Avocados: not as good as you thought they were?

There have been volumes written on the healthy qualities of avocados and I also wrote about its benefits and fabulous taste, yet I still recommend not to go overboard in eating the exotic vegetable as it's being produced to such an extent that it has a negative impact on the environment.

Have you ever dreamed that your avocado toast would contribute to deforestation in Mexico?

The "avocado craving" of the western world has reached such extremes that they're logging thousands of hectares of forests every year in Mexico just to produce more avocados. Apart from eradicating the forests that serve as "the lungs" of the country, they're also endangering the population. Avocado plantations require a huge amount of water and this is slowly threatening the water supply of the population.

Despite the regretful environmental effects, unfortunately the trends don't show a decline in the popularity of avocados. In fact, it's currently considered one of the most trendiest vegetables in the world. Therefore it's no wonder that apart from drug smuggling, avocado production is currently the most lucrative business in Mexico.

Naturally, I didn't write all of this to scare you off and stop you from ever eating another avocado. I just wanted to point out that if possible, eat avocados in moderation, for example, in situations when other seasonal vegetables and fruits aren't really available, such as during the winter period. What's best for your system is if you preferably eat current, seasonal ingredients as they contain the most vitamins and minerals. Not only is this good for you, but the planet as well, as you'll avoid huge carbon dioxide emissions generated by the shipment of avocados. Moreover, you'll also support local vegetable and fruit farmers if you decide not to fill your shopping cart with goods imported from thousands of kilometers away.

If you still decide on buying avocados, I recommend you look for "fair trade" emblem products from sustainable farms as you can be sure that during their production, they took care of the environment and observed ethical standards.

Another solution is planting the avocado seed, even though you have a very small chance of harvesting your own avocado suitable for consumption. First, stick three toothpicks into the seed and place it in a glass of water, half-submerged. The first small roots will appear in a few weeks, let them grow to around 15 cm and then cut them back to half their former size, this way, the roots will be stronger. You can move the avocado to a pot in a few weeks time.

If you try planting the seed, we'd love to see the photos in the comments!:-)