Discover the Health Benefits and Secrets of Avocados

Avocados are a unique, unusual, and very useful product, the application options of which are varied. And despite its exoticism, this fruit has become very popular in Ukraine, especially among those who adhere to a healthy diet. But many of us are familiar with the pangs of searching for ripe avocado or ignorance of the vastness of the variety of dishes with it.

Today, all our questions will be answered by real experts and connoisseurs of this fruit - Prokhorovа Alena and Pimenov Denis, who are co-owners of Avocado restaurant and creators of one of the most sensational dishes of this year - avocado burger.

Costless: Why did avocado become the main ingredient in your restaurant?

Alena and Denis: The answer is very simple: we love avocados, besides, it is very useful.

Avocados are considered superfoods (due to the high content of nutrients, vitamins, and minerals, while still having a low-calorie content). Also, this fruit is an excellent source of monounsaturated fatty acids and has a unique collection of organic compounds (phytosterols, carotenoids, and flavonoids. The composition includes vitamin A, K, C, E, B6, D, thiamine, riboflavin, and niacin.

Half an avocado provides 25% of the daily intake of vitamin K, which has a beneficial effect on bone health (Editor's note).

Therefore, when the idea appeared, we simply could not refuse to implement it. Now we are co-owners of the Avocado restaurant.

How to choose an avocado?

C.: How to choose the right avocado in the market or the store, what to look for, and what kind of preference?

A. and D .: To choose an avocado is a whole adventure. From the first time, few people can do it. But here's good advice: choose a fruit with a rich green peel that is slightly soft to the touch or dark green (sometimes close to brown, for example, Avocado Haas) and soft fruit. The first ones will mature in your home and will be ready for use within 24-48 hours. The second can be immediately used in food as a tasty and healthy ingredient. It is not advisable to choose an avocado too soft (like porridge to the touch), with scratches, dents, or black spots on the peel.

Also, pay attention to the spring; it should simply be separated, but not fall off on its own - this is a sign that the fruit is rotten. The color under the handle is also important, it should be of a rich yellow-green hue. If a dark color is visible under the sprig, then the fruit itself is already spoiled (Editor's note).

C.: Unripe (very hard) fruits are often sold in the store. How to speed up the ripening process of such avocados at home?

A. and D.: In the shops, you can find fruits of different stages of ripening, but ripe avocados are quickly bought up. Unripe avocados are too hard to eat, but they have a more affordable price and can ripen at home.

In our restaurant, there is an opportunity to use a special camera for ripening, and at home, the easiest way is to put avocados on the window sill and give them time.

To significantly speed up the ripening process (from 7 to 3 days), place the fruit in a paper bag and store it at room temperature in a dark place (Editor's Note).

C.: How do you store avocados, and how is this best done at home (in the refrigerator, cupboard)?

A. and D.: We do not need to store avocados - we and our visitors eat them very quickly. If you want the ripe avocado to lie longer, put it in the fridge.

And to preserve half of the avocado, grease the pulp with lemon juice and wrap it in cling film, and put it in the refrigerator (Editor's note).

C.: It happens that you cut avocados and black dots appear on the flesh. Does this mean that the fruit is spoiled, or can it be eaten?

A. and D .: It all depends on the points. If small and slightly noticeable, it is normal; if large spots are worse. We cannot use the second variant of avocado in our restaurant, as it has a non-marketable and unattractive appearance. And it is these points that are the first sign that the avocado will soon be overmature or have been dropped during transportation.

At home, such an avocado can, of course, be eaten, and it is even better not to delay it so that the fruit does not spoil.

C.: Is it possible to say that different types of avocado are needed for different dishes, and in general, is there a difference in taste, benefit, use, or avocado depending on the sort?

A. and D.: Let's just say, everything depends on the cook and his qualifications; our cooks work wonders with any ripe avocado. The main thing is that regardless of the type of avocado very useful - it is a fact recognized by doctors and nutritionists.

Avocados are an ideal ingredient for toasts, salads, sauces, and snacks (the most famous of which, of course, is guacamole). Also, this fruit goes well with meat and seafood, which can be the basis of healthy desserts and even ice cream (Editor's note).

С.: How did you get the idea to make an avocado burger?

A. and D.: We love to experiment. Once, having bought a ripe avocado, we cut it in half and pulled out a bone, and decided to put what was at hand into the cavity. At that moment, boiled chicken, tomato, cheese, and sauce. It turned out very tasty. After that decision, why not try with other ingredients?

С.: Have you had some unsuccessful experiments in creating avocado dishes?

A. and D.: For us, every new dish is an experiment. Since, unequivocally, for Ukraine, avocado is exotic, and the combination of many ingredients with this fruit is simply unknown to us. That is why we all work with our team many times, clarifying the wishes and impressions of each participant before launching a new dish for sale. This is a difficult, but very interesting process.

Avocado is undoubtedly a healthy and tasty product. But we want to remind you that the measure is extremely important. Nutritionists advise eating no more than one fruit per day.

We wish you delicious and healthy dishes, and most importantly, always beneficial shopping with Costless.