The World Avocado Organisation has come up with a series of recipes to help consumers achieve their New Year health goals.
“With 2019 well underway, so is our continued commitment to our health. Whether you’re undertaking Veganuary, Dry January, or just looking to boost your nutrient intake this month, the avocado is versatile, delicious and nutritious – the go-to ingredient for a healthy start to the new year,” the WAO said.
Recipes include Mediterranean avocado hummus, a vegan alternative to the much-loved classic, and an avocado smoothie for those who have forsaken alcohol for the month.
The WAO is also encouraging consumers not to overlook the fruit’s stone, which it claims is packed with compounds that can help keep cancer, heart disease and viruses at bay.
“The husk can be peeled off the skin and incorporated into any dish, while the stones themselves can be grated like nutmeg to give a bitter twang to a variety of dishes and pack a punch of those all-important nutrients,” the organisation says.
The avocado can play an important role in boosting wellness outside the kitchen too. “With reports of incoming snow, your face will really benefit from a nourishing mask to counter the cold,” it says.
“Create a mask using avocado flesh for vitamin B and ‘good fats’ while the grated stone will give your skin that much-desired glow.”
Europe is one of the fastest growing avocado markets worldwide and is already the second largest market for imported avocados in the world, behind the US. It is expected to grow by at least 15 per cent per year over the next five years according to the WAO.
In 2018, Europe consumed almost 650,000 tonnes of avocados, a 35 per cent increase over the previous year. France was the largest market, followed by the UK.
