Avocados

MityMax96

Interesting info about them...
http://tjpytheas.tumblr.com/post/55859828847/lickystickypickyshe-avocados-are-toxic-to#.UldnelNuU_c

Avocados are toxic to almost all animals (including cats and dogs). Humans are a rare exception. It is the only fruit to contain persin, a fatty acid, which, when eaten by animals causes vomiting, diarrhea, and other nasty symptoms. Consumption of large quantities can cause death within twelve hours.

Avocados are berries (fleshy fruits coming from a single ovary). Interestingly, this broad definition of a berry means that bananas, pumpkin, tomatoes, watermelon, and coffee are also berries (you can tell that to the next person who tries to argue that tomatoes are vegetables). Curiously this also excludes strawberries as berries.

Eighty percent of modern avocados originate from one “mother” tree which was patented by mailman Rudolph Hass from California in 1935. The tree survived until 2002 when it died of root rot. Unfortunately Hass only made $5,000 in his lifetime from his patent on the tree because his partner sold cultivars to anyone who wanted to buy them. Subsequently Hass spent the remainder of his life working for the California Mail Service.

Avocado also has an interesting characteristic: it is the only berry with no living animal large enough to spread it through consumption and release as dung. This has led scientists to believe that it co-evolved with prehistoric megafauna that were large enough to eat the fruit whole. The megafauna went extinct but the avocado remained as an unusual monument to an unknown dinosaur.

girlisrad

MityMax96

They use avocados a lot in sushi too.

Sarahmmaupin

Fat Content
A medium-sized avocado contains approximately 20 to 25 grams of fat. This high-fat content caused many to shy away from eating avocados in the mid-1980s, when nutritionists emphasized low-fat foods. Recent guidelines from the American Heart Association stress the importance of the type of fat you consume, noting the differences between the good fats found in vegetables, or unsaturated fats, and the fats that contribute to high blood cholesterol levels, known as saturated fats and trans fats. The AHA recommends a total fat intake of 25 to 35 percent of your calories with saturated fats limited to less than 7 percent and trans fats less than 1 percent. Avocados contain mostly unsaturated fats, with only about 2 grams of saturated fat and 0 grams of trans fat in a 1-ounce serving. This makes avocados a part of a heart-healthy diet.

Nutrients
Avocados provide 20 essential nutrients including eight of the 13 essential vitamins: vitamins C, E, K and the B vitamins of B-6, folate, thiamine, riboflavin and pantothenic acid. Avocados also serve as a good source of essential minerals, including potassium and magnesium, yet contain no sodium, which contributes to their heart-healthy status. Avocados contain 81 micrograms per ounce of the phytochemical lutein, which helps maintain healthy eyes and skin. In addition to being a rich source of nutrients, avocados also function as nutrient-boosters by helping the body absorb essential fat-soluble nutrients.

Health Benefits
Avocados serve as a good source of both soluble and insoluble dietary fiber, with each 1-ounce serving providing 2.11 and 2.7 grams, respectively, as stated in “The Proceedings of Florida State Horticultural Society." High-fiber foods help normalize bowel movements, lower blood cholesterol levels and regulate blood sugar. Eating avocados every day, especially when used to replace foods containing saturated and trans fats, also helps reduce bad cholesterol, known as LDL, levels and decrease your risk of heart disease.

Everyday Ideas
The key to a healthy diet is eating in moderation, which includes nutrient-dense foods like avocados. However, you can incorporate avocados into your everyday diet because the rich flavor and creamy texture make them a perfect replacement for other foods that contain saturated fats, like butter, cheese and sour cream. Place avocado slices on your sandwich to replace the cheese and mayo. Top your baked potato with mashed avocado instead of butter and sour cream to add taste, increase the nutrients and decrease saturated fat. Avocados can be used in homemade ice cream, on bagels, in salads or in smoothies. The possibilities are endless.

Sarahmmaupin

I LOVE avocados and eat them almost everyday and I surely haven't died, and sometimes I eat way to much...

Sabine_Stroehm

I saw a recipe for tuna and avocado (instead of mayo) that I'm dying to try...

climbing_trees

My cat loves avocados and is always trying to eat some of mine! Good thing I was too greedy and didn't let her eat any, never knew they were harmful to animals. Interesting facts, thank you for sharing ^__^

Sabine_Stroehm: Tuna and avocado is divine. You'll never go back to plain ol mayo again! (You should try tuna with hummus too, if you don't have any avocado or looking for something little bit less rich)

silentangel00

They are indeed amazing. I try to have at least one for a snack everyday as part of my diet workout routines.

Sabine_Stroehm

My cat loves avocados and is always trying to eat some of mine! Good thing I was too greedy and didn't let her eat any, never knew they were harmful to animals. Interesting facts, thank you for sharing ^__^

Sabine_Stroehm: Tuna and avocado is divine. You'll never go back to plain ol mayo again! (You should try tuna with hummus too, if you don't have any avocado or looking for something little bit less rich)

Tuna and hummus???? Oh my.

Jewlz280

According to the poison control line for pets, this isn't 100% true. Here's the link and the article.

http://www.petpoisonhelpline.com/poison/avocado/

Avocado contains a toxin called persin, but despite the rumors, avocado is not poisonous to dogs, nor likely to cats. Only certain species are poisoned by persin. While dogs and cats don’t seem to be affected by persin, avocado poisoning can be deadly to birds and large animals (such as cattle). The bigger risk to dogs and cats is a foreign body obstruction, which can occur if the dog swallowed the whole large, round avocado seed; due to size alone, this seed can get stuck in the esophagus, stomach or intestinal tract of dogs.

Pet birds should never be fed avocado, as canaries, parakeets, cockatiels and large parrots are extremely susceptible to persin toxicity. Signs of persin poisoniong in birds includes the inability to perch, respiratory distress, fluid accumulation around the bird’s heart and lungs, liver and kidney failure, and acute death.