Eating Avocados May Encourage Feelings of Romance, Love; 63 Percent of Experts Surveyed Consider the Avocado an Aphrodisiac.Business Editors SANTA ANA Santa Ana, city, El Salvador Santa Ana (sän'tä ä`nä), city (1993 pop. 129,873), W El Salvador. It is the second largest city in the country and the commercial and processing center for a sugarcane, coffee, and cattle region. , Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Feb. 1, 2000 The California avocado avocado (ä`vəkä`do, ăv`–), tropical American broad-leaved evergreen tree of the genus Persea of the family Lauraceae (laurel family). is considered to be an aphrodisiac aphrodisiac Any of various forms of stimulation thought to arouse sexual excitement. They may be psychophysiological (arousing the senses of sight, touch, smell, or hearing) or internal (e.g., foods, alcoholic drinks, drugs, love potions, medicinal preparations). by 63 percent of those experts surveyed. Six out of 10 psychologists, nutritionists and scientists surveyed also said they know of a case in which a person's love life improved after eating the dark, green fruit. The respondents said they believe it could be nutrients and recently discovered phytochemicals within the avocado that explain the fruit's reputation as a strong aphrodisiac. These are the latest findings of a Valentine's Day Valentine's Day: see Saint Valentine's Day. Valentine's Day Lovers' holiday celebrated on February 14, the feast day of St. Valentine, one of two 3rd-century Roman martyrs of the same name. St. survey conducted by the California Avocado Commission to find out if the rumored aphrodisiacal qualities of avocados -- a rumor dating back as far as the Aztecs and Mayans around 200 B.C. -- holds true. &uot;We really have no scientific explanation why the avocado elicits enhanced feelings of romance or love, but we've heard over the years that there may be some sort of link,&uot; explained Mark Affleck, president of the California Avocado Commission. California is home to 95 percent of the nation's avocado crop. Legend has it that the first avocado was eaten in Mexico by a Mayan princess around 291 B.C. It is believed that the Aztecs used the avocado as a sexual stimulant stimulant, any substance that causes an increase in activity in various parts of the nervous system or directly increases muscle activity. Cerebral, or psychic, stimulants act on the central nervous system and provide a temporary sense of alertness and well-being as . Later, early Americans called the avocado an &uot;alligator alligator, large aquatic reptile of the genus Alligator, in the same order as the crocodile. There are two species—a large type found in the S United States and a small type found in E China. Alligators differ from crocodiles in several ways. pear&uot; to describe the fruit's texture, another possible explanation for its reputation as an aphrodisiac. Likely explanations by respondents in this non-scientific survey, are that ounce per ounce, an avocado contains the highest fiber content and more folate folate /fo·late/ (fo´lat) 1. the anionic form of folic acid. 2. more generally, any of a group of substances containing a form of pteroic acid conjugated with l-glutamic acid and having a variety of substitutions. per ounce than other fruits. It's also nutrient dense nutrient dense, adj describes the ratio of beneficial chemicals to the number of calories in food when nutrient content is greater. in vitamins B6, C and E. Also, the phytochemical phy·to·chem·i·cal n. A nonnutritive bioactive plant substance, such as a flavonoid or carotenoid, considered to have a beneficial effect on human health. profile of the California avocado includes cholesterol-lowering beta-sitosterol and the antioxidant antioxidant, substance that prevents or slows the breakdown of another substance by oxygen. Synthetic and natural antioxidants are used to slow the deterioration of gasoline and rubber, and such antioxidants as vitamin C (ascorbic acid), butylated hydroxytoluene glutathione glutathione: see coenzyme. . At least one doctor surveyed suggested that these favorable phytochemicals may work in combination with the nutrients in other foods to enhance heightened feelings of love and romance. For Valentine's Day, the California Avocado Commission is providing a special &uot;lovers&uot; feast along with an ancient Mayan recipe for &uot;California Avocado Massage Oil&uot; to encourage feelings of passion. A year-round fruit, California avocados are delicious hot or cold, in soups, salads, stir-frys and as a healthier alternative to butter, sour cream and other dips and spreads. Avocados are cholesterol-free, sodium-free, low in saturated fat saturated fat, any solid fat that is an ester of glycerol and a saturated fatty acid. The molecules of a saturated fat have only single bonds between carbon atoms; if double bonds are present in the fatty acid portion of the molecule, the fat is said to be and a good source of monounsaturated fat monounsaturated fat A saturated fatty acid–ie, an alkyl chain fatty acid with one ethylenic–double bond between the carbons in the fatty acid chain. See Fatty acid, Saturated fatty acid; Cf Polyunsaturated fatty acid, Unsaturated fatty acid. , which studies show may help in the prevention of heart disease. These special &uot;lovers&uot; recipes are among the more than 100 avocado recipes available on the California Avocado Commission Web site at www.avocado.org.
California Avocado Pate
INGREDIENTS
2 large California avocados
1 tablespoon chopped green onion
4 hard boiled eggs
fresh mint
chopped freshly ground pepper
2 tablespoons lemon juice
salt to taste
1 1/4 cup sour cream or mayonnaise
2 gloves garlic, crushed
2 teaspoons chopped olives
1 1/8 teaspoon sweet parsley paprika
METHOD
Cut avocados in half, remove seed and carefully scoop out flesh
and put in bowl. Save the avocado skins for serving. Mash avocado with
all remaining ingredients. Replace mixture into shells, smoothing down
so as to keep the avocado shape. Garnish with lemon twist and a sprig
of parsley and serve with Melba toast or crackers. Serves 4.
California Avocado Shrimp Cocktail
INGREDIENTS
2 tablespoons thick, chunky tomato salsa
2 tablespoons seafood cocktail sauce
2 tablespoons chopped onion
2 tablespoons diced seedless cucumber
1 1/2 tablespoons chopped cilantro
1 1/2 tablespoons lime juice
2 California avocados, diced (1 pound)
30 large (21 to 25 count per pound), cooked shrimp with tails
6 lime slices for garnish
6 sprigs cilantro for garnish
METHOD
Thoroughly combine salsa and the next five ingredients; gently
fold in avocado. Chill mixture one hour to marry flavors. (Mixture is
best served the day it's made.) To serve, divide avocado mixture among
6 stemmed glasses. Hang five shrimp, tails outside glass, around each
rim. Garnish each with a twisted lime slice and a sprig of cilantro.
Serves 6.
Avocado and Crab Stuffed Portabella Mushrooms
INGREDIENTS
Apple wood chips or 3 drops hickory liquid smoke
2 portabella mushroom tops
Marinade: Stuffing:
1 cup extra virgin olive oil 1 California avocado, coarsely
chopped
1/4 cup balsamic vinegar 1/4 cup lump crab meat
6 fresh basil leaves, coarsely Salt and pepper to taste
chopped
3 fresh rosemary sprigs, coarsely Juice of 1/2 lime
chopped
4 garlic cloves, coarsely chopped 1 tablespoon red bell pepper,
finely diced
2 teaspoons salt 2 tablespoons onion
1 tablespoon cracked black pepper
METHOD
Clean mushroom caps and smoke them over apple wood chips in a
smoker for 10 minutes. Or, add 3 drops hickory liquid smoke to the
marinade to get a smoky flavor without smoking. Poke holes in each
mushroom cap with a toothpick. Mix marinade ingredients together and
pour over mushroom caps in a large non-reactive container. Refrigerate
12 hours, turning mushrooms once. Make an incision partway through
each mushroom cap to create a pocket or cut each mushroom cap in half
horizontally. Mix together stuffing ingredients and stuff each
mushroom. Grill or saute mushrooms until soft. Serve hot or cold.
Serves 2.
Avocado Mousse Melba
INGREDIENTS
2 California avocados, seeded, peeled and mashed
1 can sweetened condensed milk
1/2 cup lemon juice
2 cups heavy cream
Raspberry Sauce
Raspberry Sauce
1 package (10 oz. ) frozen raspberries
1/2 cup currant jelly
1 tablespoon water
1 1/2 tsp. cornstarch
METHOD Blend avocados, milk and lemon juice in blender until smooth. Whip 1 cup heavy cream; fold avocado mixture into whipped cream. Spoon mixture into 4 cup serving dish; refrigerate re·frig·er·ate tr.v. re·frig·er·at·ed, re·frig·er·at·ing, re·frig·er·ates 1. To cool or chill (a substance). 2. To preserve (food) by chilling. 3 to 5 hours. Prepare Raspberry raspberry, name for several thorny shrubs of the genus Rubus of the family Rosaceae (rose family) and for their fruit (see bramble). raspberry Any of many species of fruit-bearing bushes of the genus Rubus in the rose family. Sauce. Just before serving, whip 1 cup of remaining heavy cream. Spoon 1/2 cup whipped cream on each plate. Spread into 5-inch circle with back of spoon. Drizzle a thin line of Raspberry Sauce in circle 1 inch from outside edge of cream. Drizzle another thin line of Raspberry Sauce in circle 1 inch from outside edge of cream. Using a knife, draw through whipped cream and Raspberry Sauce beginning at center and going to outside edge. Spoon avocado mousse on side of whipped cream; serve with Raspberry Sauce. Serves 4. Sauce Preparation: Thaw raspberries; heat with jelly to boiling. Combine water and cornstarch cornstarch, material made by pulverizing the ground, dried residue of corn grains after preparatory soaking and the removal of the embryo and the outer covering. It is used as laundry starch, in sizing paper, in making adhesives, and in cooking. ; stir into raspberry mixture. Heat to boiling; continue to boil and stir 1 minute. Cool sauce. Press through sieve to remove seeds before serving, if desired. California Avocado Massage Oil Ancient Mayan and Aztecs believed that the avocado fed the skin from without as well as within, because of its treasury of vitamins, minerals and natural oils. The inside of the avocado peel contains a wonderful massage oil. This oil is a humectant humectant /hu·mec·tant/ (hu-mek´tant) 1. moistening. 2. a moistening or diluent medicine. humectant , which is a substance that holds moisture. Using gentle upward strokes, lightly massage your partner's back and shoulders with the inside of the peel. For moisturizing, allow the oil residue to remain on the skin, or if you prefer, wash it off gently with tepid tep·id adj. 1. Moderately warm; lukewarm. 2. Lacking in emotional warmth or enthusiasm; halfhearted: "the tepid conservatism of the fifties" Irving Howe. water and then pat dry. |
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