Discover avocado varieties, benefits, and tips for selection and storage. Learn about Hass, Bacon, and more in our ultimate avocado guide.
Hey there! Curious about avocados? Dive into this ultimate guide by Hasan, an avid gardener with 8 years of experience.
Explore avocado varieties, health benefits, and essential tips for selection and storage. Discover why avocados are more than just a delicious fruit.
Want to be a successful gardener?
How do you start an organic garden for beginners? Before starting a new garden at home you have to know about these 12 steps…
1. Choose the best month
2. Plan about your garden
3. Where to Put Your Garden
4. Rectify your soil
5. Sunlight
6. Essential tools you need
7. Prepare garden bed or grow bags
8. Select some seeds
9. Plant your seeds
10. Water your garden at the right time
11. Mulch your garden
12. Take care of your garden regularly
Table of Contents
Avocado Varieties
Here’s a simple guide to different avocado varieties, their appearance, size, and what they are known for. Information collected from California Avocado.
Bacon
- Appearance: Smooth, thin green skin; yellow-green flesh
- Size: 6 to 12 oz
- Known For: Oval shape, medium to large seed, easy peeling, light taste
Gwen
- Appearance: Pebbly, thick green skin; creamy gold-green flesh
- Size: 6 to 15 oz
- Known For: Plump oval fruit, small to medium seed, easy peeling, great taste
Lamb Hass
- Appearance: Pebbly, thick skin; green flesh
- Size: 11 to 18 oz
- Known For: Oval shape, smooth nutty taste, large size, symmetrical shape
Reed
- Appearance: Slightly pebbled skin; creamy flesh
- Size: 8 to 18 oz
- Known For: Round shape, medium seed, easy peeling, good taste
Fuertes
- Appearance: Smooth, thin green skin; creamy, pale green flesh
- Size: 5 to 14 oz
- Known For: Pear shape, medium seed, easy peeling, great taste
Hass
- Appearance: Pebbly, thick skin; creamy pale-green flesh
- Size: 5 to 12 oz
- Known For: Oval shape, small to medium seed, easy peeling, great taste
Pinkerton
- Appearance: Slightly pebbled medium skin; creamy pale-green flesh
- Size: 8 to 18 oz
- Known For: Pear shape, medium seed, easy peeling, great taste
Zutano
- Appearance: Shiny yellow-green skin; pale-green flesh
- Size: 6 to 14 oz
- Known For: Pear shape, thin skin, moderately easy to peel, light taste and texture
11 Reasons Why You Should Eat More Avocados
1. High in omega-3.
2. Rich in oleic acid.
3. Has the least amount of pesticides.
4. Good fats lower bad cholesterol.
5. More nutrients than other fruits.
6. Helps you absorb nutrients.
7. Full of fiber.
8. Low in sugar.
9. Loaded with antioxidants and phytonutrients.
10. Helps control appetite.
11. Flexible ingredients.
How to Choose a Ripe Avocado
Do
- Look at skin color and texture.
- Color under stem
Don’t
- Squeeze
- Refrigerate unripe avocados
Emerald Green
- Skin Texture: Rough
- Color under stem: Light Green
- Consistency: Very firm
- Ripe in: 3 to 4 Days
Forest Green
- Skin Texture: Very Pebbled color
- Under stem: Turning tan
- Consistency: Firm
- Ripe in: 3 to 4 Days
Greenish Purple
- Skin Texture: Pebbled
- Color under stem: Turning tan
- Consistency: Medium Firm
- Ripe in: 1 to 2 Days
Purple
- Skin Texture: Slightly Pebbled
- Color under stem: Light brown
- Consistency: Somewhat Firm
- Ripe in: 24 hours or less
Dark Purple or Black
- Skin Texture: Smooth
- Color under stem: Brown
- Consistency: Soft
- Ripe in: Eat Quickly
13 Health Benefits of Avocado
1. Avocados keep the heart healthy
It is rich in monounsaturated fat that helps in reducing bad cholesterol.
2. Avocado lowers blood pressure
It is loaded with potassium which makes it good for people with high blood pressure.
3. Avocado aids weight loss
It is low in calories, low in carbs, and full of fiber. These are the attributes of avocados that help you lose weight.
4. Avocado improves digestion
It is high in B vitamins. The B-complex vitamins are very important for cellular metabolism and digestion.
5. Avocados are rich in protein
It is one of the high-protein fruit which helps in the building of bones, muscles, cartilage, skin, and blood.
6. Avocados are packed with fiber
It is rich in fiber which helps in weight loss and reducing blood sugar levels.
7. Avocados are highly nutritious
It is a fruit with many benefits. It has various vitamins and minerals which are required in a healthy diet.
How to cut Avocado
Point one: Work the knife lengthwise around the seed of the avocado.
Point two: Split the avocado in half.
Point three: Wedge the knife into the seed.
Point four: Push the seed carefully off the knife with your thumb.
Point five: To Dice: With the avocado still in the skin, make vertical & horizontal slices in the avνο- cado halves to form 1/2 sq. cubes. Be careful not to cut your hand! Scoop out the diced pieces with a large spoon.
Point six: To Slice: Slice avocado halves into 4 pieces. Gently peel off the skin from each piece.
This information has been collected from this website.
How to Freeze Avocados
Freezing avocados is a great way to extend their shelf life and ensure you always have some on hand for smoothies, spreads, or recipes.
Here are three effective methods to freeze avocados:
Method 1: Freezing Whole Avocados
1. Wrap in Foil
Wrap the whole avocado in a couple of layers of aluminum foil. This helps protect it from freezer burn.
2. Freeze Without Foil
Alternatively, you can place the whole avocado in the freezer without any covering, but it may be more prone to freezer burn.
3. Label
Don’t forget to label the avocado with the date you froze it. This will help you keep track of its freshness.
Method 2: Freezing Slices and Cubes
1. Peel and Pit
Peel the avocado and remove the pit.
2. Slice or Cube
Cut the avocado into chunks, cubes, or slices.
3. Prep for Freezing
Place the pieces on a parchment-lined baking sheet in a single layer.
4. Lemon Juice
Drizzle the avocado pieces with some lemon juice to preserve their color and flavor.
5. Freeze
Place the baking sheet in the freezer for a couple of hours until the pieces are completely frozen.
6. Store
Once frozen, transfer the pieces to a freezer-safe bag or airtight container. For extra protection, you can wrap the bag or container in a layer of foil to prevent excess freezer burn.
Method 3: Freezing Mashed Avocado
1. Peel and Pit
Peel the avocado and remove the pit.
2. Mash
Mash the avocado to your desired consistency.
3. Lemon Juice
Mix in some lemon juice to preserve the color and flavor.
4. Pack
Place the mashed avocado in a freezer-safe bag or airtight container.
5. Wrap and avocados
Wrap the bag or container with foil for additional protection and freeze. The mashed avocado will keep for a couple of months.
By following these methods, you can enjoy avocados year-round without worrying about them spoiling too quickly.
How to Grow an Avocado Tree from a Seed
Step 1
Remove the seed from the avocado and clean off any remaining fruit.
Step 2
Remove and clean the pit.
Step 3
Pierce the pit with four toothpicks and place it half-submerged in a glass of water.
Step 4
After 6-8 weeks, the pit will crack, and roots will start to grow.
Step 5
When the stem reaches 6-7 inches long, cut it back to about 3 inches to encourage new growth.
Step 6
When the stem reaches 6-7 inches again, pot it up in a rich humus soil in an 8-10 inch diameter pot, leaving the top half of the seed exposed. Place it on a sunny windowsill.
Water and watch it grow.
How to care for avocado trees
Take special care while planting
Point 1: Pick a location with sunny, draining soil. Avocado trees need six hours or more of direct sunshine daily.
Point 2: Check the pH of the soil before planting. The ideal soil pH range for avocado plants is between ó and 6.5.
Fertilizing and Watering
Point 1: Once a week, give the tree a thorough watering, particularly during hot, dry weather.
Point 2: Make sure that the ground is damp but not soggy.
Point 3: To keep moisture in the soil and control weeds, mulch the area surrounding the tree’s base.
Pruning and Training
Point 1: Before new growth starts, prune the tree in late winter or early spring. Eliminate any dead, damaged, or infected branches.
Point 2: To increase airflow and light penetration, thin down dense branches.
Control of Pests and Diseases
Point 1: Spider mites are responsible for the leaves yellowing and drying out by sucking the sap from them.
Point 2: Thrips, which nibble on the fruits and blossoms and leave scars and malformations, are the culprit.
Point 3: Learn how to care for avocado trees and manage them.
Point 4: Check the tree often for symptoms of illness or infestation.
Harvesting
Point 1: To remove the fruit from the stem, gently twist it or use a
Point 2: Pruning saw. Carefully handle the fruit to prevent bruising or skin damage.
Conclusion
In conclusion, avocados are versatile fruits packed with nutrients and flavor.
From their different varieties like Hass and Bacon to their numerous health benefits and tips on growing and using them, avocados offer something for everyone.
Whether you’re adding them to your diet for their omega-3s or planting a tree in your backyard, avocados are worth exploring.
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