In Praise of Alligator Pears

There are many reasons to love avocados: they’re tasty and satisfying; they’re packed with healthy fats, B vitamins, potassium. lutein and zeaxanthin; and they fit nicely into a wide freshavocados logorange of culinary styles.

But did you know that inclusion of half an avocado in one’s lunch can markedly increase satiety and reduce the desire to eat over the next 5 hours? Or that consumption of avocados can mitigate post-prandial insulin spikes, providing plenty of calories without substantially raising blood glucose levels? Or that they can increase the absorption of fat-soluble vitamins from other foods? Or that they’re the only fruit source of monounsaturated fats?

Or how about the fact that addition of fresh avocado to a hamburger lunch will substantially reduce post-meal inflammatory cascades, improve peripheral vascular blood flow, and attenuate the triglyceride surge that usually follows consumption of guac-less burgers.

You can discover these and dozens of other reasons to eat more avocados on the brand new Avocado Central website, sponsored by the Hass Avocado Board (and note that it’s “Hass” not “Haas”….named after a postman named Rudolph Hass, who began planting the small, black & bumpy variety in the 1930s).

recipe sweet-potato-and-avocado-empanadasUnder the banner “Fresh Avocados: Love One Today,” the Avocado Central site amasses just about everything known to mankind about the versatile and delicious “alligator pear.” There’s a host of in-depth nutritional analysis, summaries of scientific studies aimed at healthcare professionals, avo-centric meal plans and culinary lessons, how-to videos, and of course bushels of recipes–many from renowned chefs–that go way beyond guacamole (who knew avocados could be combined with chocolate to make gluten-free fudgy bread?).

You can be sure that Avocado Central will have some impact here at the Upshots test kitchens, and we’re looking forward to expanding our culinary “avocacy.”

END

 

 

 

 

 
Subscribe to Holistic Primary Care