The multiple health benefits found in the seed of the avocado that can be grated or pressed into an oil.

Avocados are delectable fruits native to Central America although they are cultivated in many other places. In the past decade they have become extremely trendy on the American market. In places like Southern California where they easily grow, they are an addition to almost any restaurant meal. In places where they must be imported like the East Coast, they can be quite expensive.

Aside from their taste and trendiness, avocados are also beloved because of their health benefits. They are high in good fatty acids, that is what their flesh is known for. Some even champion the benefits of eating their skin. But what about the part that is often tossed and never dared to be ingested? Of course, I am talking about their large, round, hard inner core; the avocado seed.

There are multiple health benefits found in the seed of the avocado. Mexican people have long known the importance of saving the avocado seed. When making authentic guacamole the seeds are often kept in the mix to keep it fresh and green. But even then, they are usually not consumed. In a recent study entitled Hypolipidemic effect of avocado (Persea americana Mill) seed in a hypercholesterolemic mouse model, it was found that avocado seed flour was able to reduce total cholesterol and “bad” LDL cholesterol in mice. Other laboratory investigations done on animals suggests that avocado seed extracts may even help relax blood vessels, which helps to reduce blood pressure and is thus a key risk factor for heart disease. One animal study even found that avocado seed was as effective as an anti-diabetic medication in reducing the blood sugar levels of laboratory rats.

So how do we ingest avocado seeds? Obviously, they cannot be swallowed whole or bitten into like the flesh of the fruit. It can be easily grated using a hand grater or more finely processed into a powder. Others choose to extract oil from the seed.

Other benefits of avocado seeds include helping heal digestive disorders, reduce inflammation, help with skin problems, and inhibit fungal infections. One test-tube study found that avocado seed can stop the growth of Clostridium sporogeneses, which is a spore-forming bacterium.

By: Alexandria Addesso

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