History
Fruit of the avocado tree (Persea americana) belonging to the Lauraceae family, avocado is probably native to the tropical forests of Mexico. The word avocado comes from the Spanish aguacate, itself derived from the aztec language nahuatl ahuacatl which means testicle, by analogy to the shape of the body.
According traces in the excavations, avocado would have existed more than 8000 years before our era. The Mayans and Aztecs consumed widely available and would like to present the explorer Cortez. Avocado has also been reported to the Court of Spain in the early 17th century. Cultivated in the West Indies in 1750 and in California, it is then introduced to Africa, Australia, Israel.
Cultivated in the West Indies in 1750, the fruit was for years a food reserved for the aristocracy and the big bourgeoisie. We have to wait for the Americans to start cultivating it on a large scale at the beginning of the 20th century so that it becomes more popular.
Varieties
There are many varieties of avocados. The best known are :
- "Lula" (photo opposite): large avocado, swollen at the base, with tender yellow and green flesh and smooth green or purple skin. The flesh is very tender when ripe. This variety is generally found in the Caribbean between August and November.
- "Hass": It is a small fruit with thick, rather rigid, granular skin, of brown-purple color when ripe. Its blond flesh (with green areas near the skin) is quite firm and well flavored. Its average weight is 250 to 350 g. It would be native of Peru. It can be found in South America from May to September, in Spain from September to April, in Mexico from September to December, in South Africa from May to September and in Israel from February to April.
- "Fuerte": It is a typical pear-shaped fruit with a thin, dark green skin. Its soft green pulp has a strong and pleasant flavor. Its average weight is 250 to 400 g. It is said to originate from Israel (harvested between November and April) but is also present in Spain (harvested between October and April) or South Africa (harvested between April and September).
- "Ettinger": This is the most elongated of the avocados, with a thin, smooth, tender green skin and a pale pulp with a very delicate flavor. It is said to have originated in Israel, where it is harvested today from the end of September to April, and in South Africa from May to September.
- "Nabal": It is an almost round avocado, with a smooth dark green skin veined with black. Its firm and very colored flesh supports well the cooking. It is native to Israel (harvested from January to March).
Avocado tree is a medium sized tree that can reach 15 meters in height. However, it generally measures about 10 meters.
The alternate sheets 12 to 25 cm long are simple, oval and dark green. They fall every year, but after the tree has already formed its new annual foliage and the tree remains green all the time.
The flowers are 5 to 10 mm.
The fruit is pear-shaped (pear-shaped) or oval or round, from 7 to 20 cm in length, weighing between 1/4 lb and 22 lbs. It has a large central oval seed 3 to 5 cm long.
Health benefits
The avocado contains natural fibers that allow to be satiated and oleic acid, a fatty substance that activates satiety in the brain. Its fibers also help to fight against constipation. It is also rich in nutrients and compounds good for the heart. It lowers bad cholesterol.
It is a natural moisturizer. Rich in antioxidants including lutein protects the view. Containing carotenoids, it is also a product which reduces the risk of prostate cancer.
It can also reduce the rate of diabetes (type 2 diabetes).
Please note, avocado leaves and bark can be harmful to animals (cats, dogs, horses, cattle, goats, rabbits, rats, birds). The leaves contain Persine, a toxic fatty acid that can cause diarrhea, vomiting, congestion or even respiratory distress.
Uses
In Martinique, avocado is eaten raw and natural but it can also enter into the composition of salads or very many dishes including the traditional féroce d'avocat (cf. photo opposite). He frequently accompanies dishes of local vegetables (breadfruit, yams, green plantain, yellow plantain bananas, dasheen, sweet potatoes, etc ...). In the rest of the world, well known Mexican guacamole sure that even more popularized avocado.