The fruit, avocado is native to South and Central Mexico. The fruit is like a large berry that contains a single large seed. It is popular worldwide as a butter fruit, rich in Vitamin E, phytosterols, carotenoids and a good proportion of different variety of essential fats.
Avocados are black green in color when unripe and turn black on ripening. It is a nutrient powerhouse and finds its way, globally in various culinary as well as cosmetic preparations. Despite of its pulpy part uses, there are also some amazing ways to use an avocado pit.
Different ways to use an Avocado pit
Avocados are used in salads, tacos, burgers, as dips and spreads, pizza toppings and in many other cuisines. Although the pulpy part of the fruit is the one that is always used, but there are numerous ways to use an Avocado pit.
The ancient tribal people in Central and South America also found utility in the seed of the avocado. It contains several nutrients like calcium, and magnesium, antioxidants and soluble fiber that helps in lowering the bad cholesterol and restore normal bowel function.
The pit also has anti-inflammatory and anti-microbial benefits. The pit is one of the highest sources of potassium. The more raw the fruit is the higher is the potassium content.
Guacamole saviour
Guacamole is a dip or a spread made from avocado to be used on toast, sandwiches and wraps. The seed of avocado when kept immersed in this spread and stored, prevents it from browning and keeps it more fresh for long
Making a dye or ink
The skin and the pit of the avocado is used to prepare a pink-coloured dye that can be used to colour a fabric. To everyone’s surprise, instead of turning green, it turns pink. The ink can also be used to write or paint with
Face mask
The avocado seed can be dried, ground to a powder and added as an ingredient to a home-made face mask, containing olive oil or coconut oil and banana. The seed helps the mask to slough off skin debris, acting as a natural exfoliator and makes the skin texture smooth and soft.
Due to the antibacterial function of the avocado seed, it can help in dealing with acne and reduce the breakouts. The antioxidant present in the seed can help in rebuilding collagen, repair skin damage caused by free radicals and thus improve overall appearance of the skin.
Eating it
The pits of avocados can be ground and blended in a smoothie. It requires the pit to be shredded into pieces by a sharp knife and add it to vegetable or fruit smoothie to add some extra calcium and potassium.
The pit can be powdered and added to food which helps to strengthen the immune system and prevent free radical damage in the body. Avocado pit contains about 70% of the antioxidants of the entire fruit. The pit also acts as an anti-inflammatory agent in inflammatory conditions like arthritis, gastritis, cardiovascular diseases and stroke.
The pit contains catechins that help in reducing joint pain, swelling, stiffness and loss of joint function associated with arthritis. It contains flavonol that helps in preventing tumor growth and thus reduces the chance of development of certain types of cancers. The powder can be added to cereal bowl or a smoothie.
It has a peculiar nutty and slightly bitter taste and hence, half a teaspoon is a decent quantity for one single serving. The powder made out of the seed can also be roasted and sprinkled over salads, salad dressings, soups and sauces
Hair shampoo
Avocado pits can be added as an ingredient to prepare some home-made shampoo along with water and routine shampoo. Using this shampoo that contains the pit makes the hair soft and gives it a good volume. It makes the hair more elastic, adds a brilliant shine and also reducing graying
Brewing a tea
Adding pieces or chunks of avocado pits inside a tea infuser and pouring boiling water on it can make a slightly bitter, but refreshing tea. It may require addition of honey to add some sweetness. This tea made from the seed helps in relieving an upset stomach and soothes it.
Growing an avocado plant
The fat end of the seed has to be immersed in at least couple of inches in water. In about 3- 4 weeks, the plant starts to sprout and grow
Enchilada sauce
The pit can be dried and grated to make a traditional Mexican Enchilada sauce which has a authentic and native taste
Remedy for toothache
Cutting a piece of the pit and applying it over sore tooth can help in reducing the pain due to its anti-inflammatory properties. Rinsing and gargling with the cooled tea prepared from brewing the pit can also soothe the tooth pain
Calming an itchy skin
Smashing and mixing the seed with some carrier oil like olive oil after filtering can be used to calm any soreness on the skin and alleviate symptoms of itching and dryness
Decoration and ornamentation
Many seeds collected together can be made into a wind chime to be put up in the house. Tiny holes can be carved into the seeds to make it into a nice tea-light candle holder to decorate the house. One can get more creative to make use of the seed in making pendants and necklaces for ornamentation
Massage stones
The seeds of avocado are hard and smooth and the perfect size of a home foot massaging hot stone. They can be rolled over the sole of the feet to release some tension, just as it is done in spas and salons
Avocados and avocado pit are packed with nutrients which have many beneficial health effects. The use of avocado in many cuisines is well established by now.
However, the use of pit is not popular world-wide and a lot of research is still being done on the seed and its properties. The seed, as of now, also has many uses – be it health benefits or cosmetic benefits or ornamentation.
Conclusion
The seed has to be completely dried and the outer brown covering has to be removed after which the seed can be used for edible or other purposes. The powder of the seed is bitter to taste and hence should be used in small quantities in salads, smoothies, soups, bread dough, yogurt topping and many other food dishes.
Since the seed is concentrated with many nutrients and beneficial compounds, even a small quantity can go a long way in imparting health benefits and preventing the development of many chronic reversible illnesses in the human body.
Sirisha B