Professional Documents
Culture Documents
POWERS OF
AVOCADOS
Copyright 2007
1
2
THE HEALING
POWERS OF
AVOCADOS
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COPYRIGHT INFORMATION
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TABLE OF CONTENTS
Title Page 1
Subtitle Page 3
Copyright Information 4
Table Of Contents 5
Special Thanks 6
Dedication 7
About The Author 8
Other Books By The Author 9
And God Said: 11
History 12
Hass Avocado Mother Tree 14
How To Grow Your Own Tree 16
Varieties Of Avocados 19
Selecting & Handling 30
Seedling To Supermarket 33
Avocado Persea Species 35
Description 37
Culture 39
Cultivars 43
What Dr. Schwartz Have To Say About Avocados 51
Health Benefits Of Avocados 52
Nutritional Facts (Of Avocados) 55
Avocados: Good Fat 58
Comments Are Welcome 59
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SPECIAL THANKS
I like to take this opportunity to thank all the people
and companies that made this book possible. And
also all the people and companies that I failed
to mention.
Bettyann Felfoldi
Toronto Public Library System
Avocado.org
California Avocado Growers Association
California Avocado Commission
Kirotv.com
TheFruitPages.com
Dr. Schwartz.com
The Toronto Avocado Marketing Board
California Rare Fruit Growers Inc.
And
All my family and friends.
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DEDICATION
and
to all the Avocado lovers
out there. (I know who you are.)
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ABOUT THE AUTHOR
8
OTHER BOOKS BY
THE AUTHOR
Here is a list of other books of interest
by the same Author:
2006
Katoomba-Columbia
The Powers Of Garlic
Meaning Of New Birth
Speaking To God Through Prayers
Ginger The Herb And Root Guide
The Complete Book On Angels
Chamomile The Healing Herb
The Healing Powers Of Aloe Vera
The Healing Powers Of Cranberry
The Healing Powers Of Seaweed And Algae
The Spiritual Key To Healing
The Healing Powers Of Pomegranate
2007
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The Healing Powers Of Cherries
Experimenting With The G-Spot
Sex Magic
The Images Of God
The Healing Powers Of Thistles
The Felfoldis: Medical Herbal Encyclopedia
The Complete Book On Herbal Magick
The Herbs And Animals Of The Bible
The Road To Better Health
The Gnomes In Mythology
The Magic Of Having Great Sex
The Healing Powers Of Strawberries
The Backyard Terror: Squirrels
Changing The Way We Look At Wolves
Cooking With Eggs Cookbook
The Healing Powers Of Watermellons
The Healing Power Of Avocados
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AND GOD SAID:
Gen 1:11 And God said, Let the earth bring forth grass, the herb yielding seed, and the
fruit tree yielding fruit after his kind, whose seed is in itself, upon the earth: and it was
so.
Gen 1:12 And the earth brought forth grass, and herb yielding seed after his kind, and the
tree yielding fruit, whose seed was in itself, after his kind: and God saw that it was good.
Gen 1:29 And God said, Behold, I have given you every herb bearing seed, which is upon
the face of all the earth, and every tree, in the which is the fruit of a tree yielding seed; to
you it shall be for meat.
Gen 1:30 And to every beast of the earth, and to every fowl of the air, and to every thing
that creepeth upon the earth, wherein there is life, I have given every green herb for meat:
and it was so.
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HISTORY
The History of Avocado
Avocado History
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Fast forward to 1871, when Judge R. B. Ord of Santa Barbara
successfully introduced avocado to the United States with trees
from Mexico. By the early 1900s, growers were seeing the
avocados commission and ever since growers, enthusiasts and
researchers have been hunting for improved varieties through the
industrys foremost annals, in particular the California Avocado
Society Yearbook that many new selections of avocado were made
in the industrys infancy and over subsequent few had
commercially significance. By the 1950s around 25 different
varieties of avocados were commercially packed and shipped in
California, with Fuerte accounting for more than two-thirds of
the production. Even though Hass was discovered in the early
1930s and patented by Rudolph Hass in 1935, it was not until
large-scale industry expansion occurred in the late 1970s that
Hass and Fuerte was the leading California variety.
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HASS Avocado Mother Tree
1926 to 2002
Not so long ago in 2002, the tree to which every Hass avocado in
the world can trace its lineage was finally up rooted due to rot at
the ripe old age of 76. Her offspring account for 95% of the
avocado that is grown in California the fruit of her labor resulted
in one of the states most important industries. Yet, despite
contrary, nobody knows what variety of seed production the
original Hass Mother Tree was actually from.
Since the quality was high and the tree gave a good yield, Hass
named the variety after himself and took a patent on it in 1935.
That same year, he signed an agreement with Harold Brokaw, a
Whittier nurseyman, to grow and promote the Hass avocados.
They would split the gross income: 25% and 75% for Brokaw.
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Brokaw began to propagate the rough, black Hass exclusively and
promote it in favor of the other varieties of the day. It made sense.
The Hass was a far better bearer than the Fuerte and in different
time of the year. Because of the seasonal advantage, Brokaw was
successful to the part sellouts of his nursery crop.
The patent expired in 1952, the same year Rudolph Hass died. But
by then, the bumpy black that bore his name was rapidly gaining
in popularity on the smooth green Fuerte. Consumed a richer,
nuttier taste, while grocers favored it for its durability and long
shelf life. Today, that accounts for about 80% of all avocados
eaten worldwide and generates more dollars in revenues in the
United States alone.
The tree that launched an avocado revolution lived out her days in
suburban La Habra Heights. Brokaws nephew Hank nursed her
through more than a decade, trying to save her from rot. Hank lost
the fight in 2002, and the trees wood is currently in storage in a
Ventura nursery and decision on a fitting commemoration of the
original Hass Mother Tree.
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HOW TO GROW YOUR
OWN TREE
If you use avocados, do not throw out the seed! You can grow a
beautiful houseplant or even your own tree following these simple
steps below.
METHOD:
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(2) to two (6) weeks.
3. When the stem is six (6) or seven (7) inches long cut it back to
about three (3) inches.
4. When the roots are thick and the stem has leafed out again,
plant it in a rich humus soil in a 10 diameter pot, leaving the
seed half exposed.
5. Give it frequent, light watering with an occasional deep soak.
Generally, the soil should be but not saturated. Yellowing
leaves are a sign of over-watering; let the plant dry out a couple
of days.
6. The more sunlight, the better it grows.
7. If the leaves turn brown and fry at the tips, too much salt has
accumulated in the soil. Let the pot drain freely for several
minutes.
8. When the stem is 12 inches high, cut it back to 6 inches to
encourage the growth.
9. Dont expect your house plant to bear fruit. Although this does
occur occasionally, in required grafting. A plant grown from
seed will take anywhere from five (5) to thirteen (13) years to
bear fruit. Fruit on trees grown from seed are seldom good to
eat.
The California avocado trees are one of the most popular tropical
fruit trees used in landscaping about 10 to 11. They like soil ph of
6 to 6.5. It is a shallow rooted tree that needs good aeration, when
mulched with coarse material such as redwood bark or other
woody mulch about 2. Use about 1/3 cubic yard per tree, but keep
it about 6 to 8 inches away from the trunk of the tree. Plant lawn
area with full sun, protect from wind and frost. The ideal time to
plant is March through to April. During summer there is risk of
sun damage since young trees can not take water very well.
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The hole should be as deep as the root ball and just a bit wider.
Gently place the root ball in the hole taking care not to disturb the
delicate root system. If the ball is root-bound, carefully loosen
around the edge and clip away any roots that are going in circles.
Back fill the hole with soil and gravel or with potting mixture.
When watering, it is best to soak the soil well, then allow it to dry
out somewhat before watering and planting. The tree can hold
about 2 gallons of water. Depending on the weather, you tree
needs 2 gallons of water a day along the coast. Typically, trees
need to be watered two to three times and mature trees will take
about 20 gallons of water a day.
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VARIETIES OF AVOCADOS
The great think that I find about a California Hass avocado is that
its pebbly skin turns from a green to yellow when it is ripe. Look
for fruit that is average to large, oval-shaped and heavy. Then slice
into natures perfect food and enjoy the silky smooth texture and
rich nutty flavor.
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Many of the varieties listed below are available as certified organic
fruit.
BACON
Description:
Oval-shaped fruit
Medium to large seed
Easy peeling
Light taste
Size:
Appearance:
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Smooth thin green skin
Yellow-green flesh
Ripe Characteristics:
FUERTE
An established favorite
Harvested late fall through spring, the Fuerte is the average quality
California avocado.
Description:
Pear-shaped
Medium seed
Peels easily
Great taste
Size:
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Medium to large fruit, ranging from 5 to 14 ounces.
Appearance:
Ripe Characteristics:
GWEN
Description:
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Easy peeling
Great taste
Size:
Appearance:
Ripe Characteristics:
HASS
Distinctive for its skin that turns from green to purplish when ripe,
the Hass is the leading variety of California avocados that has an
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excellent shelf life.
Description:
Oval-shaped fruit
Small to medium seed
Easy pealing
Great taste
Size:
Appearance:
Ripe Characteristics:
LAMB HASS
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The California summer sun variety
Exceptional flavor and a large robust size are the Hass new
avocado variety.
Description:
Size:
Appearance:
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Ripe Characteristics:
Seasonality:
PINKERTON
Pinkerton avocados have small seeds, yields more fruit and are
available in a full range of sizes early winter through.
Description:
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Great taste
Size:
Appearance:
Ripe Characteristics:
REED
Description:
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Round fruit
Medium seeds
Easy peeling
Good taste
Size:
Appearance:
Ripe Characteristics:
ZUTANO
A season opener
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harvested when the season begins, in September and is available
through early winter.
Description:
Pear-shaped fruit
Moderately easy to peel
Light taste
Size:
Appearance:
Ripe Characteristics:
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SELECTING & HANDLING
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Ripening a California Avocado
1. Start with a ripe avocado and cut it lengthwise around the seed.
Rotate the halves.
2. Remove the seed by sliding the tip of a spoon gently underneath
and lifting it out. The common seed-extraction method is
sticking the seed with a knife and twisting, required and is not
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recommended.
3. Peel the fruit by placing the cut side down and removing the
skin with a knife or your starting at the small end. Or simply
scoop out the avocado meat with a spoon. Be sure all cut
surfaces with lemon or lime juice or white vinegar to prevent
discoloring.
Ripe fruit can be stored in the refrigerator uncut for two (2) to
three (3) days. To store cut fruit, splice a lemon or lime juice or
white vinegar and place in an air-tight container in your
refrigerator. The guacamole turns brown during storage, discard
the top layer.
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SEEDLING TO SUPERMARKET
All the avocados are harvested by hand with the help of special
shears called clippers. Using ladders up to 30 feet high and poles
up to 14 feet long to reach the fruit, pickers place the harvested
fruit in large nylon bags fastened around their shoulders. Each bag
holds about 50 pounds of fruit.
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that hold between 600 to 1000 fruit each.
Once the fruit is sorted, the avocados are brushed and washed as
they roll into packing tubs where they are placed into single layer
or double layer cartons which are called Lugs. The lug size
indicates the number avocados it holds.
Before the lugs are sealed, the avocados are checked one more
time for quality. The sealed, organized by size and stacked onto
pallets containing 60 lugs each.
Shipping of Avocados
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AVOCADO Persea Species
Persea Species
Lauraceae
Common Name: Avocado, Alligator Pear (English);
Aguacate, Palta (Spanish)
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Adaptation: Avocados do well in the mild-winter areas of
California, Florida and Hawaii. Some hardier varieties can be
grown in the cooler parts of northern and inland California and
along the Gulf Coast. The northern limits in California is
approximately Cape Mendocino and Red Bluff. Avocados do best
some distance from ocean influence but are not adapted to the
desert interior. West Indian varieties thrive in humid, tropical
climates and freeze at or near 32 degrees F. Guatemalan varieties
are native to cool, high-altitude tropics and are hardy 30 - 26
degrees F. Mexican varieties are native to dry subtropical plateaus
and thrive in a Mediterranean climate. They are hardy 24 - 19
degrees F. Avocados need some protection from high winds which
may break the branches. There are also dwarf forms of avocados
suitable for growing in containers. Avocados have been grown in
California (Santa Barbara) area since 1871.
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DESCRIPTION
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following morning (type B). The smell of the flowers attract bees
and hoverflies and pollination usually good except during cool
weather. Off-season blooms may appear during the year and often
set fruit. Some cultivars bloom and set fruit in alternate years.
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CULTURE
Location: Avocados will grow in shade and between buildings,
but are productive only in full sun. The roots are highly
competitive and will choke out nearby plants. The shade under the
trees is to dense to garden under, and the constant litter can be
annoying. In cooler areas plant the tree where it will receive sun
during the winter. Give the three plenty of room, up to 20 feet. The
avocado is not suitable for hedgegrow, but two (2) or three (3)
trees can be planted in a single large hole to save garden space and
enhance pollination. At the beach or in windy island canyons,
provide a windbreak of some sort. Once established the avocado is
a fairly though tree. Indoor trees need low night temperatures to
induce bloom. Container plants should be moved outdoors with
care. Whitewashing a trunk or branches will prevent sunburn.
Soil: I have covered some of this earlier, but avocado trees like
loose, decomposed granite or sandy loam best. They will not
survive in locations with poor drainage. The trees grow well on
hillsides and should never be planted in stream beds. They are
tolerant of acid or alkaline soil. In containers use a planting mix
combined with topsoil. Plastic containers should be avoided. It is
also useful to plant the tub with annual flowers to reduce excess
soil moisture and temperature. Container plants should be leached
often to reduce salts.
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dig a hole 9 inches deep and test the soil by squeezing. If it is
moist (holds together), do not irrigate; if it crumbles in the hand, it
may be watered. Watch soil moisture carefully at the end of the
irrigation season. Never enter winter with wet soil. Avocados
tolerate some salts, though they will show leaf tip burn and
stunting of leaves. Deep irrigation will leach salt accumulation.
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avoids staking. The best results that I find are obtained by fencing
the tree with plastic mesh for the first two (2) to three (3) years.
Container and dwarf trees will need constant staking. The skirts of
avocado trees are sometimes trimmed to discourage rodents,
otherwise the trees are usually never pruned. Branches exposed to
sun by defoliation are extraordinarily susceptible to sunburn and
will surely die. Such branches should always be whitewashed. It is
better to avoid any pruning. Most cultivars are ill-adapted to
espalier. They are to vigorous. Avocado fruit is self-thinning.
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Pest And Diseases: Rats and Squirrels will strip the fruit. Protect
with tin trunk wraps. Leaf-rolling caterpillars (Tortrix and
Amorbia) may destroy branches terminals. Avocado Brown Mite
can be controlled by powdered sulfur. Six-spotted Mite is very
harmful; even a small population can cause massive leaf shedding.
A miticide may be required if natural predators are absent. Snails
can be a problem in California.
Two fungi and one virus cause more damage than any pests.
Dothiorella (Botryosphaeria ribis) canker infects the trunk,
causing dead patches that spreads to maturing fruit, causing
darkened, rancid smelling spots in the flesh. Flesh injury begins
after harvest and is impossible to detect on the outside. Mexican
types are immune to trunk cankers but the fruit is not. Keep that in
mind. The disease is rampant near the coast and has no economical
control. Root Rot (Phytophthora cinnamomi) is a soil-borne
fungus that infects many plants, including avocados. It is a major
disease problem in California. Select disease-free, certified plants
and avoid planting where avocados once grew or where soil
drainage is poor. The disease is easily transported by equipment,
tools and shoes from the infected soils. Once a tree is infected
(signs include yellowing and dropping leaves), there is little that
can be done other than cut back on water. Sun Blotch is a viral
disease that causes yellowed streaking on young stems, motting
and crinkling on new leaves and occasional deformation of the
fruit. It also causes rectangular cracking and checking of the trunk,
as if sunburned. It has no insect vector but it spread by use of
infected scions, contaminated tools and roots grafted with adjacent
trees. It is important to use virus-free propagating wood.
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12 to 18 months. Fruit may continue enlarging on the tree often
after maturity. Purple cultivars should be permitted to color fully
before harvest. Guatemalan types can be stored firm, at 40 to 50
degrees F. for up to six weeks. Mexican types discolor quickly and
require immediate consumption.
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CULTIVARS
ANAHEIM
BACON
CREAMHART
DUKE
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from freeze, to 22 degrees F. Season October.
FUERTE
GANTER
GWEN
HASS
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Origin Rudolph Hass, La Habra Heights, 1926. Seedling of Lyon.
Guatemalan. Tree rather open, not tall. Fruit medium, to 12
ounces, pyriform, skin thick, pebbled, coppery purple. Flesh good,
oil 19%, seed fairly small. Currently the standard of the industry.
To 26 degrees F. Season July.
JIM
LULA
LYON
MEXICOLA
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spreading, vigorous. Fruit small, 5 ounces, round pyriform, skin
paper-thin, purplish black, waxy bloom. Flesh highest quality, seed
very large. Harvest cv. Known, seedling useful as rootstocks in far
north. Recovers rapidly from freeze. Defoliated at 20 degrees F.,
trunk killed at 17 degrees F. Season September.
MEXICOLA GRANDE
MURRIETA GREEN
NABAL
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PINKERTON
QUEEN
PUEBLA
REED
RINCON
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small to medium, 10 ounces, green resembles Fuerte. Flesh good.
For coast, Santa Barbara and Ventura. To 27 degrees F. Season
January.
RYAN
SPINKS
TOPA TOPA
WHITSELL
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elongated Hass look alike. Flesh good. Bears in alternate years.
For containers and greenhouses only, not hardy. To 30 degrees F.
Season February to October.
ZUTANO
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WHAT DR. SCHWARZ HAVE
TO SAY ABOUT AVOCADOS
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HEALTH BENEFITS
OF AVOCADOS
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dressings laden with harmful cholesterol and other saturated fats.
These are only some of the benefits of this fruit. Research is still
being conducted all over the world. So far we have not even taped
into the surface of this great little fruit. Future tests and
investigations will give us a better and more complete look inside
this marvelous little fruit.
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California Avocado Sweet Spread is a delicious substitute for
butter on your toast in the morning. Spread on whole grain toast or
English muffins or serve as an afternoon snack on crackers. It also
makes a great dip for strips of red bell peppers, jicama or celery
sticks.
Makes 1 serving
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NUTRITIONAL FACTS
( Of Avocados)
Proximates
Water g 74.27 58 0.817
Energy kcal 161 0
Energy kj 674 0
Protein g 1.98 58 0.042
Total lipid (Fat) g 15.32 54
Carbohydrates by
difference g 7.39 0
Fiber, total dietary g 5.0 0
Ash g 1.04 57 0.093
Minerals
Calcium, Ca mg 11 6 1.610
Iron, Fe mg 1.02 54 0.122
Magnesium, Mg mg 39 54 3.062
Phosphorus, P mg 41 54 2.996
Potassium, K mg 599 30 57.306
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Sodium, Na mg 10 30 1.146
Zinc, Zn mg 0.42 1
Copper, Cu mg 0.262 54 0.020
Manganese, Mn mg 0.226 54 0.038
Selenium, Se mcg 0.4 2
Vitamins
Vitamin C, total
ascorbic acid mg 7.9 6 1.528
Thiamin mg 0.108 6 0.005
Riboflavin mg 0.122 6 0.006
Niacin mg 1.921 6 0.081
Pantothenic acid mg 0.971 6 0.071
Vitamin B-6 mg 0.280 7
Folate, total mcg 62 12 10.333
Folic acid mcg 0 0
Folate, food mcg 62 12 10.33
Folare, DFE mcg-DFE 62 0
Vitamin B-12 mcg 0.00 0
Vitamin A, IU IU 612 6 70.839
Vitamin A, RE mcg-RE 61 6 7.084
Vitamin E mg-ATE 1.340 0
Lipids
Fatty acids, total
saturated g 2.437 0
4:0 g 0.000 0
6:0 g 0.000 0
8:0 g 0.000 0
10:0 g 0.000 0
12:0 g 0.000 0
14:0 g 0.000 0
16:0 g 2.402 0
18:0 g 0.027 0
Fatty acids, total
monounsaturated g 9.608 0
16:1 undiff g 0.643 0
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18:1 undiff g 8.965 0
20:1 g 0.000 0
22:1 undiff g 0.000 0
Fatty acids, total
polyunsaturated g 1.955 0
18:2 undiff g 1.840 0
18:3 undiff g 0.111 0
18:4 g 0.000 0
20:4 undiff g 0.004 0
20:5 n-3 g 0.000 0
22:6 n-3 g 0.000 0
Cholesterol mg 0 0
Amino acids
Tryptophan g 0.021 12
Threonine g 0.066 4
Isoleucine g 0.071 4
Leucine g 0.123 4
Lysine g 0.094 4
Methionine g 0.037 4
Cystine g 0.021 2
Phenylalanine g 0.068 4
Tyrosine g 0.049 4
Valine g 0.097 4
Arginine g 0.059 4
Histidine g 0.029 4
Alanine g 0.119 4
Aspartic acid g 0.283 4
Glutamic acid g 0.207 4
Glycine g 0.083 4
Proline g 0.077 4
Serine g 0.081 4
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AVOCADOS: GOOD FAT
Think of avocados, and the first word that probably comes to mind
is guacamole. But an avocado is fruit with much more to offer.
Avocados are known for being high in unsaturated (or good) fat.
And an avocado contains vitamin C, thiamin, riboflavin, and beta
carotene, which forms vitamin A.
Avocados come in literally all shape and sizes, ranging from round
to pear-shaped. The skin can be thick or thin, green or black,
smooth or rough.
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COMMENTS ARE WELCOME
ALL YOUR COMMENTS are welcome. Please feel free
to write to me in regards to this Book or any other of my
Books.
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THIS IS A
FREE BOOK
Enjoy!
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