February 23, 2007
· Filed under Recipes, avocado, nutrition, vitamins, websites, yummy
As you may be able to tell, I am rather obsessed with avocado. Avocados are so delicious and nutritious, and great in sandwiches, salads and dips. Today I found a fantastic website devoted entirely to avocados!! The site is http://www.avocado.org and is full of recipes and info on this marvellous food! I’m certainly going to try some recipes, but first here’s some info on the avocado from this site:
Avo Facts
- Avocados are a fruit, not a vegetable, belonging to the genus Persea in the Lauraceae family.
- Avocados are sodium- and cholesterol-free and have only five grams of fat per serving, most of it the monounsaturated kind.
- Avocados were once a luxury food reserved for the tables of royalty, but now avocados are enjoyed around the world by people from all walks of life.
- Brazilians add avocados to ice cream
- Filipinos puree avocados with sugar and milk for a dessert drink.
- Latin Americans wrap avocados up and give them as wedding gifts.
- The avocado is also called an Alligator Pear because of its pear-like shape and green skin.
- Avocado is a corruption of the Spanish word aguacate, which is in turn a corruption of the Aztec word ahuacatl.
- About 43% of all U.S. households buy avocados.
nutrition details of avocado
- One-fifth of a medium avocado or about one ounce is 55 calories, but contributes beneficial nutrients such as fiber, potassium, Vitamin E and lutein to the diet.
- Avocados act as a “nutrient booster” by enabling the body to absorb more fat-soluble nutrients, such as alpha- and beta-carotene as well as lutein, in foods that are eaten with the fruit.
- Avocados provide more than 25 essential nutrients, including fiber, potassium, Vitamin E, B-vitamins, and folic acid.
- One-fifth of a medium avocado has 55 calories and provides beneficial phytochemicals such as glutathione, beta-sitosterol, and lutein. Phytonutrients are thought to help prevent many chronic diseases.
- Avocados are a good source of fiber and fiber may help maintain heart health.
- When used instead of other fats, avocados contain over 25 vitamins, minerals and phytonutrients and can be part of a calorie-reduced diet.
- Avocados are a good way to get more lutein in the diet. An ounce of avocado contains 77 micrograms of lutein.
This recipe looks fabulous I must try it!
Avocado Gourmet Pizza
Ingredients
- 1 package active dry yeast
- 11/16 Cups very warm water
- ½ tsp sugar
- 1/8 tsp salt
- 1 ½ Tbsp vegetable oil or avocado oil
- 1 1/3 Cups unbleached white flour
- Toppings
- ½ Cup diced tomato
- 1 ¼ Cups shredded mozzarella cheese
- 3 Tbsp fresh basil, chopped
- 1 Cup sun-dried tomatoes in oil, drained
- 2 California Avocados, seeded, peeled and sliced
Instructions
- Dissolve yeast in very warm water with sugar. Let stand to soften, 5 minutes.
- Stir salt and oil. Add flour as needed, beating until smooth and elastic.
- Knead until springy 8-10 minutes.
- Placed in a greased bowl and turn dough to grease top.
- Cover and let rise in a warm place until doubled (40-45 minutes).
- Line a 12″ pizza pan with dough. Top dough with tomato, cheese, basil and sun-dried tomatoes.
- Bake in a pizza oven 8-10 minutes.
- Place avocado slices in a pinwheel fashion. Serve.
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February 13, 2007
· Filed under nutrition, vitamins
One thing to look out for if you have a vegetarian or vegan diet is this, are you getting enough iron and B12? These two vitamins are essential and a deficiency in these can lead to anaemia. Ladies in particular need to make sure they get enough iron as we are more susceptible to an iron deficiency due to menstruation (sorry guys). Signs of iron deficiency anemia include:
- weakness
- fatigue
- general malaise
- pale skin colour/pallour
- Shortness of breath on exertion (in severe anemia)
Iron rich foods include: green, leafy vegetables; beans; dried apricots, prunes, raisins, and other dried fruits; almonds; seaweeds; parsley; whole grains; and yams
Vitamin supplements can also be helpful.
A deficiency of vitamin B12 is called pernicious anemia, the symptoms are slightly different from iron deficiency anemia and include the following:
- weakness,
- an abnormally rapid heartbeat (tachycardia),
- shortness of breath,
- chest pains,
- an upset stomach including diarrhea,
- difficulty walking,
- numbness and tingling in the extremities,
- lack of color (pallor) in the lips, gum, and tongue,
- depression.
- Pernicious anemia may cause inflammation of the tongue (glossitis). It is also associated with premature greying, blue eyes, vitiligo, and blood group A.It is also associated with unpredictable periods of fatigue and an inability to concentrate. Irreversible Central Nervous System (CNS) damage may have occurred prior to treatment. Scissors gait can appear as a late sign of unchecked anemia.
- Some sufferers also report mouth ulcers, joint pain and tinnitus as associated with the onset of pernicious anemia.
I’ve been diagnosed with aneamia before and it’s not fun! However taking some vitamin pills with vitamin C combined (vitamin C helps your body to absorb iron) and eating some yummy fresh broccoli and spinach and some cereal fortified with iron and B12 pepped me right up!! These days though whenever get a test my iron and B12 levels are fine. I think it’s because I eat a much healthier and more varied diet nowadays as well as popping the occassional multi vitamin.
More on this subject soon!
with love
Miss V
xoxoxoxoxox
