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My name is Avocado!

Im so fresh in the tree

A green-skinned, pear-shaped fruit that ripens after harvesting. The avocado is colloquially known as the Alligator Pear, reflecting its shape and the leather-like appearance of its skin. Avocado is derived from the Aztec word “ahuacatl”.

The avocado (Persea americana), also known as palta or aguacate (Spanish), butter pear is a tree native to the Caribbean, Mexico,South America and Central America, classified in the flowering plant family Lauraceae along with cinnamon, camphor and bay laurel.

Nutritional Value:

One medium avocado contains 4.02 grams of protein, 322 calories and 13.5 grams of fiber.

1. Potassium – 975 mg
2. Phosphorus – 105 mg
3. Magnesium – 58 mg
4. Calcium – 24 mg
5. Sodium – 14 mg
6. Iron – 1.11 mg
7. Selenium 0.8 mcg
8. Manganese – 0.285 mg
9. Copper – 0.382 mg
10. Zinc – 1.29 mg

also contains small amounts of other minerals.

1. Vitamin A – 293 IU
2. Vitamin C – 20.1 mg
3. Vitamin B1 (thiamine) – 0.135 mg
4. Vitamin B2 (riboflavin) – 0.261 mg
5. Niacin – 3.493 mg
6. Folate- 163 mcg
7. Pantothenic Acid – 2.792 mg
8. Vitamin B6 – .517 mg
9. Vitamin E – 4.16 mg
10. Vitamin K – 42.2 mcg

Contains some other vitamins in small amounts.

Nutritional facts:

1. Avocado oil is edible oil and is known to be one of the healthiest oils you can possibly eat. As food oil, it is used as an ingredient in other dishes, as well as cooking oil.
2. Avocados are also a good source of potassium and have double the quantity of potassium as in the banana.
3. Avocados have the highest fat content of any of the fruits, a medium sized avocado contains 30gr fat and however 20 grams of this fat are health promoting monounsaturated fats (which is easily burned for energy).
4. One cup of avocado has 23% of the Daily Value for folate, important for heart health.
5. Avocados contain oleic acid, a monounsaturated fat that may help to lower cholesterol.
6. Carotenoid and tocopherols contained in avocado have been studied and found to inhibit the growth of some forms of Prostate cancer cells.
7. Avocados are often called one of nature’s perfect foods because they are said to contain everything a person needs to survive.
8. Avocado can play a role in a weight-loss diet if eaten in moderate amounts.

Cooking tips:

1. Avocado makes a great first food for baby due to its texture and creaminess as well as its high nutrient content.
2. A wonderful “good fat” food for baby’s brain and physical development, try an avocado as baby’s first food instead of refined cereals.
3. Avocados are served fresh from their peels. There is no need to cook avocados for baby or adult. Give an avocado a gentle roll around your counter to help separate the meat from the shell before you slice.
4. Spread a bit of mashed avocado on a sandwich in place of mayo.Chop and sprinkle avocado on top of a bean soup.
5. Spread on toasted whole-grain bread and topped with salsa.
6. Avocados are also good on sandwiches. Any combination of avocado, bacon, lettuce, tomato, turkey, and chicken makes a great sandwich.

How to buy?

Im now ready to eat!!

1. When shopping for avocados, select fruit that is unblemished, unbruised, unscarred fruit with no wrinkles, without cracks or dark sunken spots. A ripe avocado will yield slightly to the touch when pressed, and this slight softness indicates it’s ready to eat. It’s often difficult to find a ripe avocado in the store, but it will ripen at home in a few days in a paper bag or on the kitchen counter. Plan in advance so you’ll have ripe avocados when you need
2. Don’t refrigerate avocados. They can turn to mush in as little as a day under refrigeration. Avocado flesh exposed to the air will darken very quickly. Some people think that leaving the pit in prevents discoloring, but the primary factor is keeping the flesh  away from air–so wrap a cut avocado in plastic, refrigerate, and use it as soon as possible. Peeled and sliced avocados should be sprinkled with lemon or lime juice to retard discoloration; the citric acid also brings out the flavor.
3. To peel, cut the avocado length wise around the pit and then rotate the two halves in opposite directions. Gently put the tip of a spoon under the pit; if it comes out easily, the avocado is ripe. You can scoop the flesh out of the shell with a spoon, but in many cases the avocado will peel like a banana–just turn it over on the cut side and pull off the skin with your fingers.

Beauty tips:

1. Rich in nutrients including vitamin E, fatty acids, and the youth mineral potassium, this highly therapeutic oil is said to have healing and regenerating properties. Anti-wrinkle, anti-bacterial, and anti-oxidant are some of its properties. Anti-oxidants have been shown to slow the aging process
2. Avocado oil is a nourishing agent for the skin and is reputed to be beneficial in moisturizing the upper layers of the skin, particularly for sensitive and sunburned skins. Studies have shown that treatment with avocado oil significantly increases the water-soluble collagen content in the dermis, which affects the age of the skin.
3. Avocado oil penetrates the skin more deeply than other oils allowing it to transport nutrients through the outer epidermis of the skin and into the dermis for increased effectiveness. Avocado oil is great for all skin types, and is especially kind to mature, sensitive or troubled skin.
4. Avocado oil is excellent for the hair and acts as a humectant, it moisturizes the hair.

Apricot:

Fresh Apricots in the tree

Apricots are those gorgeous orange colored fruits that look a lot like the peach’s first cousin. Stone fruit of the family Rosaceae that is cultivated throughout the temperate regions of the world. Originating in China, it made its way to Europe by way of Armenia where it received its scientific classification Prunus Armenaica.

Apricots are nearly round with a depression at the top where the stem attached. They have a vertical indentation that starts at the stem and goes down on one side. The skin is yellow-orange (when ripe) to pink-orange and feels soft and smooth. Apricots can be similar in appearance to plum, peaches and nectarines, but those fruits usually have a reddish coloring to their skins. Apricots can also be confused with persimmons, but persimmons have shinier skin.

Nutritional Value:

1. Energy – 153/36kJ/Kcal
2. Water – 87%
3. Fiber – 2.1g
4. Fat – 0g
5. Protein – 1.0g
6. Sugar – 8.0g
7. Vitamin A – 420ug
8. Vitamin C – 5mg
9. Vitamin B1 – 0.06mg
10. Vitamin  B2 – 0.05mg
11. Vitamin  B6 – 0.06mg
12. Vitamin E – 0.5mg

Storage tips:

• Stored refrigerated for one week.
• If you want to ripen immature apricots, keep them in a brown paper bag. Keep them at room temperature until they are slightly soft.
• Apricots have to be picked when ripe and need to be eaten immediately, you can’t store them fresh. Therefore a lot of jam is made out of apricots and are they dried or frozen often.

How to buy?

• Choose apricots that have a beautiful blush and are firm in texture.
• Always look for plump orange fruit that is firm when you slightly press with your thumb.
• Bruised apricots should be avoided.
• Apricots will not lose their nutrients during the cooking process, so if you cannot find fresh, feel free to use canned or dried apricots.

Cooking & Serving tips:

• To peel apricots easily, drop them into boiling water for a minute or two, then lift them out with a slotted spoon and plunge them into cold water
• Next time when you make whole grain pancakes add some chopped apricots to the batter.
• Give a Middle Eastern flavor to chicken or vegetable stews with the addition of dried, diced apricots.
• If your dried apricots have dried out too much, they may be softened in the microwave. Place the dried apricots in a single layer in a microwave-safe dish and sprinkle with a bit of water. Cover and microwave for one to two minutes,. They may also be steamed or soaked in liquid to soften them up.
• When chopping dried apricots in a food processor, sprinkle in a bit of the recipe flour to keep them from sticking to the blades. When chopping them by hand, oil the blade of the knife or kitchen shears or dip the dried apricots in flour
• Remember that cut apricots will darken with exposure to air (like apple).  Add them quickly after cutting to cooked dishes or dip them in an acidic solution (lemon and pineapple juice works well) if using apricots in fresh dishes.
  Complimentary spices include curry, ginger, nutmeg, cardamom, cinnamon, and star anise.
• For a real treat, try apricots in any recipe combined with pistachios or almonds.
• Can be substituted for plums and peaches in any dishes

Health tips:

Ripened Apricot

• For those with allergies, be aware that most commercially-dried apricots are treated with sulfur dioxide as a color preservative. You should be able to find dried apricots without sulfur (which also lends a bitter taste) in natural food markets, or dry your own in a dehydrator. Those dried without sulfur will usually be much darker in color.
• Raw pits of the bitter apricot (not sweet) do contain a small amount of cyanide. However, the accidental ingestion of a single pit or the splitting of a pit to expose it to the fruit flesh should not be a problem. Ingestion of large amounts can be harmful. Fifteen raw apricot pits of some bitter varieties can kill a child. Roasting of the seeds neutralizes the cyanide threat.

Beauty Tips:

• Apricot oil, extracted from the kernels of Apricot is colorless oil and has a nutty odour is used as skin softener and toner. It penetrates skin deeper without an oily film. This oil suits all skin types.
• Apricot oil is used in cosmetics, soaps, and skin products due to its softening properties.
• It mixes very well with Wheat gram oil and this oil mixture is used for treatment of rough skin and aging skin.
• This oil is also made use of as base oil as other kinds of oil are blended with it to prepare massage oils.
• In Chinese medicine, apricot oil is used for treatment of tumor.
• Mash the fresh fruit for a good facemask.
• Apricot scrub removes irrelevant cells of the skin and frees it from unwanted growth of hairs

“An apple a day keeps the doctor away”

APPLES - The native home of the apple is not definitely known, but the tree originated probably in the area between the Caspian and the Black seas. Charred remains of apples have been found in the prehistoric lake dwellings of Switzerland. Evidence shows that man has been enjoying apples for at least 750,000 years! Apples were a favorite fruit of the ancient Greeks and Romans.
Also grown in China, Chile, France, Italy, India, United States, Poland, Netherlands, New Zealand  Belgium , South Africa.

Scientific classification:
Apple trees belong to the family Rosaceae. They constitute the genus Malus.

Nutritional value:

One medium apple with skin contains 0.47 grams of protein and 4.4 grams of dietary fiber.

Minerals:

Potassium – 195 mg
Calcium – 11 mg
Phosphorus – 20 mg
Magnesium – 9 mg
Manganese – 0.064 mg
Iron – 0.22 mg
Sodium – 2 mg
Copper – 0.049 mg
Zinc – 0.07 mg
Also contains a trace amount of selenium.

Vitamins:

Vitamin A – 98 IU
Vitamin B1 (thiamine) – 0.031 mg
Vitamin B2 (riboflavin) – 0.047 mg
Niacin – 0.166 mg
Folate – 5 mcg
Pantothenic Acid – 0.111 mg
Vitamin B6 – 0.075 mg
Vitamin C – 8.4 mg
Vitamin E – 0.33 mg
Vitamin K – 4 mcg
Contains some other vitamins in small amounts.

Medicinal value:

• Apple Fruit is good for treatment of anaemia, dysentery, heart disease, headache, eye disorders, and kidney stones and promotes vigour and vitality. Research suggests that apples may reduce the risk of colon cancer, prostate cancer and lung cancer
• Apples possess phenolic compounds which may be cancer-protective and demonstrate antioxidant activity. The predominant phenolic phytochemicals in apples are  epicatechin, and procyanidin B2
• They may also help with heart disease, weight loss, and controlling cholesterol, as they do not have any cholesterol, have fiber, which reduces cholesterol by preventing reabsorption.
• Apple juice is good to overcome a liverish feeling, further, apples are unlikely to cause allergic reactions and are excellent means of providing essential fluids to the body.
• In specific

1. Green Apples – Good for strong bones and teeth, aids in vision, anti cancer properties.
2. Yellow Apples – Good for heart and eyes, immune system, reduce risk of some cancers.
3. Red Apples – Good for heart, Memory function, lower risk of some cancers and to  maintain urinary   tract health

• The seeds are mildly poisonous, containing a small amount of amygdalin, a cyanogenic glycoside, usually not enough to be dangerous to humans, but it can deter birds.

Tips and Tricks:

How to pick the perfect apple?

• An apple’s skin should be shiny, not dull. Dull appearing apples won’t be crisp and tasty.
• Apples should be firm and free of bruises and punctures.
• Never buy apples that have not been kept cold since they can be over-ripe in a few days.
• Apples should be hard. If you can dent an apple with your finger, DO NOT BUY IT.

How to store apples?

• To keep apples crisp, store apples refrigerated at about 32 degree  Fahrenheit.

Cooking tips:

• Prepare apple dishes just before serving to minimize browning. Protect cut apples from browning by dipping them into a solution of one part citrus juice and three parts water.

Health tips:

• Eating 2 apples a day will reduce your cholesterol level up to 10 %.
• Drinking apple juice, 3 times a day, is said to prevent virus from settling in the body.
• Another benefit of apple is for those who have problem with their stomach. If you have problem with indigestion, eat apples before meals.
• Grated apple, when mixed with live yogurt may be helpful in cases of diarrhea.

Beauty tips:

• Apple which is made into paste is used as a face mask which helps to make your skin smooth and also helps to prevent pimples by which you look attractive.
• Make a paste of the apples and the honey and apply this paste on your face for 30 minutes. Wash it off after 20 minutes with water. Now you will have a fresh look for the party you have been planning for so long or for the outing that you have been dreading looking horrible at. So go ahead and make your own homemade apple and honey mask and get rid of that oily skin.
• It is widely known that apple cider vinegar can be used as a rinse for your hair after shampooing to add healthy body and shine. Recycle an old shampoo bottle and fill it with 1/2 a table spoon of apple cider vinegar and a cup of cold water. Pour through your hair after shampooing several times a week.
• Are your hands and feet feeling tired and swollen after a long day? Treat yourself to a personal spa massage by rubbing apple cider vinegar onto them.
• Apples, as eaten in the fresh state, are a healthy refreshing, crunchy snack. They quench your thirst and their acid content makes them a natural mouth freshener. To bite into a fresh picked apple is a memorable experience. The juice is honey sweet and spicy tart at the same time and the flesh is fragrant and crisp.