Definition: lawyer

With 138 kcal per 100 g, avocados are distinguished by their high unsaturated fatty acid content, which promotes healthy cardiovascular function and blood circulation in the body. They are therefore a much better source of energy than most other fresh fruits. Although the content varies greatly depending on the variety, on average there are 14 g of fat in half an avocado (100 g), which ranks it among the fattest fruits after nuts. However, as most of this fat is linoleic acid, it helps to lower the level of bad cholesterol in the blood. With 1.8 g, protein is well represented in avocado flesh, unlike carbohydrates, which are found in much lower proportions than in most other fruits. In terms of minerals, avocados are a great source of magnesium and, above all, potassium (550 mg per 100 g), which is beneficial for blood pressure. Similarly, phosphorus, iron, copper and zinc make this fruit a significant source of minerals and trace elements. Avocados are rich in vitamins, covering a large part of the recommended daily intake. These include vitamin C (11 mg per 100 g, the same as bananas), B vitamins and, above all, vitamin E, which has antioxidant properties that effectively combat ageing. It should be noted that avocados are regularly used in the manufacture of cosmetics, particularly for their regenerative effects on the scalp and skin.

Regardless of the variety, the yellow flesh of the avocado, which is neither sweet nor salty, has a slight nutty taste and a creamy, butter-like consistency when the fruit is ripe. Unlike most fruits, avocados do not ripen on the tree, but only once they have been harvested. Similarly, there is no point in looking at the colour of the skin to determine whether it is ripe. The only solution is to gently squeeze the skin to assess the texture of the flesh and thus the stage of ripeness. Unless you plan to eat it the same day, it is best to buy an avocado that is still firm and unblemished, so that you can leave it to ripen until the day you plan to eat it. If you want to speed up the ripening process, simply wrap the avocado in newspaper or place it in a fruit basket alongside apples or bananas, which naturally release ethylene. Conversely, to delay ripening by a good week, the avocado should be stored in the crisper drawer of the refrigerator. The yellow flesh of the avocado is sensitive to air and tends to oxidise and turn brown quickly. If this happens, simply sprinkle it with lemon juice, which is a very effective antioxidant. Avocados can also be frozen, but they must be puréed and, once again, sprinkled with lemon juice. If the skin is difficult to remove from the flesh, the trick is to warm the avocado in your hands for a few moments to make it easier to peel. Avocados are very rarely cooked and are therefore mainly eaten raw, either savoury or sweet, depending on where you are in the world. In France, they are generally eaten in salads with raw vegetables or as a starter with vinaigrette, but it is not uncommon to find them as an appetiser in the form of guacamole, the famous Mexican speciality made from mashed avocado. More exotically, avocados can also be enjoyed as a dessert, as in Brazil or the Philippines, accompanied by sugar, lemon or even cream.

The fruit of the avocado tree (Persea americana), a tree of the laurel and cinnamon family, the avocado is native to Central America, and more specifically to Mexico, where it was already being eaten by the Aztecs and Mayans 8,000 years ago.Imported to Europe by the Spanish in the^17th century, it took another 300 years for it to finally become a permanent fixture in French cuisine. Unlike in Europe, where it was considered a luxury product, avocados were so common in America that they were often referred to as "poor man's butter". Today, the avocados found on French market stalls come mainly from the West Indies, Africa, Australia, Israel and Spain, but also from Corsica, where there are several avocado plantations. There are more than a dozen varieties of avocado, including Fuerte, which is pear-shaped with thin, shiny skin, and Hass, which has black, rough skin. These are the most commonly consumed varieties in France.