Products
Avocados
History
The origin of the avocado goes all the way back to 1500 b. c. Mexico, where it was grown and consumed by the Aztecs. The fruit was later also discovered in Peru. From Peru, the Spanish took the seeds with them to Spain and started cultivating avocado there. The first avocado’s have been planted and cultivated in the Southern part of Spain, Andalusia. At that time the fruit was called “peras de las islas” which translates into “pears of the islands”. The name avocado comes from the Spanish word “aguacate” which originates from the Aztec word “ahuacatl” which means “testicle of the tree”. Yes, you’ve read that right. It is believed that this name comes either from the shape of the avocado or the fact it was considered to possess aphrodisiac qualities by the Aztecs. A difficult word which basically means that Aztecs believed the avocado contained something which made them want to, uhm, make a lot of love.
Cultivation
The avocado tree can reach a height of up to 20 meters, however, when grown they restrain the trees to grow not higher than 6 or 7 meters approximately. This to facilitate the practices of phytosanitary control (the prevention and cure of the diseases of plants or related to it), harvest, pruning and foliar fertilization. The avocado tree has a thick trunk with elongated leaves that end in a tip on the upper part of the trunk. It has several ramifications, which generate a dense foliage with intense green leaves and shares a certain characteristic with the laurel because it is also a perennial tree, which is why it is cultivated all year round.
Variety
There are a lot of different varieties of avocados but the one you are most familiar with is the Hass variety. The Hass avocado comes from natural drafting and thanks its name to its developer Rudolph Hass. Another variety which is mainly grown in Mexico is called Mendez. Mendez avocado is very similar to Hass. This avocado ripens quicker than the Hass variety. It has the same taste and texture as the Hass avocado.
Health
Few of the many reasons why you should include avocado to your diet is for its high content of omega 3, reducing cholesterol and stress levels, controlling of blood pressure, preventing malformations during pregnancy, protection against cancer, cleansing the intestines and its fantastic properties for the skin. As it contains magnesium and high levels of potassium, it contributes to the proper functioning of the nervous and muscular system. Avocado also contains several groups of vitamins including A, C and D, which the body doesn’t store very well. By eating an avocado on a daily basis your body maintains the right level of these vitamins. It also contains fiber that prevents constipation and regulates blood sugar.