Give some well-deserved love to avocados, the fruit (it’s actually a berry!) that is overused but under appreciated.
Here’s why:
1. Avocado can be used as a baking substitute for butter in everything from cookies to brownies to offset all that bad fat and sugar. We recommend substituting half of the butter in a recipe with mashed avocado (any more and your treats could come out flat). Speaking of sweet treats, it can also be used for no-bake desserts like avocado cheesecake, avocado ice cream and avocado crème brulee!
Photo by Gabby Phi
2. Avocado fats help keep inflammation under control, help increase our absorption of fat-soluble nutrients and can lower the risk of heart disease. It is the only fruit that contains monounsaturated fat: the good kind of fat. An avocado also has more potassium than a single banana (twice as much, in fact).
Photo by Gabby Phi
3. It’s versatile. Avocados are smooth and creamy, rich but not sweet, and they typically taste fresh and distinctively earthy. They can be eaten raw, mashed, salty, sweet, chopped over salad, topped on tacos, used as a dip, spread in a burger or blended in a smoothie.
Photo by Gabby Phi
Bonus tip: Avocado popsicles are easy and delicious—take lime juice, ½ avocado, a few drops of honey and 1 cup of milk and freeze.
So here’s to the fruit packed with nutrients and potential, making recipes and eating healthy easier for college students one pit at a time.