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Avocados Delivery or Pickup
The Instacart guide to avocados
About avocados
Avocados have made their way into everyone's diets. This incredibly popular fruit originally came from South Central Mexico. Avocados grow on trees and are classified as berries. The trees are self-pollinating and can be propagated through grafting techniques to predict quality and quantity.
Avocados grow in tropical and Mediterranean climates in several countries. However, the most common place to find avocados is in Mexico. They are believed to have originated in Puebla, Mexico, though that belief had been challenged by fossils found in many other areas. Avocados eventually spread to Central America and South America. Spanish explorers encountered avocados in Colombia in the 15th century and brought the fruit back to Spain, spreading within Europe. Avocado trees were first planted in the United States in 1833 in Florida and were later planted in California and Hawaii.
The name "avocado" was formally accepted by the California Avocado Association in 1915, though the word had long been in use.
Avocados come in two varieties, domestic and native. Domestic avocados are the ones we typically find in grocery stores. Native avocados generally have dark black skin with a large seed. They are also smaller than the typical grocery-store avocado.
How to choose an avocado
When you're choosing an avocado, there are a few features you want to look for. Keep these in mind as you look for the perfect avocado for your dinner or guacamole.
- Color: Ripe avocados have almost black skin, while avocados that are not quite ready have light green skin.
- Taste: The flesh of an avocado should be rich and buttery with a smooth texture.
- Texture: The outside of a ripe avocado will be bumpy to the touch, while a green avocado will have smoother skin.
- Firmness: Softly pressing on the skin can tell you how ripe an avocado is. Ripe avocados will squish in more easily, while green avocados will not buckle as quickly under the pressure of your finger. However, if an avocado is too ripe, you may find dents and mushy flesh on the interior of the fruit.
Following these guidelines, you can then go forward with the three steps to picking the perfect avocado.
How to preserve avocados
Even though you will likely purchase multiple avocados at once, it's unlikely that you will eat them all at once. It's best to get a mix of green and ripe avocados, so you have some to eat now and some for later on in the week. To keep your avocados fresh, you need to store them properly. If your avocados are already nice and ripe, put them into the refrigerator. In there, they will keep fresh for up to 3 days.
Green avocados can live on your counters for a couple of days before they become ripe to eat. Do not leave them out for more than 5 days. You may miss your window of opportunity, or you may need to make a big batch of guacamole.
Avocados Near Me
Buy your favorite Avocados online with Instacart. Order Bacon Avocado, Cocktail Avocado, Florida Avocado, and more from local and national retailers near you and enjoy on-demand, contactless delivery or pickup within 2 hours.
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FAQs about avocados
There are many health benefits to eating avocados. Avocados contain almost 20 different vitamins and minerals. These are known to assist with digestion improvement, lower depression risks, and protect from cancer.
Avocados also are great for your heart, vision, and osteoporosis prevention. Avocados also contain folate, which aids in ensuring healthy pregnancies and healthy babies. Their many properties have also been shown to mitigate the risks of chronic diseases such as stroke, hypertension, and diabetes.
While avocados are an incredibly healthy fruit, there are some drawbacks to eating them every day. Some people are allergic to avocados. Eating one may cause them to have a rash, severe swelling, itching, or eczema. It increases serum IgE levels in your body and can cause problems for those who have latex allergies.
Besides allergies, avocados have a few other health side effects. It acts as a natural blood thinner. If you are on blood-thinning medication, you may want to be careful with your avocado intake. While avocado contains healthy fat, if you consume enough avocado, you may begin to gain weight.