I think most of you know of my love-affair with avocados. I could eat them with every meal - they’re so delicious, versatile, and good for you. But what I never knew until recently is that the seed/pit of the avocado has a ton of health benefits as well.
Here are some of the known benefits of the Avocado Seed:
- Helps ease digestive issues - avocado seeds are primarily known for their amazing ability to alleviate GI tract issues, ranging from gastric ulcers to constipation.
- Anti-cancer properties – it’s estimated that 70% of the antioxidants in avocados are actually found in the seed! The seed contains phenolic compounds and flavonols, which help reduce tumor growth.
- Fights inflammation - the high level of antioxidants (including catechins and procyandins) act as anti-inflammatory agents, reducing swelling of joints and improving blood circulation.
- Boosts immunity – avocado seeds help reduce free radicals and prevent against bacterial and fungal infections.
- Lowers cholesterol - avocados and their seeds are very rich in soluble fiber, which binds to excess fat and cholesterol, also improving heart function.
- Helps fight cravings and burn fat – the soluble fat keeps you full and balances your blood sugar levels, which helps avoid that mid-afternoon sugar craving.
How do you eat the seed?
It’s actually fairly simple! First you remove the seed. I like to cut the avocado in half, then whack a knife right into the avocado seed, twist it, and pull it out. It comes out really easily this way. Now dry it out, remove the outer skin, then using the side of a heavy chef’s knife, whack it to split it in half, and then dice into smaller pieces.
The best way to enjoy it is adding the seed into your morning green smoothie. It doesn’t have much taste, yet it adds a nice thickness to the smoothie (not to mention the added nutrition!). Note: if it seems at all bitter, including sweet fruits such as pineapple and banana in your smoothie will help mask any potential bitterness from the seed.
If you have a food processor, you can also stick the chopped avocado seed into the processor to pulverize it. Then keep the ground avocado seed in an airtight container in your fridge. You can sprinkle it on any breakfast bowl or savory stew, soup and salad.
On my recent trip to Thailand, they had a table with all the "super-food" seeds – chia, ground flax, pumpkin, sunflower, sesame, and there at the end, sure enough was the ground avocado seeds. Needless to say that I had them every day in my breakfast bowl!
NOW GIVE IT A SHOT YOURSELF! Next time you’re enjoying an amazing avocado, save the seed and add it to your smoothie!
As a BONUS I’ll share with you the DELICIOUS RECIPE that I created today using my Hass avocado seed:
photo credit: Blendtec