Avocado is a very common fruit in Nigeria sold in fruit shops and can be eaten alone or added to salads, sandwiches, bread as well as rice. Usually, just the pulp is used in food preparation, but the seed or pit of avocado is much richer in nutrition and it has a long history in traditional medicine. In this report, VICTOR OKEKE writes on the benefits of the avocado seed

Avocados are also called alligator pears because of their shape and wrinkly green skin. These names are sometimes melded into ‘avocado pear.’ The avocado has long been used as a preventative remedy for high cholesterol and heart disease. It is also popular for lowering blood pressure because of its high levels of potassium and foliate, which help to regulate blood pressure and protect the body against heart diseases.

The avocado fruit also provide a number of practical and medicinal uses in addition to being highly nutritious component of a healthy diet. Avocado skins offer antibiotic and anti-parasitic benefits, and the leaves can be made into a poultice to speed wound healing or prepared as tea to treat sore throat and diarrhea. However, avocado seeds offer a wide range of benefits too.

According to a study by group researchers from the department of Biochemistry, Bayero University Kano, the findings of their study may indicate anti-diabetic effects of avocado seed extracts which may be due to certain mineral elements and chemicals, and an increase in body weight due to high nutrient content of the seed. In all, avocado seeds may be of beneficial effect to diabetic patients.

Antimicrobial:

Avocado seed might offer natural antibiotic and antifungal benefits, according to a recent study published in 2009. In the test tube study, avocado seed extracts prevented a variety of disease causing agents from developing including fungi and mosquito.

Antioxidants:

A lot of antioxidant properties in avocado seed might make avocado seed extract useful as a healthy food additive or antioxidant supplement according to a study published recently in the Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry. These antimicrobial properties of avocado seed might also health prevent food spoilage because it is high in antioxidant compound. Studies have shown that avocado seed extracts protected against oxidation of fats and protein in prepared meats, and moderately prevents the growth of disease causing bacteria.h

Cholesterol-lowering:

Avocado seed lowered cholesterol levels and may protect against arterial plaque formation based on a study published in the Journal of Plant Foods in Human Nutrition. Researchers attributed the cholesterol-lowering benefits to the seeds high dietary fibre content which lowers cholesterol levels by binding cholesterol in the intestinal tract and preventing absorption.

Food Dye:

An orange pigment that forms when avocado seed is crushed shows potential as a food colourant. Researchers noted that the pigment, which was stable in a range of pH and temperature conditions, might satisfy public demand for safe, natural alternatives to synthetic food dyes.

Digestive Remedies:

The avocado seed is helpful in treating dysentery and diarrhea. Dysentery is a disorder of the digestive tract that results in both colon and intestinal inflammation. It often causes diarrhea and more serious problems. The crushed avocado seed is traditionally used to cure these diseases.

Soluble Fibre:

Medical experts believe that avocado seed is among the highest naturally-occuring sources of soluble fibre. This form of fibre is beneficial to heart disease patients as it helps lower cholesterol levels. While oatmeal is one of the most significant sources of soluble fibre in conventional diet, avocado seed has considerably more of this important compound.

By Victor Okeke

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