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Mmmm, the California avocado, put on everything from omelets to salads to sushi and even in shakes. Avocados were first introduced to California in the late 1800s and their popularity has been growing ever since. Avocados may have gotten a bad rap for being a high fat food, but perhaps the type of fat in avocados should be more emphasized. Monounsaturated fat, the predominant fat in avocado, may help reduce bad cholesterol levels in the blood, thereby reducing the risk of heart disease. The key is moderation. The American Heart Association recommends replacing saturated fats and trans fats with monounsaturated fats.

1/5 of a medium avocado contains approximately: 50 calories, 4.5 g total fat (0.5g saturated fat, 0.5 g polyunsaturated fat, 3 g monounsaturated fat)

Additionally, avocados are nutrient-dense, as they contain many vitamins and minerals including potassium, vitamin E, vitamin K, B-vitamins, and more. Luckily for us, avocados are in peak season spring through fall, so now is the perfect time to pick up this savory fruit and enjoy!

While Hass avocados are the most predominant variety, there are many more types grown here in California. Click here to learn more.

This Blog Post Written by: Vanna Shute, Cleveland Clinic Dietetic Intern

Join Urban Farmer Eugene Cooke on Saturday, June 11th from 11:00am to 1:00pm for ‘Building Community in the Garden’ at the Center for Living Peace! In this workshop, you will learn how to:

• Build community through ideas like neighborhood 
• See open spaces in your city in a different light 
• Use plants to reclaim space for the public good 
• Organize your own network for neighborhood food sharing  
• Experience the joy of Community Supported Agriculture 

Eugene Cooke has been growing food and developing creative, community partnerships for over a decade. He believes that artistic expression and sustainable living are the keys to vibrant social systems. Working as an employee with national non-profits and schools inspired Eugene to create ‘gebsite.com,' which helps people grow their own food at homes, schools, churches, community centers and parks. Eugene has assisted in developing gardens and mini-farms in California, Georgia, Washington D.C., Oregon, Florida and Kenya. He has been teaching visual art, environmental and agricultural science to children and adults for over 10 years.

To learn more and sign up, please visit: http://goodhappens.org/e/3075 The class will at the Center (4132 Campus Drive Irvine, CA 92612), for a fee of $22 (with a $12 student discount). Interested parties can contact Sabrina Talukder at stalukder@goodhappens.org with questions.

With all the labels on produce these days, it can be difficult to differentiate what they mean and what you’re really purchasing.  This guide may help clarify things: 

Organic: a way of growing and processing food that prohibits the use of most conventional pesticides, petroleum-based fertilizers, genetically modified organisms, and irradiation. Animals are raised on organic feed and are not given antibiotics or growth hormones, and they must have access to the outdoors. For foods to display the USDA Organic symbol, the product must be produced, processed, and certified in accordance with the Organic Foods Production Act (OFPA) and the National Organic Program (NOP).

Pesticide-Free: food that was grown without the use of synthetic pesticides. There is no national regulation of this term. Farmers may use this term if their farm is not organic-certified or is too small to afford the certification process. It also may be used if the food was grown in accordance with some organic standards (such as no pesticides), but not others.

Other helpful terms:

• Locally grown: product grown in the local area. Unfortunately, this definition can vary widely for example, Wal-Mart considers a product “local” if it's grown in the same state as it's sold. Whole-Foods considers local to be anything produced within seven hours of one of its stores. Truly local foods support the local economy and are better for the environment because they aren’t trucked as far.
• Natural: this term applies only to meat and poultry. According to the USDA, natural means the product contains no artificial ingredients or added color and is only minimally processed. Minimal processing means that the product was processed in a manner that does not fundamentally alter the product.
• Sustainable Agriculture: a way of raising food that is healthy for consumers and animals, does not harm the environment, is humane for workers, respects animals, provides a fair wage to the farmer, and supports and enhances rural communities.
• Seasonal: Refers to the times of the year when a food is at its peak. Purchasing foods in season (and locally) ensures the food reaches you in the least amount of time after being harvested and requires minimal processing, if any. The thought behind seasonal produce is that it is fresher, tastes better, and is more nutritious.

Happy shopping! For more information, refer to the following sites:

• USDA Agricultural Marketing Service: The National Organic Program 
• USDA Food Safety and Inspection Service: Meat & Poultry Labeling Terms
• CUESA Seasonal Foods
• Eat Well Guide: Seasonal Food Guides

This Blog Post Written by: Vanna Shute, Cleveland Clinic Dietetic Intern