This should come as no surprise to readers of The Kitchn (who ate up—pun intended—a recent roundup on all things avocado) but avocados have had a major mass-market breakthrough in recent years. What was once considered a sidekick to tortilla chips is now the go-to source for heart-healthy fats...
According to The Wall Street Journal, avocado sales in 2011 totaled $2.9 billion, and the first half of 2012 was 30% ahead of the same period last year. Major fast food chains like Panera Bread Co. and Subway have added avocado to their sandwiches, while restaurant chefs increasingly sing its praises. "The fruit is used for balancing acidity and spiciness," says Roberto Santibañez, owner of Fonda restaurants in New York.
Helping to propel avocados to their new superstar status is the idea that they're a good source of healthy fats, with both mono- and polyunsaturated fats. They're also a "'nutrient booster,' helping the body absorb fat-soluble nutrients, like alpha- and beta-carotene and lutein, when consumed with food sources at the same time," according to the Hass Avocado Board, a marketing group representing producers and importers.
And, they just taste so good. As Stephanie Mueller, a Washington, D.C., public relations executive says, "[avocados] have a creamy mouth feel. That is so critical to brand influence and acceptance... It's rare to find foods that taste so good and are actually good for you."
Read More: Breaking Out Of Guacamole To Become a Produce Star | The Wall Street Journal
Related: 30 Reasons to Buy an Avocado Tonight: Avocado Tips, Hints, and Recipes
(Image: Dana Velden)
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Avocados are great; I just wonder about the bioavailability of the healthy fats compared to say fish. Also, please only buy multicrop grown avocados. Most industrial producers deforest places in Indonesia, Mexico and yes, the U.S. for monocultures. Consider Kanalani farm where they grow coffee, papaya, guava, coconut, apple, fig and trees along with the avocado to save land and it creates habitat for critters!
http://www.agroforestry.net/caf/index.html
I love me some avocados. However, most of the grocery stores near me sell them for $2+ each, which keeps me from sometimes buying them.
I love avocados, too! Its healthy fats give me a good "satiety" benefit. How about some avocado soup on a chilly Fall day? http://7th-taste.com/2011/03/25/avocado-soup-with-prosecco/
Avocados are fantastic - I've even used them as a substitute for butter on toast... spread a bit on good toast, sprinkle with a bit of salt and it's as good as butter.
My issue with these restaurants adding avocado to everything and touting it as "healthy" is that they're often not adding them raw - they've been blended as a spread with added preservatives and seasonings, and they're just layered on an already unhealthy sandwich to begin with. Adding avocado to a smoked turkey sandwich with bacon and cheese doesn't suddenly negate the bad aspects of the other ingredients...
I use avocados as a spread all the time on bagels or toast, like kate.s -- a little salt and pepper and you've got a quick, delicious breakfast.
That avocado soup with prosecco looks great too.
The trick is finding ones that are perfectly ripe, but not overly so. I've developed a great sense of this and I'm never wrong, but it seems that I get better ones at some stores than at others.
This is going to sound silly because I don't know what it's called...if the little "button-like thingy" at the top of the avocado (where it was attached to the tree branch) pops off easily, it's most likely ripe and ready to eat. If the flesh gives in to a little finger pressure, it should be ripe as well.
favorite meals/snacks with avocado
-Good wheat toast spread with mashed avocado, sliced hard boiled egg, sea salt, cracked pepper, ancho chili powder
-BLATs
-Cottage cheese with avo chunks, cukes, cherry tomatoes, cracked pepper
-Toast or english muffin with mashed avocado, bacon slices and sunny-side egg on top
I live in California where they are abundant. My farmer's market sells them for 1.25/each and its not uncommon to get a 2/$1 sale at the supermarket either. I buy at least one every week and eat some almost daily. Love them!