One of the healthiest aspects of an avocado is its fat content. Even though a 1-cup serving of avocado contains 22 grams of fat, eating avocados has been shown to lower the risk of heart disease, improve LDL cholesterol, and decrease levels of oxidative stress in the bloodstream. The monounsaturated fat in avocados, especially oleic acid, plays a role in these cardiovascular benefits. [1]
Rachael Hartley, a dietitian in South Carolina, said:
“Avocados, they have that great healthy fat. Fat is an often overlooked nutrient, but it is definitely important for keeping us full or keeping us satisfied.”
I guess not everyone got the message.
The SlimCado is an avocado grown in Florida that, according to The Wall Street Journal, is trying to compete with the Hass variety, which is grown in California. Hass avocados account for 95% of the American avocado market and 80% of global demand.
However, SlimCados contain half the fat of a Hass avocado; and if that sounds gross, well, that seems to be the general consensus.
Here are a few fast facts about the “slim” avocados:
- SlimCados can weigh up to 3 pounds – nearly 6 times the size of a Hass avocado.
- Aside from containing half the fat of regular avocados, SlimCados contain 35% fewer calories than a Hass.
- SlimCados offer a “subtle tropical flavor similar to papaya.”
- Many native Floridians grew up eating SlimCados.
- SlimCados are much more fibrous and contain much more water (some describe the texture as “slimy”).
- A SlimCado leeches water in a big way when you salt it. [2]
Corinne Zmoos, an avocado lover in Boston, tweeted:
“I’ve never felt so betrayed by a piece of food in my life.”
She went on:
“I have not given them another chance. They broke my heart.”
Related: Avocados Deemed a Perfect Food Due to Countless Benefits
The 22-year-old grad student describes the low-fat avocados as having a watery texture that produced a soupy guacamole that lacked the beloved rich, creamy flavor of regular avocados.
SlimCados are trademarked by Brooks Tropicals LLC. The reportedly unpalatable fruits are available for 8 months each year starting in June, and actually consist of several Florida varieties. In 2003, Brooks began selling them as SlimCados so that they wouldn’t be confused with the Hass avocados.
Brooks has gotten accustomed to customer complaints. Mary Ostlund, a Brooks Tropicals spokeswoman, said:
“I get a lot of people from California absolutely emailing me and calling me saying, ‘What the heck are you doing?’’
The magazine Cooking Light gave the avocados a giant thumbs-down as well. Kimberly Holland, a Cooking Light editor, said in a text message to the magazine’s nutrition editor, Sidney Fry:
“I tried the SlimCado tonight. Please let’s never ever recommend it. Ever.”
Fry agreed, responding:
“Omg I hated it! Watery slimy. Gross.”
Well, I think they sound nasty, but some people love them. Delores Curtis, of Waldorf, Maryland, lost 180 pounds when she changed her diet, which included incorporating SlimCados. When she first brought a SlimCado home, her husband was skeptical. But for her, it was love at first bite. She recalled:
“He said, ‘Slim what? Slim who? Slim Jims?’ I put it on almost anything. I just love it.”
People still believe that fat is bad for you, but science tells another story. A study published in 2010 in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition found that “there is no significant evidence for concluding that dietary saturated fat is associated with an increased risk of CDH [coronary heart disease] or CVD [cardiovascular disease].” A 1-cup serving of regular avocado contains 3.1 grams of saturated fat.
Read: Study Finds Avocado-Eaters to Be Especially Healthy
Source: Chosen Foods
In another study, researchers found that healthy fats, such as those found in avocados, may help men with prostate cancer extend their lives. Those who reported eating more vegetable fats were less likely to develop fatal tumors or die from other causes than those who ate carbohydrate- and animal-fat filled diets.
Those are just a few examples of literally tons of studies showing the importance of eating healthy fats, and especially vegetable fats like those found in avocados.
No need to eat gross, flavorless, slimy substitutes!
Sources:
[1] The World’s Healthiest Foods
[2] Delish
Melanie Cooks
Chosen Foods