The creamy, distinct flavor of avocados makes them a year-round favorite sliced atop any traditional Mexican entrée or mashed as guacamole and served with a bowl of chips. What’s more, the avocado (also known as the “Alligator Pear” or “Butter Pear”) is loaded with potassium, vitamin K and folate.

Fat is the primary macronutrient in avocados, but it’s no reason to stay away from them! Avocados are also rich in oleic acid, a form of monounsaturated fat that has been shown to help protect against breast cancer.

What’s more, the avocados have also been shown to have a positive effect on lowering cholesterol. In a study conducted at the Instituto Mexicano del Seguro Social (Archives of Medical Research, Winter 1996), subjects who ate one avocado a day for seven consecutive days show an average of a 17% drop in their total cholesterol – ultimately raising their HDL (good cholesterol) and lowering their LDL (bad cholesterol).

Avocados can be eaten on salads, blended in with truffles and even mashed into pie crusts, but the most popular way to enjoy this delicious fruit is in the form of guacamole. A good guacamole all starts with finding the right avocado – at its peak ripeness. When selecting your avocados, make sure that there is a little (but not too much) give when pressing against the skin. If there is no give at all, and the avocado is rock hard, it’s not ripe enough. On the other hand, if the avocado feels too spongy, it’s past ripe and will not taste good.

Recipe

Guacamole Dip

3 ripe avocados
1 red onion, minced
1 jalapeno chile, stems and seeds removed, minced
1 tbsp cilantro, chopped
1 tbsp lemon or lime juice
½ tsp sea salt
½ tsp a dash of freshly grated black pepper

Mash the ripe avocado, then add the lemon or lime juice. Mix with the other ingredients.

Option to add:
½ ripe tomato, seeds and pulp removed, chopped. If you’d like, add the tomato to the mix just before serving.