Ode to Avocados

Millennials aren’t flocking to buy homes, and avocados have been fingered as the culprit.

While avocados don’t actually possess that kind of power, they do pack a powerful punch nutrition-wise. An avocado delivers twice as much potassium as a banana. Avocados are also rich in fiber, antioxidants, vitamins B-12 and E, and monounsaturated (“good”) fat. What’s more, their thick pebbly skin protects the innards from residual pesticides.

Bees are essential to avocado production because the blossoms cannot pollinate themselves. Honeybees in particular are to thank for our enjoyment of avocados as well as avocado honey, which has a bold flavor that some liken to sorghum syrup.

Our East Texas bees don’t have access to avocados, but we sometimes pair their honey with the creamy fruit to make toothsome treats. (We haven’t actually tried the avocado-and-honey face mask below because we’ve never met an avocado that hasn’t ended up in our tummies.)

Fun fact: There are over 80 avocado varieties, including the Pinkerton avocado (your friendly neighborhood beekeeper’s last name) and the Reed avocado (his middle son).

Whether they're in a big bowl of guacamole or scooped on top of your salad, avocados enjoy a special place in our hearts and stomachs. On top of being tasty, avocados are a noted superfood with a number of fantastic health benefits.

For a quick, healthy breakfast, spread avocado on toast by mashing it with the back of a fork; sprinkle with salt and pepper; and top it off with drizzle of honey.

To use up bananas and avocado before they go too soft on you, try this healthy smoothie sweetened with honey.

Let us know what you think of this avocado, lemon, and honey face mask.