10 Things You Should Know - a look at the popular avocado

September 22, 2014
Flavor Ingredients Snacks Trends Vegetables


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1. Avocado’s creamy, dense texture make it a great substitute for spreads like mayo, butter and cream cheese. The exchange also reduces saturated fat and calories while boosting fiber.  | Cooking Light


2. Avocado varieties: Hass is one of the most popular varieties. It has pebbly texture, is known for having a longer shelf life and skin that turns almost black when ripe. Fuerte have thin, smooth skin and are known for their great taste. Zutano are recognized for their shiny, yellow-green skin and are known for being a fall avocado available early September through the beginning of winter.  | californiaavocado.com


3. Avocados offer health benefits. They contain monounsaturated fat that can help promote brain development, healthy oil which can aid in lowering cholesterol and soluble fiber which is effective for appetite control. The Superfruit contains 20 vitamins, minerals and phytonutrients including potassium and vitamin B and is rich in omega-3s which has been shown to improve memory and reaction time by as much as 20%.  | parenting.com, Food Lover’s Companion


4. Add avocado to your afternoon. According to a study from Nutritional Journal, adults who ate half of an avocado at lunch decreased their appetites by 40% and stayed satisfied for up to 5 hours.


5. A variety of avocado dessert pins were spotted on Pinterest including Coconut Avocado Ice Cream, Chocolate Avocado Pudding, Double Chocolate Avocado & Zucchini Bread, Chocolate Avocado Truffles, Coconut & Avocado Grasshopper Bars and Avocado Lime Cheesecake Tart.


6. Top 10 avocado global flavor pairings: Avocado Hummus, Avocado Guacamole, Avocado Garlic, Avocado Cream Cheese, Avocado Spice, Avocado Lime, Avocado Olive Oil & Hummus, Avocado Mango, Avocado Pepper and Avocado Tomato.  | Mintel GNPD


7. More than 2,592 recipes appear on Food.com when searching for avocado with a variety of recipes ranging from breakfast items and main dishes to snacks and dips. Some examples include Avocado Mango Salsa, Lemon Swordfish with Avocado Butter, Avocado & Feta Omlet and Sweet Potato Fries with Avocado Dip.


8. Choose avocado to boost energy. Martha Stewart magazine features interesting flavor combinations for pick-me-up avocado smoothies. Avocado-Almond Blast combines avocado, banana, chopped cabbage, almonds and coconut water. Avocado Smoothie featuring avocado, lemon juice, honey, ginger and 1 cup of fresh mango. Spicy Watercress Twist includes avocado, diced mango, cucumber, watercress, lemon juice, topped with sea salt and cayenne pepper. 


9. Avocado’s rich nutrients make it a little green giant in personal care items. It contains skin-protecting vitamin E, lutein for healthy eyes, and is popular as a moisturizing ingredient. Crabtree & Evelyn Avocado Olive & Basil Lotion, The City Farm’s Avocado Soap and Burt’s Bees Avocado Butter Pre-Shampoo Treatment are all rich in avocado oil.  | Rachael Ray, burtsbees.com.


10. Avocados are native to mexico and Central America but 80% of today’s U.S. crop is grown in California. The fruit is previously known as “alligator pear” and is loved for its buttery texture and mild, nutlike flavor.  | Food Lover’s Companion


Download this special edition of 10 Things You Should Know here!


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FONA CAN HELP!


Let FONA’s market insight and research experts translate these trends into product category ideas for your brand. They can help you with concept and flavor pipeline development, ideation, consumer studies and white space analysis to pinpoint opportunities in the market. Our flavor and product development experts are also at your service to help meet the labeling and flavor profile needs for your products to capitalize on this consumer trend. We understand how to mesh the complexities of flavor with your brand development, technical requirements and regulatory needs to deliver a complete taste solution. From concept to manufacturing, we’re here every step of the way. Contact our Sales Service Department at 630.578.8600 to request a flavor sample or visit www.fona.com.