The Avocado Affair

INTRODUCTION

Avo-Basics

Production:

2 genders + 2 flowers = 1 super fruit since the tertiary era.

Before we introduce the many foods in avocado’s tumultuous love life, let’s get a better sense of this fruit’s complex personality.

First, avocado (Persea Americana) is a fruit, not a vegetable.

It belongs to the Lauraceae family and is therefore related to bay leaf and cinnamon.

Dichogamy with cross-pollination

Avocado’s flower needs cross-pollination.

It is very unique in the known botanical world.

There are 2 types of flowers A and B.

Both flowers open female and if not pollinated close and change to reopen male overnight.

Day 1: Flowers are female. A open in the morning B open in the afternoon.

Day 2: If not pollinated they change gender overnight to open male, A pollinate in the afternoon, B pollinate in the morning. The flower A are pollinated by the flower B in the morning and the flowers B are pollinated by the flowers A in the afternoon. When the flower has been pollinated, the fruit grows.

The fruit is diploid with 2 genetically different haploid origins, one from a flower of A type and one from the type B.

It does not matter which gender has the type A or B.

This can explain the persistence of extraordinary properties through millions of years.

Pollinators are a key factor in production.

Bees can transfer the pollen from these male flowers to other female flowers.

No surprise this fruit is such an aphrodisiac!

Fossils found in Mexico and California suggest that avocados began as berries for giant mammals and dinosaurs before their extinction, the former flourishing with the latter as avocado pits matured to future seeding while the mammals digested.

This explains why avocado trees grew sparse when giant mammals disappeared. Avocado’s distant past may also account for its uniqueness, its outstanding nutritional content and its ability to partner up with other foods to enhance their mutual properties. Avocado belongs to an era with less biodiversity.

Meanwhile, some of avocado’s ancient secrets, only discovered recently, are raising more questions, such as, for example...

Why do avocados contain so many rejuvenating elements?

Avocado’s fats have numerous health benefits.

They generate energy, enhance neurotransmission, maintain our vascular system and play a key role in weight regulation.

While the fats in avocado meat and oil are resistant to oxidation at high temperature (255C or 450 F), they can also keep their chemical properties after freezing.

Some of the nutrients in the meat and in the pit may be the reason Avocado was able to “time travel” through the ice age.

We are now trying to understand these nutrients’ effects on human metabolism and why avocado and its main partners are the best foods to extend longevity.

1. A Brief History:

We know for sure that it has been enjoyed by humans as early as the Mayans.

The first fossils date back to 10,000 BC in Mexico.

Avocado was introduced in Indonesia in the 17th century, Brazil and South Africa in the 18th century, and Australia in the 19th century. California became the center for production in the 20th century.

2. A Few Varieties

With hundreds (if not thousands) available worldwide, we could only list a handful here:

● Hass avocados grow year-round. Hass’ skin turns dark greenish-brown when ripe;

● Gwen avocados, a descendant of the Hass, have a similar skin but a rounder shape, an almost golden flesh, and a lovely nutty flavor;

● Reed Avocados are softball shaped and more eco-friendly as they require less water to grow. It comes out in the Fall with a golden flesh to match the season. This also means a deliciously creamy taste

● Pinkerton avocados, another green skin type, are available winter to late spring in warm climate lands (ex. New Zealand). They are quite slender and have a fuller flavor.

● Choquette avocados are available October-December. They can weigh up to two pounds and have a more watery texture and a milder flavor, thus ideal for avocado “juices” and smoothies.

3. Worldwide

Mexico is still the number one producer, followed by Indonesia, Dominican Republic, Chile and Peru.

America is #6.

Israel is the first provider for Europe, providing different species depending on the season.

Israel complies with prerequisite standards for packaging.

In addition, it takes much less time for transportation compared to other exporters.

Australia and China are new producers. They supply only for their respective domestic markets, while considering further development towards export.

Since avocados have become a key ingredient in much of the new healthy fast food, worldwide production has dramatically increased.

Described as the fruit with the highest nutritional content, Avocado is praised worldwide for its health benefits.

From a nutritional standpoint, it is not only sodium and cholesterol- free, but also high in proteins, antioxidants, soluble and insoluble fibers, and in a considerable number of vitamins and minerals. Many dieters and dieticians have banned Avocado from their weight loss programs because of its high content in fats.

Today, numerous scientific studies show that a healthy diet (even with fat reduction as a main target) needs “healthy fats and monounsaturated fats”; aka Avocado’s main components.

Avocado’s high content in fat makes it the best functional food because...

A/ food for the brain

Avocado’s fat content is twenty times higher than other fruits. This great diversity in natural fats helps the absorption of liposoluble vitamins and antioxidants from its meat but also those ingested through other foods.

Cell membranes are made of a so-called lipid bilayer, which constitutes a protective barrier. This bilayer’s fluidity enables the membrane to absorb nutrients carried through a lipophilic structure. Avocado’s fats have this structure; they can bind nutrients and pass through the membrane, making Avocado the best food for the brain.