The avocado pear has been cultivated in Mexico for almost 12,000 years, and while the fruit is now grown in almost 70 countries Mexico remains its leading supplier, accounting for one third of all global production. The avocado has been dubbed “green gold” by Mexican farmers, and they consistently produce a million tons each year.
The first European to sing the praises of this exotic fruit was Spanish explorer Fernandez de Enciso, in his 1517 chronicle of travels in the New World. But the introduction of the avocado into English came from the explorer William Dampier, who published his successful travelogue New Voyage Around the World in 1697. Using a Spanish word derived from the Aztec, he wrote “The avocado pear tree is as big as most pear trees. The fruit as big as a large lemon.”
The fruits themselves have great health benefits, with high levels of monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats and can improve cholesterol levels very quickly. They also contain many healthy nutrients, vitamins, folic acid and potassium. But while the avocado is generally agreed to be good for people, it can have a very different effect on animals. The fruit is rich in persin, which can be toxic to birds, horses and rabbits. So the message is clear – keep your pets away from the guacamole!
