Avocado: Also known as the alligator pear

Avocado is a dicotyledonous plant from the Ranales order and the Lauraceae family. It was classified as Persea gratissima by Gaertner, and Persea americana by Miller.

The avocado (Persea americana) is a tree national to Central America and Mexico and commercially valuable and are cultured in humid and Mediterranean climates throughout the world. Persea name has been came from ancient Greek name of an Egyptian tree with sweet fruits originated probably from Perseus.

The avocado originated in Central America and southern Mexico. Based on archaeological evidence found in Tehuacán, Puebla (Mexico), it is believed that it appeared approximately 12 000 years ago. It has been determined that the centre of origin of this fruit is the central part of Mexico, passing through Guatemala to Central America.

Avocado trees are moderately self-pollinating and frequently are propagated from end to end grafting to maintain a predictable quality and quantity of the fruit.

The fruit is called ‘Ahuacatl’ by the Aztecs and from there derived the term ‘avocado’, ‘aguacate’ (in Spanish), ‘avocat’ (in French) and ‘abacate’ (in Portuguese).

Avocado is also known as the alligator pear, due to its shape and the leather-like appearance of its thick skin. Avocado is an energetic fruit with high nutritional value and is considered a major tropical fruit, since it is rich in protein and contains fat-soluble vitamins lacking in other fruits, including Vitamins A and B, and median levels of vitamins D and E. The percentage of carbohydrates is not high compared with that of many other fruits, because the avocado contains almost no sugar.

Avocado is cultivated in all tropical and subtropical regions in the world for its delicious and highly nutritious fruit. The leaves are 6-30 cm in length and 3.5-19 cm in wide and narrow to broadly elliptical in shape. They are constantly pubescent and reddish when young. When they mature, becoming smooth, leathery and dark green. Its fruit is consumed as food.
Avocado: Also known as the alligator pear 

The history of avocado fruit

Avocados are the chief ingredient in "guacamole". The Aztec depended on the avocado as a staple in their diet and gave it a name based on the fact that its shape is similar to the male anatomy – ‘ahuacatl’ or ‘testicles.’

The fruit was early recorded in Mayan and Aztec picture writing from 290 BC.

It was first recorded in English in 1697. The English name of avocado, is a modification of the Spanish name, ‘aguacate’ or ‘ahuacate’ which derived from the word ‘ahuacatl’.

Avocados are also referred to as the Alligator Pear because of there shape and leathery skin.

Avocados are the fruit from a tall evergreen tree called the Persea Americana, there are many different varieties of avocado and they generally fit into three main categories, the West Indian, the Guatemalan and the Mexican which all differ in size and flavour.

Domestication and selection of this crop have gone on in Mexico for a period of 10,000 years. Ancestors of cultivated avocados were utilized as a food by hunter gatherer as early as 8000 BC.

The Spanish invaders reported finding avocados growing from northern Mexico though Central America and down into South America, where they had been cultivated since 8000 BC.

Avocado were then introduced to Jamaica sometime in the mid seventeenth century. When the English arrived in Jamaica, they called the avocado alligator pear.

They are not introduced to the United States until the early 20th century, when they were first planted in California and Florida.  
The history of avocado fruit

Healthy benefits of avocado

The attractiveness of the avocado as a subsistence and modern food is due to good vitamin and mineral content, high energy content derived principally from mono-unsaturated fats, and good supply of soluble and insoluble fibers, all of which make it one of the most nutritious fruit available.

Avocado contains a monosaturated fat called oleic acid, this is believed to lower total and LDL cholesterol levels and promote the good HDL cholesterol, it also protects against breast cancer.

Avocados can help to protect against high blood pressure, heart disease and stroke because of they have a high content of the mineral potassium which guards against these diseases. Avocado also high in iron and magnesium.

The high concentration of carotenoids and tocopherols within avocados are known to protect against prostrate cancer. The Aztecs used the avocado for its aphrodisiac qualities and believed or could improve sexual prowess when consumed.

There was unconfirmed reports tell about the successful use of avocado an an aphrodisiac by lower Amazon Basin who prefer the fruit to more readily available marijuana. Half of an average size avocado contains about 180 calories and can be used in salads, dips, garnishes, soups sandwiches or just eaten plain with a fork or spoon.  
Healthy benefits of avocado