How to choose a ripe and tasty avocado in the store!

In the past ten years, this overseas miracle has won the hearts of millions. Avocado today is not just an ingredient in restaurant dishes or superfood fans of proper nutrition, it has become quite a familiar product on the daily menu.

Fetal appearance, benefits and harms

The shape of an avocado, depending on the variety, can be round or pear-shaped, and the color ranges from deep green to black. What is the secret of its popularity? This unique fruit is incredibly rich in healthy fats, and also contains about 20 vitamins and minerals. In addition, it is extremely low in carbohydrates and high in fiber, which is why avocados are so often included in the diet of those who adhere to weight loss diets.

But, like any other product, it can bring not only benefits, but also harm. Contained in its composition estragol and anethole in large quantities can lead to complications in people suffering from liver disease. Discomfort can also occur in those who have stomach problems, who have too thin blood and high levels of potassium in the body. In addition, it should be used with caution by pregnant and lactating mothers, as avocados can reduce the production of breast milk. Those taking anti-inflammatory drugs should also abstain from the fruit, so as not to reduce the effectiveness of the drugs.

The basic rule that should be followed is to know when to stop. A moderate amount of avocado will be extremely beneficial for people who are not allergic to it.

Choosing an avocado

Probably, everyone who buys an avocado has at least once faced disappointment - the fruit turned out to be either unripe or overripe, when they wanted to get the completely opposite result. In order not to play the lottery, you need to remember a few simple rules. Pay attention to the color and condition of the peel: the more ripe the avocado, the darker it is. Unripe fruits are greener (although there are exceptions, because everything primarily depends on the variety, but more on that later). The choice by the color of the skin is quite simple - if you need a soft fruit, take a blacker one, and if dense - green.

As for the peel itself, it should be slightly uneven, but without visible dents or traces of damage. Feeling an avocado is one of the surest ways to determine if it is ripe. The ready-to-eat fruit is quite soft, but after you lightly press on it with your finger, the skin immediately returns to its place. If there is an opportunity to check the fruit in this way, be sure to use it, because choosing according to softness will give you much more information than appearance.

Another way to visually determine ripeness is to select by cut. In a ripe fruit, it is faintly brown or light green, while in an overripe fruit it is dark, even black. Also, inspect the stalk for rot and mildew. This method works with a newly plucked stalk. Otherwise, the cutting may be affected by light, temperature and other factors and the results may be distorted.

The choice by knock and weight is also not difficult, especially the first one. Bring the avocado to your ear, shake it slightly and listen: if you hear the sound of a kernel beating inside, then the avocado is ripe. An unripe fruit will have no sound. With weight, everything is a little more complicated, it takes experience and practice. Place the fruit on your hand and evaluate its weight: too light may still be green, and too heavy may be overripe. Let's also dwell on which avocados are not worth buying:

• Crumpled, with visible damage on the peel;
• With mold or rot on the handle;
• Frankly immature.

Another important question is whether unripe avocados can be eaten. Firstly, such fruits do not have a characteristic pleasant taste and texture of the pulp, they are difficult to clean and separate from the stone. In addition, they can actually be harmful to health. But what about an unripe avocado if you've already bought it? In most cases, time will help - you just need to let the fetus ripen a little. If the avocado is really harvested too early, then it can start to deteriorate before it acquires the desired consistency and taste. So it's best to stay away from unripe fruits.

What varieties are you planning to buy an avocado, you already know how to choose a ripe fruit by shade, but here an unexpected surprise may await, because varieties, like colors, can be different. Fuerte, Sharville, Ettinger and Reed remain green even when they reach optimum maturity. The Haas avocado, on the other hand, turns dark purple and even black when ripe. The Gwen variety is very similar to it, but its skin color is closer to green, albeit rather dark. Ripe Bacon also has a dark green skin. That is why, when buying, be sure to specify which kind of fruit is in front of you.

Avocado: How to Eat It, How to Choose a Cutting Method

There is no one way to properly peel an avocado, it all depends on where you plan to use it. First you need to wash the fruit well and dry it slightly. If you need neat slices for a salad or a snack, for example, then you can peel it with a peeler or gently peel it off with your fingers (a well-ripened avocado comes off very easily with a knife) by prying it off with a knife. Before this, the fruit can be either cut in half with a knife or left intact.

If it has already been cut and you need pulp for mashed potatoes or sauce, then it is more convenient to remove the bone, then take out the pulp with a spoon, and just throw away the halves of the peel.

How to store

Ripe fruits can be stored in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. To ensure proper storage of the avocado, place it in a tight bag or wrap it in cling film and store it in the fruit drawer. Freezing the fetus is also possible.

It can be sent to the freezer:

• Whole - wash, dry and wrap in plastic wrap or a bag.
• Halves - cut, remove the bone, wrap each half with foil.
• Chopped - peel, dice the flesh, drizzle with lemon juice and place on a baking sheet or plate. After the pulp has hardened, put in a tight zip bag or container.
• In the form of mashed potatoes - put the chopped pulp in a tightly closing container.

You can store frozen fruits for 2 to 6 months.

How to make the avocado ripen and soften

If you come across a dense fruit, do not be discouraged. At home, it is quite possible to solve this problem. The easiest way to store it in this case is in a paper bag or in a newspaper. Simply wrap the unripe fruit and place the avocado in a warm place for a couple of days. Or, add the avocado to other fruits like banana. Shaking the fruit once a day and checking for softness will help monitor the ripening process. As soon as the avocado bone knocks and the flesh is no longer too dense, you can peel, cut and eat.

When you need to get ready-to-eat fruit quickly, heat the avocado in the oven, preheated to 200 degrees and turned off, with aluminum foil, wrapping the fruit tightly in it. Heating up in the oven will take about 8-10 minutes and you will have a soft avocado on the table. This can be done in the microwave as well. It's still easier and faster, but the process needs to be monitored closely. Place the washed fruit on a suitable plate, make some deep punctures, cover with a plastic lid and microwave the avocado for 30 seconds. Then check and further bring to softness, if necessary.

If you have already cut an avocado and it turns out to be too dense, then you can soften it with boiling water. Place the pulp in a colander and immerse in a saucepan or other container of hot water for 1 minute. What to cook with avocado Here are three simple recipes for this healthy and tasty fruit that can be cooked in just a few minutes.

Sandwiches

You can whip up a hearty and mouth-watering snack with canned fish.

Ingredients:

• Canned tuna - 140 grams;
• Avocado - 1 pc.;
• Bread - 4-6 slices
• Salt, pepper, herbs, lemon - to taste. Dry the bread a little in a pan, toaster or oven.

Peel and cut the avocado into thin slices. Mash the tuna with a fork. Cut the lemon into slices. Wash and dry the herbs. Place avocado slices, fish, lemon and herbs on top of the bread. Add salt and pepper to taste and serve.

Guacamole

A soft and well-ripened avocado is ideal for this snack.

Ingredients:

• Avocado - 1 pc .;
• Tomatoes - 2 pcs.;
• Onion - 1/3 pcs.;
• Greens - 1/2 bunch;
• Salt, chili to taste;
• Lemon juice - 1-1.5 tbsp. l.

Cut the avocado in half, remove the pit and remove the pulp. Mash it with a fork and puree. Peel and chop the onion. Cut the tomatoes as small as possible. Squeeze lemon juice, chop greens. Combine all ingredients, add salt and chili to taste. Stir and serve.

Smoothies

This is an incredibly healthy snack. It can be served both as a drink and as a cold afternoon soup, for example.

Ingredients:

• Avocado - 1 pc .;
• Apple - 1 pc.;
• Spinach - 1 bunch;
• Olive oil - 2 drops;
• Honey - 1 tbsp. l .;
• Water - 1 glass (mineral or plain).

Wash and pat dry the spinach. Core the apple and cut the flesh into small cubes. Cut the avocado in half, remove the pit and remove the pulp. Combine all ingredients and grind in a blender until smooth. Add water, honey and a drop of olive oil to taste. Serve immediately.