Written by Sam Graham PHOTOGRAPHS BY THE PICTURE PANTRY

Ten years ago you’d have been pushed to find an avocado in shops. And if they were in stock, they were largely ignored. The avocado was fruit for posh people, outside of the usual contingent of apples, oranges and bananas. Now of course, those cute green butter fruits come highly recommended as part of a balanced diet, and can be found pretty much everywhere.
There’s good reason for it too. Looking at nutritional factor, this pear-shaped produce is in fact a lump of concentrated goodness. Every avocado contains an enormous amount of healthy unsaturated fats and vitamins, is low in sugar, a great source of omega fatty acids, good for your heart and eyes and, oh yeah – it tastes pretty good too.

WHAT EXACTLY IS AN AVOCADO – FRUIT OR VEGETABLE? It’s a savoury fruit that comes from the avocado tree. Naturally growing in tropical and Mediterranean parts of the world, and native to Mexico, they look a bit like scaly pears – hence the nickname ‘Alligator’ pears. Just like peaches, avocados contain a large stone inside, so best off not biting into one straight away. Not only that, it’s actually the insides that are edible, not the skin. The avocado tastes more like a vegetable than its sweeter counterparts, but the real power of this fruit is versatility. You can enjoy it sliced, scooped out from the inside, mashed up and spread on toast, blended into a smoothie, the choices are abundant. Why not get creative and see where your imagination takes you? If you’re still on the fence about the taste, next time you order a plate of nachos, try the green stuff that’s usually on the side of the plate. That’s guacamole, and guacamole is basically mashed avocado, with a little chilli and seasoning.


WHAT MAKES THE AVOCADO WORTHY OF ITS ‘SUPERFOOD’ STATUS? Going back to the health benefits, avocados are so versatile and chock-full of nutrients that they’re considered to be a superfood. While you could argue that the term is just a
60 WOM Magazine
new marketing ploy by supermarkets, look closely at the nutritional value of ‘superfoods’ and you’ll find they’re high in health benefits so you can maintain a clean diet. As you’ll know, when buying any type of raw fruit, it’s important to test for freshness. The same applies when choosing your perfectly ripe avocado. Its outer casing is a soft shell, but a fresh one has a certain rigidity that degrades with age. You should be able to gently squeeze the fruit, but it should still be quite taught after that initial pressure.
AVOCADOS AND MILLENNIALS Strangely enough, the avocado has become the unofficial moniker for the Millennial generation; attracting all kinds of media attention from politicians and the 1%. Some claim that the avocado is to blame for the younger generation’s future financial problems. It is just a fruit at the end of the day though, a good one too. Whereas a lot of food that’s marketed as health food can break the bank, the avocado is not overly expensive. You can usually find them in your local supermarket priced between £1-£2 per pack. So there’s the avocado. An affordable and integral part of a healthy diet. Simply mash as a side with some quinoa and a salmon steak – quorn or tofu if you’re vegan – season to taste and you’ve got yourself one dynamite healthy meal!