As with all fruits and vegetables, wash avocados before cutting. Check out our tips for how to choose and use California Avocados

California has been home to me for more than 30 years and I love everything about living here, including the fresh produce and delicious food it has to offer; especially California Avocados. This versatile heart-healthy superfood is a must-have in the kitchen of most California home cooks. 

In my private practice as a registered dietitian many clients come to me to help with their various dietary needs. It is easy for me to explain how California Avocados can be a part of their healthy meal plans for the nutrients they provide and the satiety they offer. 

I love avocados and recommend them because of their versatility and health benefits. When I think about versatility, avocados can be used in everything from salads, sandwiches, and soups to smoothies, dressings, and baked goods, added to salsa to use as a topping on your favorite protein, or cooked – California style – on the grill. Nutritionally, the one-third (50 g) serving is only 80-calories, and contributes nearly 20 vitamins, minerals and beneficial nutrients. Healthy eating and avocados go hand in hand. Whether you’re trying to get more fiber and potassium in your diet or reduce your intake of saturated fat, sodium, or cholesterol, avocados have more of what you want and less of what you don’t want. Naturally cholesterol-, sodium- and trans-fat-free, avocados help reduce the intake of all three when using them as substitute for many other popular foods. Check out our nutrition comparison charts.

HOW TO CHOOSE AND USE CALIFORNIA AVOCADOS

Here you will learn about the California Avocado season and how to identify which avocados are from California when you are at your local grocery store. 

HOW TO CUT AN AVOCADO TO GET THE MOST OF THE BENEFICIAL NUTRIENTS

My favorite topic… nutrition! I will show you how to cut an avocado and peel the skin to get the beneficial nutrients directly under the skin of a California Avocado. You will also learn about carotenoids and how they appear to protect humans against certain cancers and heart disease. 

WILD RICE PILAF WITH CALIFORNIA AVOCADO RECIPE

In the third, and final video, I prepare my new recipe for Wild Rice Pilaf with California Avocado and walk you through how to make it. This recipe is so delicious. So easy. And so Californian with plenty of fresh produce and delicious whole grain wild rice. I love it and hope you will too. 

Now, let’s get cooking… like Californians.  

Manuel Villacorta, MS, RDN

Manuel Villacorta, MS, RDN, is an internationally recognized, award-winning registered dietitian-nutritionist with more than 20 years of experience. He is the author of seven books: Eating Free, Peruvian Power Foods, Whole Body Reboot: The Peruvian Superfoods Diet, Flat-Belly 365, and The Essential Cookbook for Men, Low-Calorie Weight Loss Cookbook and Prediabetes Weight Loss Solution.

A respected and trusted voice in the health and wellness industry, Manuel has acted as a health blog contributor for The Huffington Post, on-air contributor to the Univision television network, and health and lifestyle contributor for Fox News Latino. He is an in-demand health and nutrition expert on local and national television and radio. He has appeared on National Geographic, The Today Show, Good Day New York, CNN, ABC7 Eyewitness News, Telemundo, and Univision, among others. Manuel also has been featured in print and online articles in both the general and Hispanic markets, including Woman’s World, Natural Solutions, Closer, MORE, Latina Magazine, and Men’s Fitness, to name a few.

Manuel is one of the leading weight loss and nutrition experts in the country. He is the owner of MV Nutrition, a San Francisco-based private practice and the recipient of five ‘‘Best Bay Area Nutritionist’’ awards.

Manuel is a registered dietitian nutritionist for the California Avocado Commission. Their content on the California Avocado Commission website and/or blog are part of their partnership with our organization.

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