Food For Thought

The Avocado: Not just another sexy fruit

The Aztecs called the avocado "ahuacatl." Not the topic of pleasant dinner-time conversation, ahuacatl, meaning testicle, was believed to be a sexual stimulant.

Spanish conquistadors first learned of the avocado during their exploration of the New World in the early 1500's. Presumably unable to pronounce the Aztec name for avocado, the Spanish name "aguacate" was penned by Pedro de Cieza de Leon in 1550 in his journal of his travels to Panama, Ecuador, Columbia, and Peru. It was from the Spanish "aguacate" that "avocado" evolved in English.

Although its name changed, the avocado's reputation as an aphrodisiac has remained. In 1672, W. Hughes, physician to King Charles II of England, wrote during a visit to Jamaica that the avocado was "one of the most rare and pleasant fruits of the island. It nourisheth and strengtheneth the body, corroborating the spirits and procuring lust exceedingly."

During the 1920's, a promotional advertising campaign was launched in the United States that denied the avocado had aphrodisiac properties. Reportedly, the intent of the advertising campaign was to stir interest in consumers with respect to the avocado's stimulating powers by denying them. It worked: Sales immediately rose dramatically.

Although there is no research to support the claim that avocados can enhance your libido, it is a documented fact that avocados are nutritional powerhouses. Avocados are cholesterol-free, sodium-free, and low in saturated fat, but provide 60% more potassium than bananas and plenty of magnesium, folate, dietary fiber, riboflavin, and vitamins C, E, and B6. In addition, avocados are packed with disease-fighting phytochemicals including lutein, glutathione, and beta-sitosterol and contain omega-3 fatty acids, which are beneficial for heart health and reducing inflammation.

The avocado's value goes beyond nutrition: Both the fruit and the tree that bears it have uses in herbal medicine. For example, the bark and leaves of the tree are used as remedies for digestive problems and coughs. The flesh and oil of the fruit have traditionally been used as a skin treatment and to stimulate hair growth. This use is justified by the fact that the chemicals in avocado stimulate the production of collagen which helps to smooth out fine lines and wrinkles and promotes elasticity.

In spite of its many medicinal purposes, the avocado is best known for its starring role in guacamole, a creamy complement to Mexican fare. And the key to great guacamole is a quality avocado.

There are nearly 500 varieties of avocados, seven of which are commercially grown in California, producer of 95% of all avocados in the nation. The Hass variety accounts for about 80% of California's total production.

The Hass avocado is notable for its pebbly, thick, and pliable skin that turns from green to purplish-black when ripe. The pale green flesh of this fruit has a creamy texture and buttery taste. This variety may be found year-round in most grocery stores and has an excellent shelf-life.

Although these oval-shaped orbs mature on the tree, they do not begin to ripen until picked. More importantly, you are not likely to find ripened avocados in the store. Plan ahead and purchase them three to five days before you intend to use them. Select fruit with heavy, unblemished skin, and allow it to ripen at room temperature or speed the ripening by placing the fruit in a brown paper bag with an apple.

Once ripe, avocados are best eaten raw because the tannins in the fruit create a bitter flavor when cooked over high heat. They are a tasty addition to sandwiches or salads and make great dips and spreads. The fruit's rapid oxidation demands that it be used shortly after being removed from the skin. The use of lemon or lime juice will slow, but not stop, this process, which turns the avocado's flesh brown.

Full of nutrition and medicinal uses, the avocado deserves a place at your table. And you never know - you might find that this curvaceous little fruit adds some unexpected spice to your life.

Kristine Hayes