An alligator pear, or avocado, is a small-sized fruit of South American origin. He got his so unusual name thanks to the British. They were the first to note the similarity of the skin of the fetus with the dark green color of the skin of a crocodile.
Alligator pear belongs to the same category of plants as camphor, cinnamon and laurel trees. This is an evergreen fruit plant with a wide crown and fairly brittle branches, capable of reaching a height of up to fifteen to twenty meters. Moreover, surprisingly, such a tree grows very quickly. The leaves of the alligator pear are wide, leathery, slightly pointed at the end. The tree blooms in February – April, its white flowers are collected in beautiful paniculate inflorescences. One plant produces an average of about 1000-1200 fruit per year. For the full ripening of its fruits requires a lot of water, sun and heat. That is why Mexico and Peru are rightfully considered the historical homeland of avocados. Their mild subtropical and tropical climate is the most optimal conditions for this tree. Today, an industrial alligator pear is grown in the United States, Brazil, Africa, the Hawaiian Islands, Mexico and Israel. These are the main exporting countries for this product.
Currently, there are more than four hundred varieties of avocados all over the world, each of which differs from friends in shape, color, oil content and weight. Depending on what kind of pear of the variety, the fruit can be covered with smooth or hard hilly skin from almost black to dark green. Inside it is a large heavy bone. The fruits themselves can reach up to two kilograms in weight, however, a commercial pear variety, as a rule, does not exceed 250-300 grams.
The taste of the fruit is very peculiar, its green or yellow-green pulp is somewhat reminiscent of traditional butter with a light nutty flavor.
In its homeland - in South and Central America - the alligator pear has about the same value as bread or meat in European countries. Its delicate pulp consists of protein and polyunsaturated fatty acids, that is, pure vegetable oil. Together they effectively preserve blood vessels, provide the heart muscle with the necessary amount of energy, and contribute to better absorption of fat-soluble vitamins. The rest is accounted for by such trace elements important for health and beauty as folic acid, vitamins of groups A, B, E, C, PP. These substances perfectly strengthen the immune system, have anti-stress and cosmetic properties - moisturize, soften and nourish the skin, restore the structure of weakened hair and rejuvenate the body as a whole.
Separately, it is worth noting the effect of glutathione, an amino acid that is also found in avocados and protects against certain types of cancer, and phytosterol, a fat-like substance responsible for lowering cholesterol levels. The oil obtained from the fruits of an alligator pear has found its application in the modern medical industry. The drug, which is made on its basis, is used to treat and prevent periodontal disease, scleroderma and arthrosis.