This will be the tenth consecutive celebration of California Avocado Month. Let’s take a look at some fun facts about one of our favorite foods:
- An avocado is not a vegetable. It is considered to be a single-seeded berry, so that makes it a fruit.
- Avocados are thought to have originated in the highland regions of south-central Mexico to Guatemala. There is evidence that avocados were cultivated in Mexico as early as 500 BC.
- Mexico is (by far) the largest producer of avocados, followed by the Dominican Republic, and Peru.
- California is the number one producer of avocados in the US. In 2021, California produced 135.5 thousand tons, followed by Florida at 14.6 thousand tons.
- The “Hass” variety of avocado was started in La Habra Heights, by a postal carrier named Rudolph Hass. He purchased a seed from a nursery in Whittier and planted it in is new orchard. The avocados from his new tree were black, rough, and he was ready to cut the tree down. Fortunately, his kids talked him out of it because they really liked the taste of these avocados. He later patented the “Hass” avocado in 1935. Today, about 80% of all the avocados consumed worldwide are of the “Hass” variety!
- Did you know that an avocado has a higher level of potassium than a banana? This may be a good reason to start drinking “green” smoothies.
- More avocados are consumed on Super Bowl Sunday than on any other day of the year!
Miley Cyrus has an avocado tattooed on her left arm. While I like eating avocados, I don’t think I’d go that far. I’ll just settle for a bowl of chips and some fresh guacamole!
