Fruits and vegetables should be the basis of the diet to maintain health and provide the body with vitamins and beneficial substances. It is known that some fruits have a particularly rich composition and are very nutritious. One of these is undoubtedly avocado. We learn what this product is useful for and how to use it correctly.
Calorie and chemical composition
Avocado is a fairly high-calorie fruit due to its high fat content. 100 grams of fresh produce is contained in 160 kcal, which is about 8% of the daily diet for a middle-aged person. 
The composition of avocados per 100 g of fruit:
- proteins - 2 g;
- carbohydrates - 1.8-1.9 g;
- Fat - 14.5 g
Alimentary fiber make up 6.7-6.8 g, water - 72.2 g
Fruit is rich vitamins, minerals and their ratio is close to vegetables. It contains a significant amount of vitamin C, vitamin A, as well as almost the entire range of B vitamins. Especially in avocado vitamin B4 (choline), affecting human metabolism.
Mineral composition The product is rich in potassium, calcium, magnesium, phosphorus and copper. The amount of potassium in avocados is greater than in bananas. 
Unique to this fruit is the presence of oleic acid in it. It helps to remove bad cholesterol from the body.
Did you know? In 1998, avocados were listed in the Guinness Book of Records as the most nutritious fruit on Earth.
What is useful avocado
Avocado is considered to be a unique fruit with great benefits for the human body. Mainly, it is made this way by a high content of healthy fats, which normalize metabolic processes, promote the elimination of harmful toxins and cholesterol, improve lipid metabolism, strengthen the walls of blood vessels, and normalize the work of the digestive and nervous systems of the body.
For men
The ancient tribes considered avocados an indispensable product to maintain male health and preservation of potency. The fruit is considered a natural aphrodisiac that increases sexual desire, and the acids and microelements contained in its pulp stimulate reproductive function in men. 
In particular, some medicines for the treatment of sexual disorders and infertility in men contain an avocado extract. Magnesium contained in the fruit, helps stabilize the nervous system of men, reduce irritability and aggression.
Did you know? The Aztecs emphasized that avocados belong to "male" products - in their language the fruit had a name that can be translated as testicles. This is due to the fact that the fruits on the tree grow in pairs, which is very similar to the external male genitals.
For women
Women will also find a lot of useful properties in avocados. Of particular importance is contained in it. folic acidit is this that contributes to the stabilization of the female reproductive system, increases the likelihood of conception and the ability to bear the child, and also has a beneficial effect on the early fetal development of the embyron, reducing the risk of pathology.
In addition, the fetus contains unsaturated fats, which, in combination with vitamin A, have a striking effect on the cell walls, increase skin elasticity, strengthen hair and nails. 
Is it possible
The excellent composition of the avocado does not raise any doubts about its benefits, however, it is necessary to know in which cases the fruit will be beneficial, and when it is better to refrain from its use.
Read also about the beneficial properties and application of exotic fruits: pineapple, mango, pomegranate, dates, figs, papaya, arbutus, lychee, feijoa, medlar, longan, kivano, guava, rambutan.
During pregnancy
The fruit, which has in its composition monounsaturated fats, a moderate amount of vitamin A and folic acid, is practically created for pregnant women. These elements are the key growth and nutrition of the placenta and fetal tissues, contribute to the intensive development of the brain in the baby, and magnesium will help the expectant mother to deal with convulsions and calm the nerves.
Do not forget that avocados, as well as other new products, can cause allergies, so you should start with a small amount and in case of a reaction consult with your doctor.
Important! Nutrients are stored only in fresh fruit, so it is best to use it raw, without subjecting it to heat treatment.
During lactation
Vitamin-rich fruit has a beneficial effect on the body's work of a nursing mother, gives strength, tones, nourishes with vitamins, normalizes the bowels. However use avocado during lactation must be very careful, because, despite its green color, it can cause allergies in the baby. 
Introduce avocados in the diet of the mother is no earlier than 2 months after deliverystarting with a small piece that you definitely need to eat in the first half of the day in order to track the possible negative reaction of the baby during the day. If the eaten amount of the child does not affect the state of the child, you can gradually increase the portion size, but remember that this product is very high in calories and you should not eat more than one fruit per day.
We advise you to read about the composition, properties and options for the use of grapes, strawberries, cherries, raspberries (black), gooseberries, white currants, yoshta, blueberries, cowberries, cranberries, blueberries, sea buckthorn, cloudberries, princes, chokeberries.
When losing weight
Oddly, with high nutritional value and fat, a hearty fruit can help those who want to lose unwanted fat reserves.
The secret of this product is that it contains a practically complete set of essential vitamins and minerals, as well as protein and folic acid, which are involved in building muscle mass.
Of course, the fruit itself will not burn the existing fat, but if you replace it with various harmful dishes in the diet and adhere to an active lifestyle, then parting with extra pounds is quite possible without harm to the body. 
With diabetes
Avocados are ideal for inclusion in the diet of people suffering diabetes and type I and type II. It is rich in B vitamins, which allows you to normalize metabolic processes in the body, at the same time it is quite nutritious and contains fats that are quickly and easily absorbed by the body, as well as a substance called mannoheptulose, which is responsible for the regulation of blood glucose levels.
With diabetes, you can use black and red currants, cherries, mulberries, melons.
From what age can children
Avocados are a rather unusual product for us, so many mothers are wondering when to introduce a baby to them.
There is no consensus on this score: some experts recommend avocado puree as the first complementary food, others do not recommend giving it to babies in principle. In this matter, it is best to stick to the golden mean and introduce the fruit no earlier than all other vegetables and fruits that grow in your area. 
Thus, most likely, the baby will get acquainted with an alligator pear. not earlier than a year. Puree is made only from fresh fruit immediately before use.
Important! Avocado peel contains toxic toxins that can be dangerous for small children and animals, so the fruit must be thoroughly cleaned and disposed of skin.
Rules of choice and use
If you have not tried this exotic delicacy, it is important to clarify how to choose the right quality fruits and how to eat them.
How to choose when buying
- Avocados are covered with a dense, uneven skin of dark green color. Ripe fruit should not be firm, but excessive softness should alert, it means that the fruit began to rot. It is better to take the fruits of medium hardness.
- The pulp of ripe avocado should have a smooth transition: closer to the skin of a green shade, yellowish middle and almost orange color around the bone. A ripe avocado should be yellow under the handle, a dark color indicates over-ripe fruit, and green indicates immaturity.
Storage conditions
General storage conditions avocado suggest moderate temperature + 18 ... +25 degrees and dark place. However, the storage conditions of the fruit is largely dependent on the degree of its maturity.
- So, the unripe fruit can be safely stored at room temperature for about a week, during which time it will ripen naturally.
- To speed up the process of ripening the fruit, you can put it in a plastic bag with bananas or apples.
- Unripe fruits can not be stored in the refrigerator, they can deteriorate.
- Mature fruit, as a rule, is not stored for longer than 2-3 days, so it is best to consume it within 24 hours. It is possible to slow down its ripening by limiting the access of oxygen, for example, to wrap in a film, and placing it in the coolest zone of the refrigerator compartment.
- Cut fruits should be stored only in the refrigerator, separately from other products.
- Cut avocados will last longer if you do not remove the bone.
- The fruit can be frozen, for this it needs to be washed, cleaned, cut into pieces or just remove the bone and freeze in special bags, so it can retain its properties for up to 2-3 months.
How easy it is to clean
The rind of the fruit is very hard, so it is important to remove it properly, so as not to damage the flesh strongly.
- One way involves a simple solution: cut the fruit in half lengthwise, reach the seed, then separate one half, and carefully remove the bone from the second tip of the knife. The halves are cut along again, then the peel is removed quite easily from each slice.
- The second method is more suitable if the fruit will be used in a salad or other dish. We start in the same way as in the first method, after removing the bone, incise the flesh of each half from the inside with a knife, first along, then across, without cutting the skin of the fruit. After that, we scrape the resulting cubes with a spoon.
How to eat and what is combined
Avocado, although considered to be a fruit, is very similar to a vegetable, it has a neutral, slightly sweet taste, something similar to ordinary butter. Most often used exactly as a vegetable, using in the side dishes.
- Separately, the fruit is practically not consumed due to the lack of sweetness and a pronounced taste. In the cuisines of different countries it is combined with meat, seafood, fish, as a rule, boiled, fried or stewed.
- Very often, fresh avocados are used in various vegetable salads, as well as in the preparation of Japanese sushi.
- Popular is the preparation of fruit sandwich spread, for this it is crushed in a blender to a state of mashed potatoes, add cottage cheese or neutral yogurt and spices to taste and bring to homogeneity.
In cooking with avocado, you can combine cilantro, dill, spinach, garlic, tomatoes, cherry tomatoes, cucumbers, celery, red onions, green onions, beans, mushrooms.
How to use in home cosmetology: the best recipes
It is no secret that the nutrients and fats in the composition of the fetus, beneficial effects on skin and hair cells, which is why avocados are often used in the cosmetic industry and at home.
Read also about the beneficial properties and application in various branches of citrus fruits: lemon, orange, mandarin, kumquat, bergamot, suite.
To restore dry hair
Avocado pulp is an emergency aid to restore dry hair. In principle, it can be used as a mask in its pure form, grinding to a state of mashed potatoes. The composition is applied to damp hair for at least half an hour.
However, a more pronounced effect can be achieved by preparing a more nourishing mask.
Take 150 g of pureed avocado puree, add about 1 tablespoon of almond oil and 3 tablespoons of natural yogurt without additives or kefir. The resulting mixture is applied to damp hair for 30 minutes.
To moisturize the skin
The fruit affects the skin in a magical way, it is not without reason that it incorporates the "youth vitamin" A.
To get a moisturizing mask you need quite a bit of effort and ingredients: avocado pulp - 1 full tablespoon, ground in mashed potatoes, and 1 teaspoon of olive oil. Butter can be replaced with milk in the amount of 1 tablespoon, so the mask will turn out to be more liquid and not as fat as with butter.
The mixture is applied to the skin of the face for 20 minutes, then carefully remove the residue with a damp cloth and rinse the face with water of a comfortable temperature, but not hot.
Read also about the beneficial properties and use of fruits: apples, pears, plums, cherry plums, peach, nectarine, apricot, quince, persimmon.
Nourishing mask
For dry skin that requires nutrition, you can prepare a "shock" nutritional mask with avocado. 
1 tablespoon of fruit pulp is mixed with 1 tablespoon of finely grated carrots, 1 egg yolk, 1 tablespoon of olive oil and 1 teaspoon of honey. All ingredients are thoroughly mixed and apply the mixture on the face, neck and decollete for 20 minutes. Wash off such a mask with warm water.
Cleansing mask
People with a combination of skin, well suited cleansing mixture: 1 tablespoon mashed avocado, 1 egg white, 1 teaspoon of honey and sour cream and 1 dessert spoon of flour. Apply the mixture on face for 20 minutes, then rinse with cool water to narrow enlarged pores.
Rejuvenating mask
For mature skin, an ideal mask is pure fruit pulp, applied for 20-25 minutes. However, to enhance the effect, you can use a quite simple recipe: mix the pulp of half avocado fruit with 1 teaspoon of olive oil, add 1 teaspoon of dry yeast, infuse the mixture a little and spread on the skin for 20 minutes. Rinse with lukewarm water.
Contraindications and harm
Despite its usefulness, avocado is not suitable for everyone.
- The first thing to remember is the individual intolerance of the product. If after use signs of an allergic reaction have developed, it is not necessary to continue the experiments without consulting a doctor.
- Chronic and acute diseases of the digestive organs are a contraindication to the use of this fruit.
- With care you need to eat avocados for nursing mothers, because the enzymes contained in the pulp, penetrate into the milk and can affect the digestion of not only the mother, but also the baby.
- It is strictly forbidden to eat the fetal bone because it contains powerful toxins.
Without a doubt, avocado is a very useful product. If you follow the measures and the ability to select and apply the fruit correctly, you will be able to fully appreciate all the delights of this magical fruit.
