Avocados seem to be all the rage the last several years. They are becoming even more popular with the rise of special diets like keto and vegan diets. They are not only great on toast, in sushi, and in smoothies, but they are also used to tons of beauty products and regimens as well. 

Something that has become quite popular on instagram lately is a burger using avocado halves for the “buns” and topping it with poppy or sesame seeds. I asked my daughter who loves to draw to make a cute little picture of one of these avocado burgers :)

  Avocados are EVERYWHERE these days:

• 42 million guacamole results on Google
• 7.75 pounds: the average number of pounds of avocados Americans eat in a year--compared to 1 pound in 1990!
• 8.9 #avocado posts on Instagram
• 64 million avocado-recipe boards on Pinterest

History of the Hass Avocado. 

The Hass avocado is by far the most popular variety used today. Did you know that Hass avocados make up 95 percent of avocados grown in California, which in turn grows 90 percent of all the avocados in the United States? However, it’s origins were very humble.

The Fuerte used to be the most sought after variety because of its smooth green skin. Then, in 1926, a postman named Rudolph Hass planted a few seedlings from Guatemala in his rural Los Angeles county backyard. He planned to graft them in with Fuerte, but when those grafts didn’t take, he ignored the trees in his backyard. Years later, his children told him how delicious the avocados were in his backyard. He patented the Hass avocado in 1935, and growers, who liked the hardier skin and longer harvest season, started a marketing campaign to entice the public to try them. Rudolph Hass wasn’t able to reap the rewards because the Hass avocado did not become very popular until the 1970’s. If Hass was alive today, he would be very rich!

Fun Facts About Avocados in California:

• There are over 5 million avocado trees in California
• There are 7 varieties grown commercially in California
• 12-18: the number of months it takes to grow a California avocado
• California avocado trees can produce up to 200 avocados in a year
• The heaviest avocado ever recorded weighed 5 lbs., 8 oz.
• Most of the avocados in California are grown near the coast from San Diego to Monterey. Hass avocado trees bloom in the spring, setting the fruit that will be harvested the following spring and summer. Mature fruits can stay on the tree for up to a year (avocados don’t ripen till picked), but most are harvested March through September.

There are so many health benefits in avocados and they are such a cool food because they work beautifully in sandwiches and salads, but also can replace saturated fats in baked goods.

Here are a few awesome health benefits in avocados:

• Have a lot of fiber--one third of an avocado contains 3 grams!
• Contain antioxidants like vitamins C, E and lutein.
• Lutein is linked with improved cognition--the brain-bolstering lutein is absorbed particularly well from avocado.
• The healthy fats in avocado can help boost the body’s ability to absorb fat-soluble vitamins, such as A, K, E and D.
• Can lower your LDL, or bad cholesterol
• Contain about 250 milligrams of potassium per serving (one third of an avocado)

What are your favorite ways to use avocado? Another fun side question--did you ever have a kitchen with any avocado colored appliances? :) The 70’s were all about the avocado colors!