Guacamole is a great way to increase the amount of fruits and vegetables you eat every day. An avocado, the main ingredient in fresh guacamole dips, is technically a large fruit, native to Central America and Mexico. There are an almost endless number of guacamole recipes available, which can easily be adapted to suit individual taste preferences. Fresh guacamole dips can also be used in a variety of other recipes to boost the nutrients by replacing less healthy ingredients.
What is Guacamole?
Guacamole originated in the Aztec culture, in the area now known as Mexico. It is an avocado based dip, although depending on how finely the ingredients are chopped it may resemble a salad. Fresh guacamole dips are made in a variety of ways, but the basic ingredients for any of the recipes include avocados, lemon or lime juice, salt, and pepper.
Health Benefits of Fresh Guacamole Dips
Consuming vegetables and fruits more than three times daily, as opposed to once a day or less, was associated with lower incidences of stroke and stroke mortality. Recent dietary guidelines recommend eating more fruits and vegetables to boost nutrient consumption, facilitate healthy weight management, and reduce the risk of developing chronic illnesses, including inflammation, diabetes, and cardiovascular disease. Yet, even with overwhelming scientific evidence that increased consumption of fruits and vegetables has tangible health benefits, 9 out of 10 Americans aren?t eating enough. One way to easily up your daily intake is by eating more guacamole, either as a snack or as part of another recipe.
Recipes with Guacamole
What do you do if the fresh guacamole dips aren?t finished off right away? You could always package it carefully and eat it the next day, or you could repurpose it in an entirely new way. There are several ways guacamole dips can be used that you?ve probably never even considered. The most obvious way is to use the dip in place of another condiment, mayonnaise is the most likely candidate. You can replace the mayonnaise on your sandwich or in your favorite deviled eggs recipe. It?s also a great replacement for salad dressing when pureed with a little lime juice, oil, and water. If you want to jazz up a baked potato, replace your sour cream with one of your favorite guacamole brands. Spicy guacamole dip is especially good as a replacement for tartar sauce, as a topping for smoked salmon, or on fried vegetable patties.
Avocados are a nutritional super star. They are high in fiber, healthy fats, and are a moderately good source of protein, vitamin C, and vitamin B-6. The versatility of fresh guacamole dips are a great way to get the health benefits of the avocado and any other fruits or vegetables you decide to personalize your creation with.
