Thursday, August 6, 2026

PERSEA AMERICANA [AVOCADO]

 PERSEA AMERICANA [AVOCADO]   Alligator pear /Butter fruit

The day’s post on Avocado [ Persea americana] has been compiled to meet the requirements a request from my cousin Shri. S.Raghunathan ; he expressed curiosity over the item. Hopefully his needs are me,t at least to a basic level          K. Raman

Avocado is a tall tree of 25-30 feet bearing large number of ‘pear-lik’ green fruits [berry] with a green leathery skin enclosing a thick pulp with a nut-like seed buried in a pit. Avocado fruits are a major attraction because of their varied utilities that support human health. Of late these fruits are gaining popularity and are liberally available in fruit outlets in all major cities and towns of India.

Nutrition

About 50 gms of the fruit can yield 50 calories of energy

Though rich in fats, their fat content is largely of mono unsaturated variety that helps to maintain good cholesterol Avocado fruits can deliver some 20 vitamins .Thus in a 100 gm fruit pulp  Potassium =485  milligram , Folate =81 micrograms , Vit B6=0,257 milligrams , Vit E= 2.07milligram and Vit C= 10 milligram

Avocado oil

It is a popular cooking oil extracted from the fruits of Avocado .Its high smoke point and mild aroma make it a popular cooking medium. [much like Olive oil ] Several cosmetic items incorporate Avocado oil for its ‘moisturizer’ potential.

Nutrition from oil [per tablespoon]

Proteins /Carbohydrates/Fibre/Sugar= 0 gm, Fat =14 gm and Calories= 124 other components in the oil include monounsaturated fat, Oleic acid, and Vitamin –E 

BENEFITS from Avocado

The fibrous matter in fruit is insoluble and helps bowel movement

The potassium content in fruits help to stabilize blood pressure by balancing with levels of Sodium.

Heart function

Avocado has the plant cholesterol [ Beta-sitosterol] that helps to regulate fat and support heart function

Anti-oxidants –Lutein and Zeaxanthin defend vision by restriction of cataract formation

Pregnant women need folate [400 micrograms a day for ideal foetus development and avocados offer the best support

So much of ‘good’ is packed in Avocado fruits and it would be logical to use the fruits for our wellbeing.

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PERSEA AMERICANA [AVOCADO]

  PERSEA AMERICANA [AVOCADO]   Alligator pear /Butter fruit The day’s post on Avocado [ Persea americana] has been compiled to meet the r...