Avocados – A true super food!

This month’s question comes from several guests who attended the Lodi Art and Culture’s Annual Open House a few weeks ago. I did a cooking demonstration and tasting to promote my hands-on nutrition classes offered in the summer and chose a recipe that showcased, among other superfoods, avocados. While the samples of my Cowboy Salad were a huge hit, several guests expressed concern about eating avocados, “I love avocados, but didn’t think that I could eat them very often, because aren’t they basically just fat?”

Eat Smart
For the same calories as a handful of potato chips (~160 calories), you can indulge in half of an avocado, which will not only add an amazing richness to your meals, but will also provide you with 20 essential nutrients and the amount of fiber in 3 slices of whole wheat bread!  Avocados provide Folate and Vitamin B6, both linked in recent studies to fewer deaths from heart failure in men, and fewer deaths from stroke and heart disease in women. Avocados are a wonderful source of potassium, Vitamin K, Vitamin C, Copper, Vitamin E, cancer-fighting carotenoids (lutein, zeaxanthin, alpha-carotene, beta-carotene) and a special monounsaturated fat (oleic acid) that can help lower blood cholesterol levels. But wait, more good news… not only are avocados also cholesterol free and extremely low in sodium, adding a few slices to your salad or veggie sandwich, or a few chunks to salsa or on top of a bowl of your favorite soup, can increase the amount of nutrients your body absorbs from all of the vegetables you eat, you’ll absorb 5 to 15 times the amount, as compared to an avocado-free meal!

What a gorgeous avocado!

Shop Smart
Since the Hass variety are available year round, you never have to wait for avocados to be “in season”. Don’t be afraid to buy avocados that are not quite ripe, better too hard than too soft!  They should be heavy for their size and free from dark spots, cracks or bruises, and still have the little stem in place, because when it falls out, air can enter and darken the flesh.  If the avocado is a bit too firm to eat, let it ripen on the counter for a few days or place it in a paper bag to quicken the process.  Ripe avocados can wait for you in the fridge for several days. Watch for the supermarket ads, as avocados can cost as little as $0.65 each!

Cook Smart 
How can you add them to breakfast? How about Avocad-Oh-Ya Toast, Scrambled Tacos or our Broccoli Scramble Breakfast! Why not use avocado as a spread on whole grain bread instead of mayo at lunchtime?  And at dinner, be sure they are a regular topping for a black bean and salsa filled loaded potato, an addition to cowboy salad, crazy salad, 7-layer dip, on top of a soup (Roasted Chili and Butternut Squash soup, or Easy Rider soup) and more!  So don’t delay, eat smart by enjoying more avocados today!  Your body (including your taste buds) will thank you! For more recipe ideas: http://www.avocado.org/recipes/

Timaree Hagenburger, a registered dietitian, certified exercise physiologist with a master’s degree in public health, is a nutrition professor at Cosumnes River College and sought after speaker. She is so excited about the Plant-Based Nutrition and Sustainable Agriculture certificate program that she and her colleague started there, and also conducts local events, corporate wellness work, has a regular segment on California Bountiful TV, and is a frequent podcast guest. Wonderful recipes plus multiple ways to incorporate them into customizable Foodie Bars™, can be found in her innovative cookbook – The Foodie Bar™ Way: One meal. Lots of options. Everyone’s happy. available at www.FoodieBars.com  Find details about Timaree’s upcoming events (cooking demos, book signings and talks about the incredible power you yield with your fork!), and if you missed any of her newspaper columns, podcast interviews or TV appearances, you can find them here at https://www.thenutritionprofessor.com/