by Yoli Ouiya and J. Lucas, contributing writer

I eat avocados at least 2-3 times a week. I love them… and guess what…. they are great for you. Avocados are one of the healthiest fats you can consume. One friend liked my guacamole so much during the summer of 2006, I got the nickname Yoli Guacamole. I have a particular bias for Hass avocados; they are rich, creamy, and o so tasty.

Nutrients
The following is the latest nutrition information for California Avocados based on our 2007 nutrition analysis which was done using the USDA and FDA 30g/1 oz. serving size (1/5th of a medium avocado):

Good Fats

• [1] California Avocados are one of the few fruits that provide good fats, containing 0.5g Poly and 3g Mono per 1 oz. serving
• [2] 50 Percent of avocado’s fat content comes from monounsaturated fats

Zero Cholesterol & Sodium

• [3] California Avocados are naturally cholesterol and sodium free

General Nutrients

• [4] A 1 oz serving (1/5th of medium avocado) of avocado has 50 calories
• [5] Due to their mono and polyunsaturated fat content, avocados are a great substitution for foods rich in saturated fat.
• [6] According to the American Heart Association, mono and polyunsaturated fats, when consumed in moderation and eaten in place of saturated or trans fats, can help reduce blood cholesterol levels and decrease risk for heart disease. Avocados are one of the few fruits fruit that provide good fats, poly and monounsaturated fats.

Nutrient Dense and contains essential vitamins, minerals and phytonutrients:

• [7] Eating nutrient dense foods is one of the healthiest ways to eat. Nutrient density is a measure of the amount of nutrients a food contains in comparison to the number of calories. California Avocados are naturally nutrient dense containing the following key nutrients:

Benefits
Oleic acid, a monounsaturated fat, are in avocados and have been shown to lower cholesterol and provide protection against oral and breast cancer. Adding Avocados to a dish like a salad or a raw vegetable medley will increase your body’s ability to absorb carotenoids from other vegetables. Most carotenoids have antioxidant activity and boost your immune system.

How to Pick and Store Them
A good and ready ripe avocado should be slightly soft and with a little green color left, without blemishes such as really dark soft spots. I always test the base of the avocado to tell if it is ready; if the base is hard, it is not quite ready. I have had the occasional experience of getting bad avocados. If it is really soft, 1. smell the avocado; if it has a funky odor, say bye bye avo. and 2. depending on where you are shopping, I have asked an employee to open the avocado if it was questionable, even at my local bodega/fruit stand. Your buying it anyways if it is a keeper!

Do not store unripened avocados in the fridge. Store them on your counter top or if you want to ripen them quickly, store in a brown paper bag. Sometimes you can use fruits like bananas or apples to speed up the process. I am wary of using that sometimes because I have noticed sometimes the avocado will not ripen evenly. If you have left over avocados, please be aware they do oxidize (essentially the flesh starts to turn from green to dark brown)! For avocado pieces or even mashed, make sure to add lime or lemon juice as it slows down the oxidizing process.

Coupon :: Click HERE to Save $1.00 on two (2) large Fresh California Avocados

Coupon :: Click HERE to Save $1.50 on four (4) large Fresh California Avocados
Use a california zip code in order for the coupon to appear. And these are only applicable on Californian grown avocados.

Conventional Avocados are on sale right now at Whole Foods 2 for $3.

Sea Vegetables also know as algae and seaweed are a world food of goodness. Some of the more recognizable types of seaweed are nori, hijiki, laver, wakame, kombu, and dulse.

Because of various heavy metals that have polluted water over the years, including arsenic being present in many sources of seaweed, make sure you purchase certified organic seaweed. A few trusted brands include: Maine Coast Sea Vegetables, Eden Foods, and Emerald Cove. You can find any of these brands at a local health food store or co-op. The 4th Street Food Co-op in NYC for example sells many of these seaweeds in bulk.

Most seaweeds are dehydrated and packaged; they just require a few minutes of soaking and a good thorough rinse.

Nutrients
1/4 cup of sea veggies (algae) provide over 270% of daily iodine needed, vit k, folate, magnesium, calcium, iron, and vit B, and lignans (a phytonutrient show to have cancer-inhibitors).

Benefits
They are noted for supporting healthy thyroid function, a preventative for cardiovascular diesease and birth defects, have an-inflammatory properties, and relief for menopausal symptoms.*

Recipe
Deconstructed Sushi Salad :: In honor of National Salad Month
3 servings

Salad
(ingredients are always organic unless noted otherwise :: conventional avocados can be used :: sea vegetables MUST be organic)
1 head green leaf or romaine lettuce, washed and chopped
1 1/2 cups cooked brown rice, cooled to room temperature (optional)
2 large avocados, sliced horizontally in thin slices
1/2 cup soaked hijiki or wakame **
3 raw nori sheets**

Dressing
1/4 cup hemp oil
2 tablespoon toasted sesame oil
2 tablespoon tamari
1 tsp powdered ginger
1/4 tsp cayenne pepper
juice of half lemon (or 2 tablespoons rice vinegar)

Preparation
Mix all the dressing ingredients and place to the side.
Assemble on plate in the following order (layered) – 1 large handful lettuce, 1/2 cup rice, 1/3 of avocado slices, and 2 heaping tablespoons of hijiki. Drizzle salad dressing over salad. With culinary scissors or hands, cut/tear 1 nori sheet into shreds and place on top of salad.

** Hijiki, wakame, and nori are all sea vegetables. You can find them at your local health food store.

* whfoods :: sea vegetables