By Olufunke
Thank you for your messages about African pears, especially from those who were concerned about cholesterol.
Some people avoid groundnuts, egusi, and avocado pears due to fears of cholesterol. However, there is no need to worry—no plant food contains cholesterol.
This week, I will be discussing avocado pears, botanically known as Persea americana. They belong to the family Lauraceae.
Avocado pears are used in both savoury and sweet dishes. The fruits have greenish or yellowish flesh with a buttery consistency and a rich, nutty flavour.
Often eaten in salads, avocados are also enjoyed as a dessert in many parts of the world.
In vegetarian cuisine, they are a popular substitute for meat in sandwiches and salads due to their high fat content.
Avocados are a superfood, packed with healthy fats, anti-ageing antioxidants, and nearly 20 vitamins and minerals.
They are a source of vitamins C, E, K, and B6, as well as riboflavin, niacin, folate, pantothenic acid, magnesium, and potassium.
They also provide lutein, beta-carotene, and omega-3 fatty acids.
The high levels of healthy fats in avocados can help one feel fuller between meals. They are beneficial for heart health, and vision, and may help prevent osteoporosis and cancer, improve digestion, support gut health, and boost the immune system.
Avocados are also a rich source of antioxidant and anti-inflammatory compounds and may help promote a healthy body weight, making them a smart choice during pregnancy and breastfeeding.
Avocado oil, an edible oil extracted from the pulp of avocados, is used both raw and for cooking due to its high smoke point. It is also used in lubrication and cosmetics.
Almost 70 per cent of avocado oil consists of heart-healthy oleic acid, a monounsaturated omega-9 fatty acid. The oil helps reduce cholesterol and improves heart health.
It is high in lutein, an antioxidant that benefits the eyes. Some nutrients need to be combined with fat for proper absorption, such as the fat-soluble vitamins A, D, E, and K, and the oil enhances the absorption of these nutrients.
Avocado oil also improves skin and enhances wound healing, may reduce symptoms of arthritis, and is rich in antioxidants.
Historically, avocado leaves were used among Mesoamerican indigenous populations for coughs, digestive disorders, and as a gas reducer.
The leaves were traditionally crushed and steeped in hot water to make teas and tonics. Infusions of the leaves were also rubbed on the skin to soothe redness and swelling, reduce acne, and unclog pores.
Avocado leaves have a herbal, liquorice-like, subtly nutty flavour suitable for cooked preparations.
The leaves can be used fresh or dried and are added to dishes primarily for enhanced flavouring.
Fresh avocado leaves are often simmered in soups, stews, and sauces and then removed before serving. The leaves are also used to wrap meats and seafood for steaming or grilling or layered into tamales for a complex taste.
In Southern Mexico, marinated pork is commonly wrapped in avocado leaves and then grilled into a savoury, aromatic dish.
Infusions of the leaves are also added to salad dressings, marinades, and various sauces, including mole.
Dried avocado leaves can be crushed and ground into a fine powder and stirred into dishes as a seasoning.
Scientific studies on avocado leaves reveal they possess antioxidant, hypotensive, analgesic, anti-inflammatory, vasorelaxant, anticonvulsant, antiviral, antiulcer, hepatoprotective, and hypoglycaemic properties. They support heart health, aid digestion, and may improve sleep.
Avocado seeds are as versatile as the fruit itself, and their health-promoting properties have been studied.
These benefits are attributed to various phytochemicals, such as acetogenin, catechin, epicatechin, procyanidin B1, and estragole.
The seeds are rich in polysaccharides, proteins, lipids, vitamins, minerals, and other bioactive substances.
Avocado seed extracts have been shown to possess anti-hyperglycaemic, anticancer, anti-hypercholesterolemia, antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and anti-neurodegenerative properties.
According to Sonali Ruder, DO, an emergency room doctor, trained chef, and founder of The Foodie Physician, avocado seeds contain healthy fatty acids, carbohydrates, and a small amount of protein.
They are especially high in soluble fibre, which aids digestion and lowers cholesterol. Fibre helps maintain smooth intestinal function, stabilises blood sugar, and prevents heart disease.
These seeds contain several vitamins and minerals and bioactive plant-based compounds that offer potential health benefits such as reducing inflammation and combating chronic diseases like cancer. They even have antibacterial and antifungal properties.
A registered dietitian based in Sacramento, California, Carmelita Lombe, agrees that avocado seed tea has health benefits.
She stated, “Avocado seed tea may improve heart health by lowering blood pressure and LDL, or ‘bad’ cholesterol. The polyphenols in the seed help limit HMG-CoA reductase, an enzyme responsible for cholesterol production. Avocados also brim with potassium, and the seed is an excellent source, too.”
In 2022, a prospective cohort study following 110,487 people for 30 years found that eating two servings of avocado per week reduced the risk of developing cardiovascular diseases by 16–22 per cent.
The study involved replacing half a daily serving of saturated fat sources, including margarine, butter, eggs, yoghurt, cheese, or processed meats, with an equivalent amount of avocado.
A study titled ‘The Phytochemical and Pharmacological Profile of Persea americana Mill’ by Mohammad Yasir et al. concluded that avocados are a rich source of nutrients and phytochemicals.
The findings of the study titled ‘Anti-Inflammatory and Analgesic Activities of Avocado Seed Persea americana Mill’ by Kristanti et al. suggested that avocado seeds contain potential anti-inflammatory and analgesic compounds, supporting their traditional use.
Also, another study, titled ‘Effectiveness of Avocado Leaf Extract (Persea americana Mill) as Antihypertensive’ by Dwi Sutiningsih et al., concluded that the leaf extract and nanoparticle extract of Persea americana Mill were effective as antihypertensives.
Another study titled ‘Avocado Seed Discoveries: Chemical Composition, Biological Properties, and Industrial Food Applications’, by Sneh Punia Bangar et al. concluded that in vitro and in vivo studies on animal models using avocado seed extracts have proven their health-promoting properties as strong antioxidants, anti-microbials, anti-cancers, anti-obesity, anti-inflammatories, anti-diabetics, and anti-neurodegeneratives.
