Knowing how to choose an avocado, you can not worry about the fact that the acquired fruit will be tasteless or overripe. This exotic fruit has gained popularity not so long ago, but has already managed to fall in love with many.

Description, composition and calorie content of avocados

The fruit has a spherical or slightly elongated shape (can be from 7 to 20 cm long). Many do not even know that it is a fruit or a vegetable. The fact is that according to all the laws of biology it is a fruit, since it grows on a tree, and inside there is a stone. But in terms of taste, it is more like a vegetable: it has little sugar, it resembles pine nuts and butter due to its oily consistency. But still, an avocado is considered a fruit, although it is often used to prepare a variety of salads with acidic and salted sauces.

Tasty avocado has a rich in vitamins and various elements composition, it is also often called a natural antioxidant.

Calorie content varies from 200 to 220 kcal. It depends on the fat content of the fruit, its variety and geography of cultivation.

The main signs of ripe fruit

You can choose a ripe avocado for several reasons:

  • dark green skin color;
  • soft but elastic consistency;
  • peeling of the bone.

Ripe fruits must be eaten immediately, as they deteriorate very quickly. If you need to keep them for several more days, it is better to wrap the product in paper and send it to the vegetable compartment in the refrigerator.

Fruits cut in half are stored for no more than 2 days. The cut site often darkens, so it is advisable to treat it with lemon juice and wrap it in a film.

If the fruits are about to begin to deteriorate, and there is no way to eat them now, you can chop them in mashed potatoes and freeze them. This will help to keep useful properties to the maximum.

Criteria for choosing a mature fetus

Sometimes it is not easy to choose a ripe fruit, since the upper layers have already acquired softness and juiciness, while the inner layers still retain astringency and hardness. On plantations, the crop is always harvested slightly immature so that it normally tolerates transportation. Therefore, finding the perfect fruit right on the counter is quite difficult.

By color and softness

Ripe specimens are covered with a thin peel of dark green (closer to brown) color. Such fruits can be consumed immediately after purchase. A light shade of green indicates that the fruit has not yet ripened. Moderate green is proof that the fetus can be eaten in about 3 days. Saturated peel greens are direct evidence of an almost complete readiness for use.

California avocado has a black skin color. It is natural for fruits of this variety. They are very soft and do not hold their shape at all. Therefore, they are most often used for the preparation of various snacks according to the type of pastes, sauces and mashed potatoes. The pulp of this fruit can simply be spread on slices of bread instead of butter.

However, you should not focus solely on the shade: the main thing is elasticity. The fetus must be taken in hand and try to squeeze it with your fingers. This must be done very carefully, otherwise you may suffer from the dissatisfaction of the sellers if the overripe avocado bursts right in the hands. If the pulp is elastic and hard, then the fruit has not yet reached the required degree of ripeness. The easily pulled flesh, which remains even after the fingers have been removed, indicates that the fruit has already ripened. Such fruits should not be taken, as they may turn out to be rotten inside.

According to the cut

Also recommend a closer look at the handle. A fetus with an ideal degree of maturity will have a light yellow tint under it. In an overripe fruit, the color approaches dark brown.

In a well-ripened fruit, the flesh exfoliates from the seed, so this can also be oriented. It is necessary to bring the fetus to the ear and gently shake it. If tapping is heard, then such a fruit can be bought. If there are no sounds, the fruit has not yet ripened, so the pulp is still firmly attached to the bone.

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What kind of avocado is not worth buying

Unripe fruit is not worth buying, as it certainly will not be able to fully demonstrate its taste. But you can take the fruits for the future, wrap them at home in a bag and leave them in a dark place for 48-72 hours, periodically checking their condition. During this time they will become soft. To speed up the process, you can put a ripe banana inside. The main thing is not to miss the ripening moment, otherwise the fruits may deteriorate.

Instances with numerous brown pimples, spots and dents are completely unsuitable, since the process of decay has already begun in them.

You need to choose this tasty, dietary and healthy product correctly so that you don’t regret about the money thrown away