An Avocado A Day... — hungryhungryhelen

Anyone that knows much about me knows that I’m obsessed with avocados. I love how they taste and how they compliment any meal. When you slice open an avocado, there is nothing better than seeing that perfectly green inside at peak ripeness. This love has also turned into me owning A LOT objects with avocados on them.

In the summer of 2017, on National Avocado Day, I won an Instagram giveaway hosted by Model Meals and Goldsheep Clothing. I got a pair of leggings from Goldsheep with avocados all over them and an avocado t-shirt and avo-keeper from Model Meals. Is this where the obsession of avocado themed things began? Probably. Now I have several shirts with cute avocado sayings, the leggings, two pairs of shorts with avocados on them, avocado sheets, and a stuffed avocado named Happy. I could find this embarrassing, but I actually love it. Avocados are me. It’s one of the themes to my life. I eat roughly 5-7 avocados a week—though it was way better when I lived in Texas and they were cheap—on savory breakfasts, lunches, dinners, and even for snacks with some seasoning and a spoon.

The funny thing is, I have absolutely no idea where this obsession came from, I don’t even remember the first time I had an avocado. I think mostly I only ate them growing up when they were in sushi rolls. There’s just something happy about an avocado. I don’t know why, but they bring joy and balance to my life. While also providing me with a lot of healthy fats! Most nutritional recommendations are for maybe a quarter of an avocado at a meal. UM NO. A half an avocado per meal is ideal in my opinion.

Breakfast bowl with grits, sausage, eggs, edamame, “cheese,” and avocado.

A half an avocado spreads perfectly onto two pieces of gluten free toast. It adds a creamy topping to chili, soups, and stews. It’s delectable with savory oatmeal or grits. And is a perfect addition to a salad.

So, not only are they delicious and cute, they have a load of health benefits. According to Healthline.com, avocados are rich in vitamins and have more potassium than a banana. They are high in fiber, are full of healthy fats, and can actually reduce cholesterol levels.

So why not hold onto this very healthy avocado obsession? It’s apparently going to save me from arthritis, cancer, and high cholesterol (maybe…). Will eating an avocado a day really keep the doctor away? Maybe, maybe not. But I’m willing to try.

All that aside, I eat them because they make me happy. There are foods in our diets that we eat not for the health benefits, but for the pure joy of putting them in our mouths and filling our tummies.

This is what avocados are to me. My daily joy. I will continue to buy six a week, to have them at every meal, and to not feel guilty for asking my job to order them when they do food orders or when I buy something new with an avocado on it.