Alligator pear, or avocado, is a small fruit of South American origin. It got its unusual name thanks to the British. It was they who first noted the similarity of the skin of the fruit with the dark green color of the skin of a crocodile.
Alligator pear belongs to the same category of plants as camphor, cinnamon and bay trees. This is an evergreen fruit plant with a wide crown and rather brittle branches, capable of reaching a height of up to fifteen to twenty meters. At the same time, 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 fruits per year. For the full ripening of its fruits, a lot of water, sun and heat are required. 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, on an industrial scale, the alligator pear is grown in the USA, Brazil, Africa, Hawaiianislands, Mexico and Israel. These are the main exporting countries for this product.
Currently, there are more than four hundred varieties of avocados around the world, each of which differs from the others in shape, color, oil content and weight. Depending on which pear variety, the fruit can be covered with a smooth or hard bumpy 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, but the 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 flesh is somewhat reminiscent of traditional butter with a slight nutty flavor.
In its homeland - in South and Central America - the alligator pear is about the same value as bread or meat in European countries. Its tender flesh consists of protein and polyunsaturated fatty acids, that is, pure vegetable oil. Together, they effectively protect blood vessels, provide the necessary amount of energy to the heart muscle, and contribute to better absorption of fat-soluble vitamins. The rest falls on such trace elements important for he alth 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.in general.
It is worth noting the influence of glutathione, an amino acid also found in avocados and protecting against certain types of cancer, and phytosterol, a fat-like substance responsible for lowering cholesterol levels. The oil obtained from the fruits of the alligator pear has found its application in the modern medical industry. The drug, which is made on its basis, is used for the treatment and prevention of periodontal disease, scleroderma and arthrosis.
