Avocados — also known as alligator pears or butter fruit depending on where you live — are known to provide lots of health benefits when you eat them. Cut them in half and scoop the stone out and you can get at all the lovely flesh.
But, before you throw that stone away — could you be discarding a part of the avocado that could bring health benefits not found in the flesh? That certainly could be the case based on work carried out by researchers at the University of Texas Rio Grande Valley. The findings were reported at meeting of the American Chemical Society — let’s see what we’ve been throwing away.
An avocado fruit is actually a large berry with a single seed in the middle – it is this light brown seed, sometimes called a pit or stone, which we will use to grow your own avocado.
Avocados — also known as alligator pears or butter fruit depending on where you live — are known to provide lots of health benefits when you eat them. Cut them in half and scoop the stone out and you can get at all the lovely flesh.
With millions of avocados eaten every day, that means millions of stones are discarded too. Sometimes the seeds contained inside the husk are used in cosmetics — as an exfoliant in face scrubs for example. But the husk is still discarded. The team wanted to know what it is that consumers and manufacturers are throwing away.
Avocado is a healthy and nutritious food — providing a source of healthy fats that help to manage our cholesterol levels thus lowering our risk of heart disease. But what about the husks? Inside the avocado is a large stone — which consists of a seed within an outer envelope or endocarp to protect the future generations of avocados from damage. It is this endocarp or husk that the researchers in Texas analysed.
“It could very well be that avocado seed husks, which most people consider as the waste of wastes, are actually the gem of gems because the medicinal compounds within them could eventually be used to treat cancer, heart disease and other conditions. Our results also suggest that the seed husks are a potential source of chemicals used in plastics and other industrial products.”
One of the chemicals identified was dodecanoic acid which is known to increase high density lipoprotein — which could reduce the risk of heart attack or stroke. The researchers also found behenyl alcohol — known as docosanol — which is found in antiviral medicines and a chemical known as heptacosane which might inhibit tumour growth.
How to: stone an avocado
FAQ
What is the inside of an avocado called?
What are the stones inside avocado?
Do avocados have a seed or a pit?
What do you call the seed of an avocado?
What is avocado stone good for?
Use it in smoothies, to bake bread or on your salads. The avocado stone is said to contain fatty acids, dietary fiber, as well as a small amount of protein while some tests show that it also contains antioxidants and can help to reduce blood pressure.
What minerals are present in avocados?
Avocados are rich in minerals like folate, magnesium, and potassium. They also contain riboflavin, (vitamin B2), niacin (Vitamin B3), pantothenic acid (vitamin B5), pyridoxine (vitamin B6), vitamin C, E and K, fiber, and healthy fats.
How do you use an avocado stone?
From teas to smoothies to even your Sunday evening bath, there are plenty of ways to make use of your avocado stone and skin. So start making notes. You can regrow your avocado seed into a beautiful avocado plant. To do so, you will need three toothpicks, a glass of water and a window sill.
How do you eat avocado stone?
Strain into your cup and enjoy with a little honey, if you like. Dehydrate the avocado stone in a low oven for a couple of hours or leave on a sunlit window sill for a day or two. Once dried, blitz in a food processor or place in a bag and bash with a rolling pin, then blend. Use it in smoothies, to bake bread or on your salads.