Avocado: Where is it growing, what is useful, how to grow at home, what to cook from it?

From this article you will learn a little more than now, about avocados

We often see an oblong, reminiscent of a pear, fruit in stores. This is an avocado. But we know little about him. How does it grow, and where? What varieties are the tastier? How and what can be prepared out of it? We find out in this article.

What is an avocado tree and fruit?

Mexico is considered the birthplace of avocado. Avocado - fruit, In appearance, it is similar to pear, growing in the tropical and subtropical climate. Avocado fruits are growing on evergreen trees, their height reaches up to 20 m. Crohn of the tree is spreading, branched, the branches are very fragile. The leaves are large, dark green on top, below are whitish. Avocadio blooms inconspicuously, yellow-green pan. Fruits, some varieties, and with a suitable climate, grow up to 30 cm long, and weighing up to 1.5 kg.

Under the peel of the avocado there is a pulp, and in the middle there is a large bone. The fruits ripen for a long time, from six months to a year and a half - Depends on the variety and climatic conditions. The fruits are not yet completely ripe from the tree, they need to lie down at room temperature for another 1-2 weeks, and can be consumed for food.

Attention. If pollination does not occur, the avocado fruit can be without a bone.

Avocado tree or another name of Persei is American, It grows on different soils, but a prerequisite is good drainage.

What does an avocado does not tolerate?

• Strong winds
• Hot dry air
• Excess of fertilizers (then fruit less)

Now avocados are grown wherever a warm climate, but most plantations in Indonesia.

Useful properties of avocados

Although avocado and fruit, but in taste it is similar to a vegetable: there are few sugars, the taste is not expressed, fatty. And if you look at the chemical composition, we will see that there is a lot of calcium in avocados, phosphorus, iron, copal, potassium, proteins, vitamins A, C, D, E, E, PP, B1, B2 and up to 30% easily absorbed fats.

Avocado pulp undoubtedly useful, And here's what:

• Removes excess cholesterol from the blood
• Improves wound healing
• Increases the body's immunity
• Reduces blood pressure and blood sugar
• Indian tribes recognized Avocado Aphrodisiac
• Has an anti -inflammatory effect on the gastric mucosa and gut
• Improves blood condition with anemia
• It is useful to take with atherosclerosis, diabetes mellitus, digestive disorders and skin diseases (psoriasis, eczema), as well as women with unstable menstruation and weakened diseases

Not only the pulp of avocados is useful, but also the leaves with the peel.  Decoction of them acts like glue, stops diarrhea for dysentery. To do this, you need 1 tbsp. l. With the top of the leaves of avocado, pour one and a half glasses of boiling water, insist 2 hours, drink 0.5 cups 3 times a day before meals.

Attention. Avocado is the most high -calorie fruit: in 100 g it is 200 kcal, and is listed in the Guinness Book of Records.

What are the contraindications of Avocado?

Do Avocado have contraindications? Yes, like any other product, not everyone can eat avocados:

• Some people may have an allergy to avocados.
• Avocado pulp only benefits, if there is no more than 200 g per day, it can be more harmful.
• Do not try to break the bone and use it into food - it contains a very toxic substance that can damage the stomach and cause severe allergies.

What are the most famous varieties?

We are used to the fact that the fetus is dark green, but there are varieties yellowish-green, purple with a reddish tint, dark purple.

Not only color, but also the taste of different varieties of avocado is different. Depending on the taste, avocado is divided into such varieties (the most famous):

• Fuerte (hybrid between Mexican and Guatemal species). The fruit in the form of a drop, up to 400 g, green with a small bone, with the taste of sweet cream, low -fat.
• Pinkerton. The fruit of an elongated pear -shaped shape, with a pimpled thick peel, up to 500 g. There are summer and winter varieties: summer - oily, tasty, sweetish; Winter - watery and low -fat.
• "Ettinger" (grown in Israel) - the most delicious, when eaten, you can feel the weak taste of cedar nuts, melted cheese, yogurt and even fried mushrooms. The fruits are medium in size (200-250 g), do not deteriorate for a long time, oval-breast-shaped with a large bone, the peel is thin.
• "Hass" (grown in California, and most often we buy them). The fruits of oval shape, medium in size, when their color is dark to black, is well stored, very oily with a delicate walnut flavor.
• "Bacon" (grown in California). The fruits are small with a medium -sized bone, with a thin green peel, very juicy, low -fat, and tasteless.
• "Gwen." The fruits are large and medium in size, oval-rounded, peeping skin, green, with ovarian flavor, very oily.
• "Reed" (Gvatemal species). The fruits are quite large (450-500 g), spherical, green, with a medium-sized bone, very fat, to taste like a pear with nuts.
• "Zutano" (Guatematic species, grown in California and other countries, but the most delicious are grown in South Africa). The fruits of an oval-brush-shaped shape, light green with a thin skin, have great fat content, slightly resembles the taste of an apple.
• "Cocktail", Recently appeared, its peculiarity is that it is without a bone, 4-6 cm long, the peel is thin, edible.

All varieties of Avocado by endurance are divided into 3 types:

• Mexican
• Guatemalan
• West Indian

Varieties related to mexican species From the mountainous regions of Mexico, they withstand the temperature of up to 8-10 degrees of frost Celsius, have an anise smell of leaves. The tree blooms March-June, the fruits are small, up to 300 g, sleep September-November. These varieties can be planted in subtropics.

Guatemal view, Intermediate between tropics and subtropics. These varieties of Avocado Morozov can not stand it, because it comes from places (southern Mexico and Guatemala), where there are no frosts. They differ from the Mexican appearance in that the leaves are not smell, the fruits are larger, up to 1.5 kg, and ripen longer, 1-1.3 years.

West Indian view The avocado is thermophilic, grows only in the tropics, delicate fruits to taste, sleep 7-8 months.

Attention. In the subtropics of Russia, you can plant varieties of the Mexican species: “Mexicol” (small fruits, up to 100 g, oblong), “Puema” (fruits in size up to 200 g). The Mexicola variety is capable of transferring, in addition to small frosts, arid periods.

Is it possible to grow avocado at home?

You can grow avocado if you plant a bone in the ground. At home, a tree grows up to 2-3 m, but housing trees are fruitful very rarely, Starting from 3-6 years. It will mainly be like a decorative plant.

Attention. It is necessary to plant an avocado bone in the ground in the spring, then the plants begins with active growth, and there is a high probability that it will rise.

How to grow an avocado tree from a bone?

1. First, prepare the Earth for the future plant. It consists of ordinary land, recruited in the garden, humus and sand - in equal quantities. We fall asleep the prepared soil into the pot.
2. We place an avocado bone in the ground to a depth of 2-3 cm, pointed upward.
3. We put the pot in a warm, illuminated place, but without direct sunlight, and water so that the soil is always wet.
4. About a month later, a sprout should appear.
5. It is necessary to water the plant further so that the soil does not dry out, but the roots are not in the swamp. This is usually achieved if you water the plant after 2-3 days, after the upper layer of the earth has dried. Also, for avocado will have to maintain wet air in the place where the tree grows.
6. 1-2 times a month, avocado needs to be fed, you can comprehensive mineral fertilizer or special, designed for citrus fruits.
7. Every year, in the spring, the tree needs to be transplanted into a large vessel.
8. After 8 leaves have grown on the tree, the top of it needs to be closed so that the tree is branched.

Attention. The Avocado plant is afraid of direct sunlight, from them on the leaves can be a burn, and drafts.

How to choose a ripe avocado?

Avocado’s ripeness does not depend on the color of the peel, but on the elasticity of the fruit.

How to determine which fruit?

• With a weak compression of the avocado, a small dent appeared, and when you removed your finger, it straightened up - the fruit is ripe.
• If the dent remains after the finger - avocado was persisted.
• If the dent does not appear, and the fruit is solid - he is unnecessary.

Attention. If you bought an unripe avocado, it must be put in a paper bag with apples, and it will ripen faster.

What did local residents of the central part of America (Indian tribes) prepare from avocado earlier?

When the Spanish conquerors visited the North and Central America in the 16th century, they noticed that the local population is the Indians, they often prepare a greenish paste, which was called “Guacamole”, which sounds like oil of poor people.

The main ingredient of the Guacamole pasta was dangled in Avocado mashed. For taste and aroma, vegetables that grew there were added: bitter pepper, tomatoes, onions, garlic, herbs and lime juice or lemon for taste. Paste ate, spreading on corn cakes.

What is made from avocado now?

Attention. If you cook or fry avocado, it can acquire a bitter taste, so it is most often consumed raw.

You can cook from avocado:

• Cold soup puree
• Add to salads from vegetables, fish, meat or seafood
• Add to land
• Vegetable juice or cocktail
• Add to ice cream, filling in pancakes
• Sprout on sandwiches

What snacks can be prepared from avocados?

Avocado goes well with apples, pineapple. From vegetables to avocado, you can safely add carrots, tomatoes, salad, cucumbers, greens. Pieces of avocado are tasty in snacks with meat, fish and seafood.

Guacamole sauce classic from avocado: recipe

Take into the sauce:

• 1 avocado
• Half of Lyme and Gorky Pepper
• Salt to taste

Cooking:

1. We cut the washed fruit of the avocado into 2 parts, throw the bone, scrape off the pulp out of the skin with a spoon, chop it with a fork, pushing for mashed potatoes or blender.
2. So that the mashed potatoes do not darken, water it with Lyme juice.
3. We add salt to mashed potatoes and finely chopped bitter pepper. Mix everything.
4. We serve the sauce to meat, fish. You can smear on bread, and on top of such a sandwich we put a piece of baked meat or salted fish, a twig of greenery.

Guacamole sauce from avocado with tomato: Recipe

Take into the sauce:

• 2 avocados
• 1 lime, tomato and bitter pepper
• Salt to taste
• Several sprigs of parsley and cilantro

Cooking:

1. We prepare the avocado with vegetables: chop the avocado in mashed potatoes, cut the pepper without seeds very finely, remove the skin from the tomato and cut into small cubes.
2. Mix the avocado puree together, chopped pepper, tomato cubes, pour lime juice.
3. Add the crushed greens of parsley and cilantro, salt.

What first dishes can be prepared from avocados?

Avocado and spinach cold-puree soup: recipe

Let's take it to the soup:

• Paul avocado
• 50 ml of pure boiled and chilled water
• 1 fresh cucumber
• 30 g of fresh spinach
• 1 tbsp. l. sprouted buckwheat
• Salt to taste
• A pinch of peeled seeds from pumpkin

Cooking:

1. We cut the washed avocado into 2 halves, throw the bone, take out the pulp with half a spoon, and fold in a deep dish.
2. We cut the cucumber without a peel into pieces and also add to the avocado.
3. We sort out the washed leaves of spinach, buckwheat sprouts, and also fold them to avocados and cucumber.
4. Pour water to the ingredients, and beat with a blender in a deep bowl, salt, sprinkle with crushed pumpkin seeds, and serve to the table.

Avocado and zucchini soup soup: recipe

Let's take it to the soup:

• 1 avocado
• 800 ml of vegetable broth
• 2 small zucchini
• 1 Average onion
• 2-3 gear of garlic
• Salt and ground black pepper to taste
• 50 g butter
• 200 ml 10-15% cream
• 1 tsp. freshly squeezed lemon juice
• Several twigs of dill and parsley

Cooking:

1. Cut the finely washed onion and fry in a deep pan, in butter.
2. Washed young zucchini with a skin cut into cubes, and continue to fry with onions for about 5 minutes, at the end of frying we add chopped garlic.
3. Pour the vegetables with a broth, let it boil, screw it to a weak boil, and cook until the vegetables are ready.
4. Of the halves of avocado without a peel, we make mashed potatoes with a blender, water it with lemon juice.
5. We also beat the cooled mixture of broth with vegetables with a blender, put on fire, and pour cream, heat, but do not boil.
6. We remove the soup from heat, add puree from avocados, finely chopped greens and immediately serve to the table.

What second dishes can be prepared from avocados?

Young potato baked in an oven with avocado sauce: Recipe

For baking potatoes, we take:

• 700 g young small potatoes whole
• 2-3 tbsp. l. vegetable oil
• 2-3 gear of garlic
• A small bunch of parsley
• Salt and black pepper ground to your liking

Take into the sauce:

• 1 avocado
• 2-3 gear of garlic
• 1 tsp. freshly squeezed lemon juice
• 3 tbsp. l. vegetable oil
• Salt with pepper - to your liking

Cooking:

1. Young potatoes well with my hard brush, cut in the middle.
2. Lubricate the metal shape with vegetable oil, put the dried whole, with a peel, potatoes on it, pour it with vegetable oil, sprinkle with salt.
3. We put a baking sheet with potatoes in an oven heated to 200̊C, and bake until cooked until a crispy crust forms on the potatoes.
4. While the potato in the oven is baked, cook the sauce. Pieces of avocado peeled from the skin, along with finely chopped garlic, chop the blender in mashed potatoes. We add lemon juice, salt, ground and vegetable oil to mashed potatoes, mix.
5. We take out the baked potatoes from the oven, sprinkle with chopped herbs, ground black pepper and chopped garlic, water the avocado sauce, and immediately serve to the table.

Macarons with avocado sauce: recipe

For a side dish, let's take:

• 250 g pasta
• 100 g of grated hard cheese
• Salt to taste
• 5-6 cherry tomatoes for decoration

Take into the sauce:

• 1 avocado
• Half lemon juice
• 2 tbsp. l. vegetable oil
• Several sprigs of green basil
• Salt and ground black pepper - to taste

Cooking:

1. We throw pasta into the boiled salted water, and cook them until cooked.
2. Cook the sauce. Mix the pulp of avocado, lemon juice, chopped greens of basil, vegetable oil, and beat with a blender. Salt, pepper and mix again.
3. We throw hot pasta into a colander, when the water is draining, return again to the pan, mix with the sauce, sprinkle with grated cheese, decorate with cherry tomatoes, and immediately sell to the table.

What desserts can be prepared from avocados?

Cheesecake with Avocado filling: recipe

Take in the dough:

• 200 g of melted butter
• 2 cups of flour
• 1 banana
• 3 tbsp. l. Sahara
• 2 tbsp. l. cocoa
• A pinch of salt
• 1 tsp. soda and lemon juice

Take the filling:

• 400 g of soft cream cheese ("Mascarpone", "Philadelphia" or "Ricotta")
• 2 avocados
• 3 tbsp. l. sugar powder
• 1 lemon or lime juice

Cooking:

1. Mix the oil with sugar and salt, add cocoa, flour with soda, a burned banana, lemon juice and knead a thick sand dough.
2. We subtly roll out the dough, spread in a round shape, form low sides from the dough.
3. We put the dough into the oven heated to 180-200̊C and bake for about half an hour until it is browned. Let the cake cool.
4. Filling. In a blender, chop the pulp of the avocado with squeezed lemon or lime juice, add sugar and cream cheese, and mix again.
5. We take out the cooled cake from the mold, put it on the dish, evenly smear the filling all over the cake, leveled it, and put it in a cold place for 3-4 hours. And you can eat right away.

So, we got to know the tropical fruit - Avocado closer.

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