Everything in Moderation

Avocado is botanically a large berry containing a single large seed. They are cultivated in tropical and Mediterranean climates of many countries with Mexico as the leading producer. There are many health benefits when eating avocados. Avocados are rich in nutrients, such as vitamins, C, E, K, and B6. They contain high levels of healthy, beneficial fats, which help a person feel fuller. But you need to eat them in moderation in order not to lead to unintended weight gain. Avocados also help maintain healthy cholesterol levels, which are important for heart health. They are great for vision, containing lutein and zeaxanthin. Since avocados are high in fiber, they improve your digestion and promote bowel movements. They even decrease the risk of depression.

There is a high demand for avocados all over the world, with 11 billion pounds of avocados eaten every year around the globe. They have become so popular that they are named the ‘green gold’. Unfortunately, there is a downside to meeting these demands. Farmers are burning and clearing forests to make room for avocado crops, which is leading to deforestation. This has an adverse effect on biodiversity as well. Plus, avocados require considerable amounts of water to be grown. In a region in Mexico, 3800 Olympic swimming pools worth of water are used every day on avocado farms. Lastly, the production cost is high, with alarming amount of wood needed in packaging and shipping. So even though there are many benefits in eating avocados, we realized that they are not so eco-friendly and should eat them in moderation.

What we can do to consume avocados in moderation is to store avocados properly so that we don’t let them go to waste. We sometimes miss the right timing for eating avocados and they may rot. In order to make them last longer, when the avocados are ripe enough, wrap them one by one in newspaper and store them in the refrigerator. Also, we can cut them up in little pieces and freeze them so that we can eat in little portions.

The Environmental Impact of Avocados: How Sustainable Is the Fruit? (brightly.eco)

The Surprising Environmental Impact of Avocados (greenmatters.com)

12 health benefits of avocado (medicalnewstoday.com)

Avocado - Wikipedia