Overview:
California Avocados, also known as the Haas variety, can be distinguished by their bumpy texture. They start out with a bright green skin that turns dark purple to almost black as it ripens. Avocados are a Keto Superfood, being high in healthy fats and fiber with a very low glycemic index rating.
Apex Keto Score:
- Fat 75%
- Net Carbs 5%
- Protien 20%
Key Benefits:
- Avocados are high in Potassium, One has about 690mg, 1.42 times that of banana. (Each @ 136g)
- Great source of Omega-9 Fatty Acids(Oleic Acid) and Omega-3 Fatty Acid ALA(alpha-linolenic acid).
- Rich in: Phytosterols, Polyphenols, Carotenoids, Magnesium, Copper, Vitamins A, C & E, K1, B6 and Folate.
- Avocados are one of the best sources of Fiber from a fruit.
Fun Facts:
- Avocados have been around for a long time. Archeological records suggest that people were eating this fruit as far back as 10,000 years ago.
- Avocados do not ripen on the tree, they must be picked to ripen.
- Each avocado takes about 13 months to grow into a mature fruit and can remain on the tree for up to 3 months after maturity. This allows for year round availability.
Health Benefits:
- Improves Heart Health: Studies should that a diet rich in Avocados can help to lower total cholesterol levels. ***
- Lowers Risk of Metabolic Syndrome: It is shown that people who regularly eat avocados are at 50% lower risk of developing metabolic syndrome then people who dont ***
- Prevent Cancer: Studies have shown that phytochemicals extracted from the Avocado fruit can induce cell cycle arrest, inhibit growth, and induce apoptosis in precancerous and cancer cells. ***
- Healthy Skin & Eyes: Avocados contain the anti-oxidant lutien which is a carotenoid. Research shows that dietary carotenoids can decrease the risk of certain skin cancers and eye disorders like macular degeneration. ***
- Helps with Weight Loss: One study shows that substituting 30g of fats from Avocados in place of other dietary fats resulted in a reduction of body fat, lower the BMI. ***
- Reduce Insulin Resistance: Monounsaturated Fats like Avocado and EVVO can reduce fasting insulin levels in insulin-resistant subjects. ***
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Storage:
- Unripe Avocados: Can be stored at room temperature, to allow them to ripen. Do Not store unripe avocados in a refrigerator as they will not ripen.
- Ripe Avocados: Can be stored in the fridge for up to 3 days depending on ripeness. The cold temperatures slow any further ripening.
- Cut Avocados: Once an avocado is cut the clock is ticking and browning will occur due to oxidation. To slow this process, you can implement two forms of attack, remove the exposure to air and/or coat in an acid. Tightly covering in plastic wrap or submerging in water are two ways to impede the flow of oxygen. As for the acid, there are several options; Lime Juice, Lemon Juice, Onions, Tomatoes, and Vinegar to name a few. Does that sound like a recipe, well almost, that is why guacamole is relatively stable as it includes several of the aforementioned acids.
