Avocado Nutrition information, tips and advice

Unlike most fruits, avocados start to ripen only after they're picked. As they sit in the produce section at the market, getting jostled and squeezed by prospective customers, the softer, riper fruits may develop bruised spots. These unpalatable bruises are hard to detect from the outside, especially on the common Hass variety, which turn black as they ripen. Reduce the chance of blemishes by buying a firm avocado and letting it ripen undisturbed in your kitchen. When you get home, place the avocado in a paper bag and keep it at room temperature; it will ripen in two to five days. You can add an apple to the bag to hurry the process. A ripe avocado yields to gentle pressure but is still somewhat firm. One that feels soft may very well be overripe and brown inside. If your avocado is ready to eat before you are, put it in the refrigerator where it should keep for a few days.