The avocado is a fruit that has earned its place in our kitchen. Its great versatility and creamy texture have made us eat it alone, incorporate it in salads and even add it to our desserts. This fruit is here to stay. The problem is that once opened it doesn’t last long and turns black straight away. Traditional tricks, like plastic wrap or lemon juice, can work, although they don’t guarantee that our avocado will stay as good as the first day.
For this, there is a surefire remedy that will keep our avocado fresh for longer. We will only need olive oil. Always versatile, liquid gold is traditionally used as a preservative. It is a natural preservative that acts in the same way as honey, for example. Prevents food spoilage by isolating it from the outside. Thanks to its density, it seals our food and keeps it safe from aerial attacks. In the case of avocado, it very effectively prevents oxidation.
To preserve the avocado in olive oil, simply spread the fruit with the oil. Apply it generously and leave the avocado on a plate so it doesn’t leak. If you don’t want the taste from the fridge to stick to it, wrap it in plastic wrap as well. This will allow your avocado to last longer than day one.
Why does the avocado turn black?
After hours of opening, the avocado undergoes an oxidation process similar to that of the apple. Although avocado is made up mainly of vegetable fats, it also has phenolic groups – also called plant alcohols –. These are released when the fruit splits in two and comes into contact with oxygen.
It is precisely this oxidation process, although it gives the fruit an unappetizing appearance, but it protects the properties of the avocado from external elements. The protection provided by phenols when they are oxidized transforms them into quinones, with bactericidal action, which prevents the avocado from rotting.
How to find a good lawyer
Preventing your avocado from going bad is something you can do before it arrives at your home. When you buy an avocado, there are some signs that it is ripe, hard, or soggy. An avocado at its ripe point will last longer opened and you will be able to enjoy it more while eating it.
- Do not handle them: we recommend that you avoid touching them too much. It’s a delicate fruit that spoils easily, so if you touch it too much it can become soft. It is true that logic tells us that we must touch fruits and vegetables to check their state of ripeness, but this is not ideal in the case of avocado. If you still prefer to check the condition of the avocado by touch, pay attention to how the skin reacts when you squeeze very gently. If it gives a little, it’s ripe; If nothing gives way, it takes time.
- The color of the stem: the key to checking the ripeness of an avocado lies in the stem. You will see that the avocado has a small tail. It can be easily removed by pushing it with your finger. The key is in the color of the avocado under the stem. If the stem comes out easily and the color under the branch is yellowish, we have a perfectly ripe avocado. If the color is dark, the avocado will be stale, so you should avoid buying it.
What to do with a black lawyer
Let’s say this advice comes to you late and your lawyer has already gone dark. If so, you don’t have to throw it away. Keep in mind that the flavor, texture and properties will have changed, but it will still be safe for consumption. If the avocado has a strong odor, is moldy, or you suspect it is in bad condition, throw it away immediately.
If it is just oxidized, but you do not want to eat it as is, you can always add it to your creams or desserts:
- Avocado smoothie: clean an avocado, a banana and three handfuls of dates and mix them with a glass and a half of cold milk. You will have a nutritious and delicious smoothie in just a few minutes. The banana will add flavor to the mixture.
- Yogurt and Avocado: If you want a quick snack, you can always mash your avocado with a fork and mix it with sweet yogurt and a little honey. You’ll barely notice the avocado in the mix, and it will be like you’re enjoying regular yogurt but much more nutritious.
How to Store Avocados
When we see an avocado, we instinctively think to put it in the refrigerator. The same thing happens with other equally delicate fruits, such as grapes, cherries or strawberries. This keeps them as the day we bought them.
However, if our lawyer is tough, leaving it out is the best option. Outside they will finish ripening and we will protect the fruit. If you want to speed up the process, the rest of the fruits you have at home can be your best allies. Bananas or apples release ethylene, a key compound in fruit ripening. This gas is very present in apples and bananas, so if you store the avocado next to these two fruits you can speed up the ripening process. If you want to make the process even more efficient, wrap the fruit in newspaper.
If, on the other hand, you don’t want your avocados to ripen, be careful where you put them in your refrigerator and avoid them congregating or sharing a drawer with fruits that release ethylene.
