Choose the perfect avocado
July 29, 2024—It's the main attraction in guacamole and the gorgeous green goodness on your morning toast. If you're a fan, you know that velvety, satisfying avocados make everything from sandwiches to salads better.
According to the American Heart Association, avocados are also heart-healthy. They're rich in healthful, monounsaturated fats, which may help support healthy cholesterol levels when you eat them in place of saturated fat found in foods such as red meat. Avocados pack plenty of other nutrients, too, such as fiber, potassium, folate, magnesium, and vitamins C and K.
How to choose an avocado that's ready when you are
Avocados are usually too firm to eat when you buy them at the store. Ensuring that your avocado will be ripe and ready when you need it can be tricky. These simple tips can help.
When selecting an avocado at the grocery store, consider when you plan to use it:
- If you want an avocado you can use right now, look for one that has dark-green skin and gives a little when you gently squeeze it.
- If you want an avocado to use in two to three days, choose one that's firm and bright green. Keep it on the kitchen counter until it is fully ripe. Check the avocado often to make sure it doesn't get too soft.
How to speed-ripen an avocado
It's almost taco night and your avocado still isn't ready? If you need to speed up the ripening process, place your avocado in a paper bag with an apple or a banana. Apples and bananas produce ethylene gas, which accelerates ripening.
If your avocado ripens before you plan to eat it, move it to the fridge. This will slow further ripening.
When you're ready to use your avocado, check out our video to learn an easy way to cut it.
To save any leftover avocado after it's been cut, cover it tightly with plastic wrap. Next, put the avocado in a covered container and pop it in the fridge. If you want, you can sprinkle a little lemon juice on the avocado first to help stop it from browning.
Sources
- American Heart Association. "Avocados Are a Healthy Option Super Bowl Sunday—and Year-Round." https://www.heart.org/en/news/2021/02/05/avocados-are-a-healthy-option-super-bowl-sunday-and-year-round.
- American Heart Association. "Eating an Avocado Once a Week May Lower Heart Disease Risk." https://www.heart.org/en/news/2022/03/30/eating-an-avocado-once-a-week-may-lower-heart-disease-risk.
- Foundation for Fresh Produce. "Avocado." https://fruitsandveggies.org/fruits-and-veggies/avocado/.
- International Food Information Council. "How to Store Fresh Produce, Maximize Shelf Life, and Minimize Food Waste." https://foodinsight.org/how-to-store-fresh-produce/.
- National Kidney Foundation. "Kidney-Friendly Superfoods. Avocados." https://www.kidney.org/sites/default/files/441-9152_2210_patflyer_superfood-avocado.pdf.