Amazing Avocado Avocado fruit is also known as alligator pear, midshipmans butter, vegetable butter, or sometimes as butter pear. The avocado seed is very high in tannins and the liquid from it will turn red on exposure to the air, providing an indelible red-brown or blackish ink which was used to write many documents in the days of the Spanish Conquest. The ink was also used to permanently mark cotton and linen fabric. In Guatemala, the bark of the tree was boiled with dyes in order to set the color of the various dyes. Honeybees that gather pollen from avocado flowers produce a dark, thick honey rich in flavor. This fruit is considered to be an almost complete food, and in certain parts of the world babies are weaned using mashed avocado. The avocados smooth, creamy consistency makes it easy for a baby to eat. Sodium- and cholesterol-free, avocados contain valuable nutrients including folate acid, fiber, potassium, vitamin E, iron, carotenoids (lutein and beta-carotene). Per serving, avocados have 3.5 grams of essential fatty acids, which are known to be important for normal growth and development of the central nervous system and brain. Avocados are especially rich in vitamin A. Medicinal uses of the avocado plant are many. The skin of the fruit has antibiotic and anti-fungal properties. Poultices made from the leaf are applied to wounds. Heated leaves are applied on the forehead to relieve neuralgia and the juice of the leaf has antibiotic activity. A few leaves are boiled in water and taken as a remedy for diarrhea, sore throat, stomach problems and hemorrhage. In Cuba, the leaves are boiled in water and taken as a cough remedy. The seed is cut in pieces, roasted and pulverized to help with diarrhea and dysentery. The oil of the avocado seed is used on the skin for all sorts of skin problems, it soothes skin rashes and red irritated skin. The soft flesh of the avocado can also be used for skin conditions, just rub the affected area gently with the flesh. If you are recuperating avocado is a really good food, high in nutrients, easy to chew and digest. Avocados contribute nearly 20 vitamins and minerals, plus many beneficial plant compounds. We all know that extra virgin olive oil is good for us as it contains mono-unsaturated fat, avocados are also high in mono-unsaturated fats, so they are extremely good for your heart and circulatory system in general. Use ripe avocado in your sandwich instead of butter, cream cheese or margarine. When buying avocados, find unblemished ones if they yield to some gentle pressure they are ready to eat. However, most often unripe fruits are available and will probably take about 3 to 7 days before they are ready, depending where they are stored. To speed-up the process place the avocado/s in a brown paper bag with a couple of bananas and close the bag. The will ripen quicker this way as its all down to the gases produced within the bag. Make Guacamole - bursting with nutrients, its simple and quick to make. 4 ripe avocados, cut in half, remove the stones, scoop out the soft flesh into a bowl (save one or two stones) 1 medium lemon 1 garlic clove, crushed finely 1 normal tomato or the forest tree tomato 1/2 an onion, must be chopped extremely fine Chili powder or chili drops or fresh chili crushed Corn chips Use a fork to coarsely or finely mash the avocado with the lemon juice and garlic. Stir in remaining ingredients and mix. If you are not going to use the dip immediately but maybe in an hour or so, place a stone or two in the mixture and then place the bowl in the refrigerator. Serve with corn chips or sliced raw vegetables for dipping. Sonia Jones ND Naturopath, nutritional therapist and author of three published books. nutritionwithsonia
Posted on: Thu, 25 Sep 2014 06:10:05 +0000