AVOCADOS FROM KENYA CAMPAIGN.
Benefits
When making avocado juice, the flavor of avocado is very subtle and is earthy, grassy, and nutty but fresh. Some people even describe it as buttery
You could even consider the avocados as” natures keto” starter since studies show it helps your body burn fat for fuel. Avocados may help you lose weight by keeping you fuller longer, but the weight loss benefit goes well beyond satiety
Avocados are high in fat with 60% of this being monounsaturated fats, which research suggests helps against heart disease and lower blood pressure.
The juice from avocado daily can help protect one’s eyesight
Many people think eating avocado is fattening due to its high-calorie content. However, avocado consists vv only of healthy fats. It offers an adequate amount of monounsaturated fatty acids (MUFA) to the body.
To achieve a healthy pregnancy, folate is essential. Avocados have significant amounts of nutrients. Its adequate and prescribed intake can reduce risks associated with miscarriage as well as neural tube defects. Moreover, the presence of Vitamin B6 also helps overcome morning sickness, nausea or vomiting and queasiness.
An essential nutrient for good bone health is Vitamin K; a quarter of the daily requirement of this vitamin can be obtained from only half an avocado. Eating a diet rich in Vitamin D, calcium and Vitamin K can maintain healthy bones since the latter helps in calcium absorption as well as decreasing urinary excretion of calcium.
Certain microbial activities such as those caused by Escherichia coli is a major reason for food poisoning. Avocados contain some substances that have an antimicrobial activity which can prevent infections and allergies.
Avocado fruit includes omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids that are beneficial for the growth of the fetus. it also has antioxidants that prevent cellular damage.
Carotenoids in avocado help reduce UV- induced inflammation of the skin. Its oil also assists against skin damage, there are also high levels of beta-carotene in avocados that help protect the skin from various damaging effects of the sun.
Regulated consumption of avocados also helps one to prevent bad breath. Avocados can easily cure indigestion causing. Also, antioxidant flavonoids present in this fruit kill the bacteria that cause bad breath. The potassium content fights tooth decay and cavities.
Avocado oil is used in the cosmetics industry and is growing largely in France and Germany where it is used in cleansing creams, moisturizers, skin care products, hair conditioners, lipstick, sun lotions, bath oils, and makeup bases. The oils are said to contain vitamins A, D, and E
Popular names of avocado
There are several different names for the fruit across the world. in many parts of India, people know avocados as “butter fruit”. In certain other parts of the world, the fruit is known in the local language by words that translate to the term ‘alligator pear’
Interesting recipes
Apart from offering amazing health benefits, avocado is also one of the most versatile and delicious ingredients that you can add to a variety of dishes. It is a fruit that combines various textures like the creaminess of the butter, vitamins, and minerals from fruits, and the protein from meat in addition to a distinctly nutty flavor.
Areas where avocados are grown in Kenya
Most of the Kenyan avocado farmers are found in Murang’a, Nyeri, Kiambu, Kisii, Meru, and the entire region of mount Kenya
Other regions where avocado farming is taking shape include Nandi, Bomet, Uasin Gishu, Trans-Nzoia, Bungoma, and Siaya counties.
Conditions necessary for growing Avocado
Avocado trees do best at moderately warm temperatures (60F to 85F) with moderate humidity
Once established, they can tolerate temperatures of around 28F to 32F with minimal damage
The Hass variety does well in altitudes between 1000m and 2000m. the fruits are usually bigger in cool areas as compared to warm areas.
Types of Avocados grown in Kenya.
Kenya provides an ideal environment for avocados especially due to the subtropical climates. African Avocados have gained recognition globally with the majority of exported avocados varieties being from South Africa and Kenya. Hass and Fuerte are the most exported varieties from Kenya
HassAvocados– The skin becomes dark when ripe. Ripeness can be determined by a gentle squeeze. They are served when the inside is white-green. This variety has an intense flavor and creamy flesh making it suitable for making guacamole. They take less time to mature and produce more yields.
Fuerte Avocados– This variety has a characteristic elongated form with glossy and thin skin. They have a bright green, loose, textured skin that is easy to peel. They do not soften and hence hard to determine when they are ripe. They have a low-fat content and calorie count compared to Hass avocados. They are mainly used to make salads since they can be easily sliced and diced.
Kienyeji Avocados– Compared to hass avocado, local avocados are larger in size and have a low-fat content. For instance, 3 slices of kienyeji avocado contain about 3 gramms of fat while hass avocado contains 4.6gramms. They take a couple of years to mature and some can even take a decade.
Why hass Avocado is preffered
The demand of hass avocado in the local and international markets has been increasing over the years due to;
Greater yield. The hass plant is prefered for its long harvest season and hence more revenue to the farmers
Long shelf life. The fruit skin have a tough skin which helps in minimizing damaging of fruits during transportation. Compared to other varieties, they have a longer shelf life and can last up to 3 weeks from time of harvest. Thus makes shipment and handling convenient.
Health benefits. Unlike other varieties, they have more health benefits. For instance, they contain oleic acid which helps in fighting inflammation in the body and protects against diabetes and heart diseases. Also they contain antioxidants and important mineral such as carotenoids, copper and Vitamin K.
