Avocados – Don’t Throw the Pip Away, Eat It

• Avocado seed or pip is the most nutritious part of the fruit.
• Avocado seed can be used in smoothies, tea, salads, dips and sauces.
• The pip is high in antioxidants and fiber.

Avocadoes are one of the most nutritious foods around. ‘Avo’ is good for weight loss, healthy skin and hair, balanced blood sugar levels, increased nutrient absorption and digestive health. However, most folk are not aware that the seed or pip is the most nutritious part of the fruit.

Prepare your avocado seed by dehydrating in an oven at 120 degrees for two hours. Remove the thin course outer shell and discard. You are left with the nutritious soft inner seed that can be easily diced, chopped or blitzed in a blender. Avocado seed can be used in smoothies, tea, salads, dips, stews and sauces. The seed has a slightly bitter taste so avoid using in light or sweet dishes.

Avocado seeds are a rich source of antioxidants; in fact they contain around 70% of the fruit’s total antioxidant content. A 2013 report published in the journal Current Pharmaceutical Design indicates that the phenolic compounds and antioxidants in the fruit may be the reason that avocado seed has so many health benefits.

The avocado seed is also among the best sources of soluble fiber in the diet, according to many health experts. Along with maintaining healthy cholesterol levels, soluble fiber balances blood sugar levels, meaning avocado seeds can help you avoid those peaks and dips in energy frequently experienced after eating a carbohydrate-rich meal. Fiber rich foods are also hugely important in improving your levels of satiety and staving off hunger pangs.

The seed can also lower high cholesterol levels. Researchers believe that this benefit come from the seed’s antioxidant content and high percentage of fiber. Dr. Tom Wu, who has earned awards from the United Nations for his work with diabetes and cancer, recommends heart disease patients eat avocado seed for their soluble fiber which binds to the fat and excess cholesterol.

For many years, avocado seeds have held an important place in traditional American Indian medicine, particularly in terms of their impact on digestive health – the seeds have been used to treat digestive problems like gastric ulcers, dysentery, constipation and diarrhea.

Although these aren’t proven benefits of avocado seeds, their high fiber content, antimicrobial powers and levels of antioxidants mean it can’t hurt to add some to your diet to see if your digestion improves. After all, our digestive system is essential to our overall health – especially as it houses around 80% of our immune system.

Antioxidants, like those found in avocado seeds, are one of the body’s best weapons against inflammation. These help to quell the inflammatory response and reduce pain and swelling.

So, don’t throw the pip away, eat it.

Author: Bryan Groenendaal