Not too long ago, I came across a video that went viral after showing viewers how to eat the avocado… seed. Yes, you heard me. This video has now 27 million views on Facebook (no joke). After a simple search on google, I was blown away by the number of blogs and videos that showcase the long-list of alleged health benefits of the avocado seed. From the video, you can see how easy it is to grind the hard-as-a-rock seed and sprinkle it on yogurt, boost the nutritional value of smoothies, and make a killer mole sauce.
All this time, I can’t believe I wasted the “most nutrient-dense part of the fruit”. *sarcastic tone*
If no one has been eating the seed of an avocado (and of most fruits), there MUST be a reason, right?
The flesh of the avocado is highly nutritious, packed with nearly 20 essential nutrients. A separate article will be added shortly to discuss the array of health benefits of avocado, especially for people with diabetes.
In the meantime, I feel it is urgent to STOP people from eating avocado seeds. In this post, I will discuss about three reasons why you should NOT eat the avocado seed.
The Research
“The Hass Avocado Board does not have any information on nutrients of the seed,” says Nikki Ford, Ph.D., director of nutrition for the Hass Avocado Board.
The research on the avocado seed is scarce. Moreover, the results from the studies are derived from laboratory and animal testing and primarily focused on avocado seed extracts, not on the seed of the fruit itself. Human trials are needed to fully determine the risk and benefits of consuming the seed.
The Experts
The craze around avocado seeds did not fall off the California Avocado Commission radar. Back in March, they posted an article titled “Is it Safe to Eat the Avocado Seed?” after they were bombarded with a truck-load of questions from consumers.
“There is a body of evidence looking at extracts of the avocado seed, [but] the fact is there is not enough research to support consuming an avocado seed. The purported health benefits and risks of avocado seed intake are poorly characterized,” wrote the California Avocado Commission. “The seed of an avocado contains elements that are not intended for human consumption.” In other words, DON’T EAT THE AVOCADO SEED.
These statements come from avocado experts and lovers. Who is more trustworthy, so-called health bloggers or the California Avocado Commission?
Toxicity
My colleague wrote a fantastic article (in French) citing four reasons why you should NOT eat the pit of an avocado. The first reason is more than enough to convince me, which was possible intoxication from cyanogenic glycoside. This is a compound found in the kernel of stone fruits such as peaches, plums, and apricots. According to the Canadian Food Inspection Agency, “when kernels are chewed cyanogenic glycoside can transform into hydrogen cyanide – which is poisonous to humans.” Unfortunately, the content of cyanogenic glycoside of the avocado seed has not been determined, let alone its conversion rate into hydrogen cyanide.
If some of you still believe in the power of the avocado seed despite these reasons, please form a group and apply to enroll in a clinical study. PROVE to me that I (and the rest of the science community) am wrong.
But please… don’t blab about stuff without scientific evidence.
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Toby A. Ask the Expert: Should Clients Eat the Avocado Seed? TodaysDietitian. URL Link. Published August 2016. Accessed September 17, 2016.
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