and fresh greens. California rolls have popularized avocado's use in sushi. Eating avocado with greens adds a bitter taste, which may help you digest some of the fats.

Although it is not sweet in itself, its rich and smooth texture make avocado a common addition to smoothies, puddings, and other desserts. For example, try avocado smoothies mixed with milk, avocado ice-cream, or banana avocado chocolate pudding. It combines well with chocolate, and for the lactose intolerant or vegan, it can be used as an alternative to milk or cream in smoothies and desserts.
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