Holy Guacamole!

This Wednesday is National Guacamole Day! What could be better than a day celebrating a creamy avocado mashed up with fresh cilantro, lime, and other great produce? If you couldn’t tell already, I have a bit of a passion for all things avocado and for guacamole in general. So let’s dive into the avocado and find out why so many people nowadays are going nuts over this creamy, delicious fruit (and yes, I said fruit).

The Nutrition Low-Down

As many of you already know, avocados are pretty high in fat. In fact, they contain up to 77% of their calories from fat. Many of you may ask why is it considered a super-food if it is so high in fat? Well, the fact is that not all fat is bad. The type of fat found in the avocado- monounsaturated fat- is actually good for you. This is the same type of fat found in olive oil and high in the Mediterranean diet. Monounsaturated fats actually help to lower your LDL or bad cholesterol and raise your HDL or good cholesterol resulting in a lower risk of coronary heart disease.

The avocado is an excellent source of fiber, which also helps to lower LDL as well as help to keep your digestive system regular. You probably didn’t know but an avocado also contains more potassium per serving than bananas! Potassium helps lower blood pressure and counteracts the negative effects of a diet high in sodium. Besides all of this, avocados are also a great source of folate, vitamin C, vitamin K, vitamin E, vitamin B6, magnesium, and lutein. No wonder they are known as a super-food!

The Skinny on how to Use an Avocado

If you are unfamiliar with how to pick and prepare an avocado, you’re not alone. First, you will want to look for a skin that is a dark green. Next you will want to give it a squeeze. The avocado should have a little give to it when you press it but should not be total mush. You will want to run your knife down the middle and around the pit. Twist your avocado halves in opposite directions and pull apart. Finally take your knife and give the pit a whack, then twist your knife and the avocado half in opposite directions to get the pit off the half. You can now scoop out the inside of your avocado to make some delicious guacamole!

A Simple Guacamole Recipe

My favorite way to prepare guacamole is to mash one avocado, one small seeded jalapeno, 1/3 cup diced red onion, some fresh cilantro, salt, and a squeeze of lime juice. This simple recipe really lets the avocado shine through! Try this guacamole on a turkey burger, mix it into your salad, or dive right in with some baked tortilla chips! I promise you, you won’t be disappointed!

Your turn to take action: Try planning a Tex-Mex night this week! Prepare some vegetarian chili and top it with some fresh guacamole. It will be fun and delicious for the whole family!

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