It may be the trendiest health food around at the moment, but are you throwing away the healthiest part of your avocado?
While many are quick to just ditch the seed, it actually has more antioxidants in it than most fruit and vegetables.
It also has more soluble fibre than oats and most other foods, according to health experts. In fact, Avocado Seeds has 70% of the antioxidants found in the whole Avocado, and Avocado Seed Oil is also full of antioxidants, lowers cholesterol, and helps fight off disease. And studies show that Avocado Seed has more soluble fiber than oatmeal and just about any other food.
Studies show that Avocado Seed has more soluble fiber than oatmeal and just about any other food. Avocado Seed helps to prevent cardiovascular disease, lower cholesterol and prevent strokes.
Avocado Seed are great for inflammation of the GI tract and diarrhea too! In fact, in South America Avocado Seeds are used for dysentery and other GI tract problems. Avocado Seeds has lots of phenolic compounds that help to prevent gastric ulcers and prevent bacterial and viral diseases.
Avocado Seed contains a flavonol that prevents tumor growth… in fact, studies with rats with cancer given Avocado Seed powder looks promising.
Avocado Seeds boost your immune system and keep you from coming down with debilitating diseases. Avocado Seeds seems to have a good anti-inflammatory ability and thus helps with arthritis and other joint diseases.
Avocado Seed Oil has been shown in studies to increase collagen in your skin thus helping to keep your skin looking young and wrinkle-free. Avocado Seed Oil will make your hair shiny and help get rid of a dry, dead skin.
How to Crack the Seed
The easiest way to get the benefits of avocado seeds is to add them to a smoothie. It won’t affect the taste and makes it a little bit richer and thicker.
First things first, be careful when using a knife to remove the seed from the fruit. Don’t try to pry the seed away from the fruit and let your knife slip along the seeds smooth edges!
TIPS: Once you have cut your avocado in half, whack the knife into the avocado seed, twist it, and then pull it from the remaining flesh. Remove the knife from the seed and using a heavy chef’s knife whack the seed hard and it should split apart. Then chop it up into smaller pieces.
Warning:
California Avocado Commission writes on its website that it does not recommend the consumption of the avocado pit: “The seed of an avocado contains elements that are not intended for human consumption.”
The bottom line: Until more research is done to establish if the seeds are safe to eat, and how much and how often you should eat them, stick to eating the avocado’s creamy flesh. “It’s chock-full of good fat, vitamins, minerals, antioxidants, and fiber,” says Sass.
