Is ‘avocado hand’ worth it?
You may have heard it on the news or read about it in the papers; the health warning that surrounded the popular fruit was to some no laughing matter and a great cause for concern for doctors at Chelsea and Westminster Hospital who claimed to see an average of four patients a week with avocado related injuries!
Avocado hand dominated the headlines for a number of months. There was talk of the fruit eventually carrying a safety warning and M&S even responded by launching a stoneless version of the fruit. But why the increase of accidents for something that has been on our shopping lists for years?
The rise of the superfood
Over the last few years the term ‘superfood’ has become common place when talking about ingredients and healthy eating. Currently, there is no official definition of a “superfood” and you can’t make a claim on any packaging unless supported by scientific evidence due to an EU ban, but that doesn’t mean to say that there aren’t significant reasons why some foods have been given this label.
So, what qualifies something as a so-called superfood? Well, superfoods are said to contain a high quantity of nutrients and antioxidants, have healthy fats and fibre. Due to these qualities, they are thought to strengthen our immune system and could potentially reduce the risk of chronic diseases like heart disease, stroke and cancer.
Are avocados considered a superfood then? In a nutshell, yes, which is one of the reasons their popularity has grown. They contain many nutrients and antioxidants, such as folic acid, Omega 3, magnesium, potassium, lutein and fibre. They are rich in vitamins A, C, D, E, K and B Group vitamins too as well as containing copper, manganese and iron. And the benefits of all this are many. From healthy skin and hair due to the vitamin E content to healthy eyes attributed to the lutein that avocado contains, there are so many reasons why avocado should be on the menu.
Why we love the avocado
The health benefits of this amazing fruit are not the real reason we love the humble avocado though. We adore them because they taste so amazingly delicious! And it’s not often that something so sinfully tasty can actually be so good for you!
As you can imagine, for this reason they tend to feature a lot in our menus. We serve them with scrambled eggs and salmon at brunch events. Or smash them and serve on crusty bruschetta with a tomato topping for a tasty canapé. They also make a great substitute for mayonnaise in recipes due to their greasy texture.
But mostly we love them in salads. Chopped into thick wedges or cubes, you can combine them with almost anything – they make any salad better. Some of our favourite combinations include avocado with mixed leaves and roasted carrots and a simple vinaigrette dressing. Or we combine them with beetroot and soya beans and finish this off with a spicy vinaigrette. Totally delicious and a fabulous side for any main of your choice.
So, now you can see why so many people are turning to this fleshy green fruit for a meal solution, and why you may continue to read stories of avocado related injuries. But whilst we would always urge you to prepare these fruits carefully, we really do think the risk is worth it. And if you’d prefer someone else to do the cutting for you, then you know where we are!
