You’ve Been Throwing Away The Healthiest Part Of Your Avocado

You’ve Been Throwing Away The Healthiest Part Of Your Avocado. Graphic © herbshealthhappiness.com. Photo © AdobeStock 95004807 (under license)

From salad dressing and salads to dips and sandwiches, avocados have been enjoyed in countless dishes for years as we take advantage of their delicious taste and many health benefits. I like to mash and mix them with honey and cocoa to make a super healthy, all-natural chocolate pudding.

It’s well known that the avocado is a great source of healthy fats as well as other super nutrients. But what you may now know is that you’ve been throwing away the healthiest part of your avocado…. the stone.

The Avocado’s Inside Secret

Did you know that the seed holds 70% of the avocado’s antioxidants! And yet, for years, we’ve been tossing it into the trash without a second thought. Also, just as green tea has been praised for its cancer-fighting polyphenols, this hard, round avocado super-ball has been given the same distinguished praise. ^[1]

There’s more: it turns out that avocado seeds also have just as much beneficial soluble fiber as other top-rated fiber foods. Along with the soluble fiber, the antioxidants work in the digestive tract to promote optimal digestive health as well as suppress tumor growth. The healthy oils found in the heart of this fruit are a great resource for our skin. Its natural fat helps to keep skin and hair look young, smooth, and supple. In South America, people use the seed as a herbal remedy to treat gastrointestinal tract problems. It has also been used for inflammation and diarrhea. ^[2]

But How To Eat The Seed…?

It’s understandable why people discard the stone: It’s super hard. My dental plan would probably not cover the cost to repair my teeth after gnawing on a bowling ball-like seed, no matter what the health benefits would be! So let me offer you the technique to access the health benefits of the avocado seed: Make it into powder.

Start by drying out the seed on a sunny windowsill – or you can use a food dehydrator. After the avocado stone is thoroughly dry, chop(carefully!) the seed into four pieces. Then place the pieces in your food processor or blender and grind into a powder.

You can sprinkle the avocado seed powder directly on your food, your soups, salads, pasta, and anything else you would like. If you find the taste too bitter, I suggest adding it to a smoothie along with other fruits and veggies to mask its taste. One seed will give you enough powder for two smoothies. Another way to take in the goodness of the avocado seed is to make a tea. Simply place half of a seed in boiling water for 10 minutes or add one tablespoon of ground up seed powder to a cup of boiling water. ^[3]

Now that you know how powerful the avocado seed is, start collecting them and drying them out!