The Avocado: 40 Fun Facts About This Fantastic Fruit

Versatile, filling, nutritious, and delicious. So beloved it has its own holiday. Yep, we’re talking about avocados. From its nutritional fortitude to its interesting history to the myriad of ways to eat them, here are 40 facts about avocado.

1. Avocados are believed to have originated around 10,000 years ago in the tropical climates of Mexico, Guatemala, and the West Indies.
2. At the height of avocado toast’s popularity, more than 3,000,000 photos of avocado toast were uploaded to Instagram every day during the summer of 2017.
3. Peak avocado season is late winter and early spring.
4. Don’t toss the peels and pits. Instead, use them to make a natural dye. That’s right; avocado peels and pits can be boiled to create a surprising and delicate pink hue.
5. Move over bananas. Avocados are higher in potassium, which is great for cardiovascular health.
6. Avocado is actually a fruit, not a vegetable.
7. Re-use the avocado pit to propagate them into house plants! They won’t produce fruit, but they will make for some lovely greenery in your home.
8. The most readily available variety of avocado is Hass, also called avocado pear or alligator pear.
9. Which country produces the most avocados? Mexico!
10. Generally, the riper an avocado, the darker its skin will be. A vibrant green skin may look appealing, but a murkier brown is a sign the avocado is ripe for eating.
11. Need a summertime treat on a hot day? Try avocado popsicles. 
12. California produces 95% of the United States’ avocado crop.
13. Just one avocado contains 7 grams of fiber. That’s 27% of the amount your body needs each day.
14. Miley Cyrus has an avocado tattooed on her left tricep.
15. In 2017, American spent about $900,000 a month on avocado toast.
16. Need folate? Get 20% of the daily value in one serving of avocado.
17. If you want something on the sweeter side, check out our tips for using avocado and other plant-based ingredients to make pudding and custard.
18. 77% of the calories in an avocado come from fat. It’s one of the highest fat plants on the planet. 
19. Legend has it that a Japanese chef working in California in the 1960s once restored to using avocado when he couldn’t source tuna. The now extremely popular California Roll was born.
20. Due to its ability to block a protein that causes inflammation, there’s some evidence that avocado oil helps prevent gum disease.
21. More avocados are eaten in Los Angeles than any other US city.
22. Avocado extract may also help relieve arthritic pain.
23. Not only does avocado do wonders for your insides, it’s also great as a facial mask. 
24. Another skin perk: avocado oil may accelerate wound healing.
25. Not sure whether an avocado is ripe? Give it a tiny squeeze. If there’s a bit of give, it’s time to eat it. Too much give? It’s probably overly ripe. 
26. Another way to test for ripeness: does the nub of stem have any wiggle to it? If so, the avocado is ripe.
27. To make avocados ripen faster, put them in a paper bag with some ripe bananas. The ethylene gas emitted by the bananas will make the avocados ripen faster.
28. Instead of using plastic wrap to keep guacamole from browning in the fridge, try this: Smooth and level the dip, then add either a thin layer of lime juice or water to the top. When ready to eat, you can pour off the liquid or mix it in.
29. Contrary to popular belief, storing an avocado pit in a bowl of guacamole will not prevent browning.
30. If you need a neutral high-heat oil, look no further. Since cold-pressed avocado oil resists oxidation, it’s a safe and healthy option for sauteing and frying.
31. Thistle makes it easy to add avocado to your meals. On our sides menu, you’ll find baby avocado as an add-on option.
32. Besides avocados, common ingredients in guacamole include salt, lime juice, cilantro, onions, and jalapeno or serrano peppers.
33. For more ways to satisfy a sweet tooth, consider cuisine from countries like Indonesia and The Philippines, where avocado flesh is often blended with sugar and milk to make a dessert or sweet drink.
34. For an impressive presentation, make stuffed avocados.
35. Watch this video for instructions on how to safely cut an avocado and remove the pit. Never whack at the pit with a knife!
36. More avocados are consumed on Super Bowl Sunday than any other day of the year, which happens to coincide with avocado’s peak growing season. 
37. In recent decades, the average American’s consumption of avocados has more than quadrupled.
38. As the ultimate "millennial gimmick", one Australian cafe featured an “avolatte”, a latte served in an avocado peel.
39. Just as corn husks are used to wrap tamales, avocado leaves are used in Oaxacan Mexican cuisine to wrap meats and other foods prior to grilling. If you want to give this a try, make sure to use a non-toxic variety of avocado leaf that hasn’t been sprayed with chemicals.
40. You’ve got two days each year to honor the amazing avocado: National Avocado Day is July 31. National Guacamole Day is September 16, coinciding with Mexican Independence Day. Take all these reasons and celebrate!
    

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