National Avocado Day is July 31.

Whitehall-Coplay Hunger Initiative offered frozen avocados to pantry guests at both the July 13 and 20 food distributions.

“Avocados are known for their ‘good’ fats,” according to FeedingPA. “Monosaturated fat, the main type of fat in avocado, can help reduce LDL (bad) cholesterol levels in the blood, which may help lower the risk of heart disease and stroke. If you’re a little unsure about giving avocado a try, consider adding some to a smoothie. It brings a delicious creaminess without an overpowering flavor.”

FeedingPA also offers tips on how to cut an avocado. You will need a sharp knife and a cutting board. A spoon is optional.

Place the avocado on the cutting board. Use one hand to firmly hold the avocado in place while cutting the avocado in half from end to end with the sharp knife until the knife hits the pit. Rotate the avocado to cut around the pit, keeping the knife steady.

Twist both halves of the avocado apart. Carefully press the knife into the pit and twist a little. The pit should come out.

If slicing, use a spoon and loosen the skin around the avocado to remove the soft green flesh. Place the avocado half on the cutting board and slice end to end with the knife.

Avocados are ripe when they go from green to black and give to firm, gentle pressure. Once an avocado is ripe, eat it within two days or store whole in a refrigerator for up to three days.

Avocados can be peeled, cut and frozen in a freezer-safe storage bag for up to four to six months.

To keep avocados from turning brown, toss in lime or lemon juice, cover and store in a refrigerator for up to one day.

National Today shared some information on the history of avocados.

Avocados were gathered and eaten in central Mexico in 8000 B.C.

Avocado trees were first grown in 3000 B.C. Researchers believe Mesoamerican tribes like the Inca, the Olmec and the Maya grew domesticated avocado trees.

The avocado was named in 1696. Naturalist Sir Hans Sloane named “the avocado or alligator pear-tree” in his catalog of Jamaican plants.

Horticulturist Henry Perrine first planted avocados in Florida in 1833.

Avocados became commercially available in the United States in the 1950s, with people mostly adding them to salads.

“They’re extremely healthy. Avocados played a huge role in the health food revival in the United States a generation ago and for good reason,” National Today reported. “They’re packed with potassium to keep your blood pressure lower, oleic acid for reducing inflammation, fiber for your metabolism and antioxidants that keep your eyes healthy.”

Additionally, National Today noted avocados are versatile in the kitchen.

“Avocados are nothing if not a culinary imagination booster!” National Today said. “We’re not just talking guacamole and toast. You can use them as a base for salad dressing, chilled soup, ice cream, pudding, pasta sauce, bread and a lot more.”

National Today also shared five tasty facts about avocados.

• Football fans consume 53.5 million pounds of guacamole on Super Bowl Sundays.

• Because it’s a fleshy fruit produced from a single ovary, an avocado is actually a berry.

• Avocados contain the most protein and fiber of any fruit.

• There are 1,062 varieties of avocado.

• In Jamaica, avocados were once called “alligator pears.”

I hope you enjoyed this article.

Have a great week!