‘Green Gold’, Millennial Food’, ‘Not so Green Greens’, and ‘Water Suckers’, are all negative connotations used to describe avocados in the media over the last few years. Now, when you say the word avocado, there are several images that come to mind. For some, it is the colour of 1970s wallpaper, but for most, it is the popular brunch staple of avocado on toast. Rising to popularity in recent years, avocados have faced their fair share of ‘bad press’. However, for this National Avocado Day, the World Avocado Organization de-bunks those avo-related myths and shows the avocado’s true colour…green.
‘Avocados aren’t actually that good for you’
Despite accusations concerning fat levels and calorie intake, avocados are actually amongst some of the most nutritious superfoods on the market. Avocados are very low in unhealthy saturated fats and are instead rich in healthy monosaturated fats, which help to reduce cholesterol levels and lower the risk of diseases such as diabetes and cardiovascular disease. They are also packed full of essential minerals and vitamins such as E, C, B1, B2, B3, B6 and B9, which all contribute significantly to our overall health and well-being. Half of an average Hass avocado contains around 20.4% of your suggested daily intake of B9, 20.4% of your suggested daily intake of vitamin K, and around 10% of your suggested daily intake of potassium, way more than that of a banana.
A study carried out by Phytotherapy Research* found that avocado consumption can lead to improved overall diet quality and reduce the risks of metabolic syndrome, whilst the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey* found that avocado consumption is associated with improved brain function and eye health in older adults.
Health experts recommend replacing foods high in saturated fats with foods high in unsaturated fats, such as avocados. Thanks to their high monounsaturated fat content, as well as containing a whole raft of other vital nutrients, avocados are the perfect food for those seeking to follow a healthier or plant-based diet. *Note to Editor: Please email George.wakely@marco.agency for links to or more information about the above studies.
‘Avocados have a huge carbon footprint’
Just like every other fruit and vegetable on the market, naturally, avocados have some level of carbon footprint. What is worth noting, however, is that avocados are far from being the worst in class. Despite being unjustly branded as ‘Not So Green Greens’, avocados have a relatively low carbon footprint compared to a lot of cupboard staples you may use on a more regular basis. Meats such as beef, lamb and pork have some of the highest carbon footprints of all food products, whilst products such as cheese and butter both have carbon footprints that almost triple that of the humble avocado.
The majority of avocados consumed in Europe and the UK are transported by ship from Latin America and Africa, which improves the avocado’s carbon footprint significantly. This is because sea freight greenhouse gas emissions are 25 times lower than vehicle transportation and a whopping 145 times lower than air freight.
Infographic credit: The World Avocado Organization
‘Avocados are a water-sucking crop, especially in countries with low volumes of rainfall’
The avocado’s global water footprint is far lower than other popular foods. Over the last 10 years, innovations in drip irrigation and water supply technologies have lowered the avocado’s water footprint considerably, and farmers are continuously looking for new techniques to make their water usage as efficient and sustainable as possible.
Infographic credit: The World Avocado Organization
A study commissioned by the UNESCO-IHE Institute for Water Education on the global average water footprint of different foods shows that avocados have a water footprint that is 13 times lower than that of beef and 14 times less than both chocolate and coffee.
In terms of irrigation, avocados grown in regions with high rainfall can be completely rainfed and require no irrigation whatsoever. However, where more added irrigated water is required, revolutionary advances in water supply technologies are constantly reducing the water footprint of production. One method is drip irrigation, where water is delivered directly to the soil in precise amounts and only when needed so that no water is wasted. Alternatively, there are digital agriculture technologies, which use agronomic algorithms, sensors, AI and the Cloud to monitor plants and supply the exact amount of water required.
‘Aren’t avocados partly to blame for deforestation?’
Unlike many crops which must be replanted each year, avocado trees continue to produce across their lifespan without the need for re-planting. In fact, there are actually 77-year-old avocado trees still in commercial production today, on the same spot they were planted back in 1946.
Avocado-growing countries have strict laws on deforestation and the protection of land. Drone and satellite technology are often used to monitor forests and prevent illegal deforestation. Globally, the four main products linked to deforestation are beef, palm oil, soy and logging, which account for 72% of tropical deforestation.
Suppliers to the UK and European markets are also audited for certification by several internationally recognised programmes for ethical and sustainable farming practices, including The Rainforest Alliance Sustainable Agriculture Standard, GLOBALG.A.P. and SMETA (Sedex Members Ethical Trade Audit).
So there you have it….
The myths around avocados are well and truly busted! So now you can sit down and enjoy your avocado on toast without having to wonder if what you’re doing is good for the planet and your body.
About the World Avocado Organization
The World Avocado Organization is a non-profit organisation founded in 2016 whose members are avocado growers, exporters and importers from around the world – including the top four grower supplier countries to the EU and UK. The World Avocado Organization promotes the consumption of avocados based on their nutritional value and recognised health benefits. It also shares information and insights on avocado production, supply chains and sustainability with the public. For more information, visit avocadofruitoflife.com.
For further information, please visit: https://avocadofruitoflife.com/en/avocados
