Avocado

What is there not to love about Avocado.

avocado = alligator pear = midshipman's butter    
Pronunciation:  AV-uh-KAD-oh

It is healthy, tastes yummy and there are so many recipes out there.

Did you know that California produces most of the avocadoes grown in the United States? One-fifth of an avocado, typically considered a serving, contains:

• 50 calories
• 4.5 g of fat
• Nearly 20 nutrients including potassium, vitamin K, folate, B vitamins and vitamin C
• No cholesterol

While almost three-quarters of the avocado's calories come from fat, most of it is healthy fat. More specifically, the avocado contains monounsaturated fats are known to reduce low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol and are believed to help increase the good kind of cholesterol, high-density lipoproteins (HDL's).

The avocado also has 60 percent more potassium than a banana. In addition, the avocado’s nutritional composition includes a large amount of fiber. Almost three-quarters of that fiber is insoluble with the rest being soluble fiber. Without getting too detailed, let’s just say all that insoluble fiber helps things go smoothly in the bathroom.

Not only can you eat the green inside of an Avocado but you can also (try) grown your own Avocado Tree.  Check it out: http://faq.gardenweb.com/faq/lists/seed/2002114535011263.html

According to Webmd.com Avocado is also good for some other things.

Avocado fruit is used to lower cholesterol levels, to increase sexual desire, and to stimulate menstrual flow. Some of the oils in avocado (chemists call these oils the “unsaponifiable fractions”) are used to treat osteoarthritis. The seeds, leaves, and bark are used for dysentery and diarrhea.

Avocado oil is applied directly to the skin to soothe and heal skin and to treat thickening (sclerosis) of the skin, gum infections (pyorrhea), and arthritis. Avocado oil is used in combination with vitamin B12 for a skin condition called psoriasis. The fruit pulp is used topically to promote hair growth and speed wound healing. The seeds, leaves, and bark are used to relieve toothache.

There are so many ways you can use an Avocado for and plenty of recipes on how to enjoy them.