Table of contents:
- Benefits of avocado for health
- How to choose a ripe avocado
- 1. Check avocado softness
- 2. Seen from a greener color
- 3. Pulling the avocado stalks
- 4. Do not choose avocado that is too mushy
- How to speed up the ripening process of the avocado?
The avocado is one of those fruits that you should wait for ripening after harvest, not when picking it from the tree. So, so as not to be disappointed when you open an avocado, it turns out that it is not ripe or even too ripe, let's look at some ways to choose avocado to ripen properly.
Benefits of avocado for health
Before knowing the characteristics and how to choose a ripe avocado, it's a good idea to know at a glance about the health benefits of avocados.
A 2016 study that discussed the nutritional content of avocados showed that this green fruit has quite a number of benefits.
The most famous benefit of avocado is that it can reduce bad cholesterol (LDL) and reduce the risk of heart disease and diabetes.
That is why, many people believe in the efficacy of this one fruit.
How to choose a ripe avocado
Did you know that the avocado ripens completely right after it's harvested?
Once plucked from the tree, the avocado goes through a series of processes to reach the right level of maturity. Therefore, it is not uncommon for you to find some avocados that are not yet ripe or even too ripe when purchased from supermarkets.
So, to avoid this disappointment, there are several effective ways to choose ripe avocados, including:
1. Check avocado softness
One of the characteristics of a ripe avocado is its soft flesh. You can check whether it is soft or not by pressing it gently. Do not press the pulp from the outside too deeply.
Ripe avocados are usually tender when pressed. If you find it still hard, you may have to wait a few more days before eating.
2. Seen from a greener color
You can see the second characteristic of a ripe avocado from its skin color. If the avocado has a lighter green skin than the others, it may not be fully ripe yet.
A ripe avocado usually produces a dark green, almost black color. Therefore, one good way to pick a ripe avocado is to look at its color.
3. Pulling the avocado stalks
The color and softness have been checked, but you are still not sure if the avocado you chose is ripe?
You may be able to slightly tug at the stem at the end of the avocado to check the color. If it's brown, it means your avocado is too ripe.
However, if a dark green color appears, your avocado is ready to eat. Usually, one of the characteristics of an immature avocado when the tip of the stem is pulled is bright green.
4. Do not choose avocado that is too mushy
One way to choose ripe avocados is not to buy avocados that are too mushy. An avocado that is too soft can indicate that the avocado is prone to rot and can not be eaten.
It would be better if you choose a slightly tough one and let it sit until the avocado is perfectly cooked.
How to speed up the ripening process of the avocado?
Even though you have tried to choose an avocado by observing the characteristics that have been ripe, it could be that the fruit you have chosen is not ripe enough to eat immediately.
If you already buy an unripe avocado and want to eat it quickly, there are tips to speed up the ripeness of the avocado.
First of all, you can put the avocado in a closed paper bag. You can then leave it for 1-2 days in a normal room so that the avocado is ripe.
Avocados, and some other fruits such as apples, give off ethylene gas when they are harvested. Ethylene gas serves to help the ripening process faster, especially when the fruit is kept closed.
When stored in a closed container, ethylene gas will not come out and can help the ripening process of avocados. That way, you can eat a perfectly ripe avocado faster too.
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