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Welcome to the World Avocado Organisation

Connect with our global community of avocado lovers, discover delicious recipes,
find out about the healthy benefits and sustainable growing practices of the world’s favourite superfruit.

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Are you involved in the avocado industry and interested in becoming a member? Joining the World Avocado Organisation will open up new horizons, allowing you to connect with other growers, exporters and importers from around the world.

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Recipe of the Month: Chocolate yule log

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THE MOST NUTRIENT-DENSE
OF ALL FRUITS

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You can follow us on our social media platforms including Instagram, TikTok and Facebook, as well as LinkedIn. Whether you want to know about the latest avocado news or delicious and healthy recipes, find all of our stories here.

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Debunking Avocado Myths

Avocados, as a result of their popularity in recent years, have faced their fair share of ‘false perceptions’. However, here we debunk many of the myths related to avocado production and show the fruit’s true colour – green.

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‘Avocados make you fat’ FALSE

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‘Avocados are transported by plane’ FALSE

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‘Avocados consume a lot of water’ FALSE

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‘Avocados are full of pesticides’ FALSE

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Myth: ‘Avocados make you fat.’

Wrong. Avocados are rich in the “healthy” fats which we actually need in our daily diet. They contain healthy monounsaturated fats, which offer plenty of health benefits. 

Unlike unhealthy saturated or trans fats, the monounsaturated fats in avocados are associated with weight loss, not weight gain. They also help to reduce LDL cholesterol levels in the blood, which lowers the risk of diabetes and cardiovascular disease.

Avocados also have such a high concentration of healthy nutrients that you need less of them compared to other fruit and vegetables. And they have plenty of dietary fibre, which can leave your appetite feeling more sated, reducing the amount of food you need to eat.

Myth: ‘Avocados are transported by plane.’

Wrong. Almost all avocados consumed in Europe are transported by ship from Latin America and Africa, not by plane.

Sea freight emits far less greenhouse gases than other transport – emissions are 25 times lower than vehicle transportation and a whopping 145 times lower than air freight. As a whole, sea transport accounts for a very small portion of global CO2 emissions.

There has been significant progress in reducing emissions further. The International Maritime Organisation has set a target to cut emissions by 50% by the year 2050 with innovations such as harnessing wind and solar power and building ships with more energy-efficient materials.

In recent years, avocado storage efficiency has been optimised with new packing boxes that allow for 21,120 kg per container, compared to bananas which can fit just 16,320 kg per container.

Myth: ‘Avocados consume a lot of water’

Wrong. Compared to other popular foods such as beef, chocolate and coffee, avocados consume far less water- up to nine or ten times less litres of water used for every kilo grown. In areas of high rainfall, such as regions of Colombia and South Africa, avocados often require no irrigation to grow, instead relying on rainwater. 

 

In other areas, where there is less rainfall, innovative technologies are being used to reduce water consumption.
Over the last 10 years, innovations in water supply technologies such as sensors to measure aspects of soil moisture, sap flow, and water potential, have enabled more precise irrigation and reduced irrigation up to 50%.

Myth: ‘Avocados are full of pesticides’

Wrong. Due to their thick skins, avocados are naturally protected against many diseases.. Very few pesticides are used during production, and according to a study by the Environmental Working Group, avocados are the cleanest fruit in comparison to other fruits and vegetables.