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Avocado Leaves
Inventory, lb : 0
This item was last sold on : 04/02/22
Description/Taste
Avocado leaves are small to medium in size and oblong to elliptic in shape, averaging 4-10 centimeters wide and 10-30 centimeters in length. The surface on the top of the leaf is dark green and leathery, while the bottom of the leaf is matte and light-green to brown. There is a prominent light green-white vein that runs through the center of each elongated and slender leaf. Avocado leaves are usually toasted before use, offering a nutty hazelnut aroma and a mellow anise-licorice flavor. The leaves may also have a slightly bitter and pungent taste.
Seasons/Availability
Avocado leaves are available year-round.
Current Facts
Culinary Avocado leaves are typically harvested from the Mexican avocado varieties, botanically classified as Persea drymifolia, and share the same family as the bay leaf, both belonging to the Laurel family. Avocado leaves are commercially found in both fresh and dried form and are used medicinally and to flavor culinary dishes. There is some debate around Avocado leaves as there are many different cultivars and some are claimed to be slightly toxic, specifically varieties of Guatemalan Avocado leaves, but more research needs to be completed to finalize the discussion.
Nutritional Value
Avocado leaves are an excellent source of fiber and antioxidants such as phenols and flavonoids which have anti-inflammatory properties. They also contain zinc, manganese, calcium, sodium, magnesium, iron, and potassium.
Applications
Avocado leaves, both fresh and dried, are best suited for cooked applications such as toasting, boiling, and steaming. Fresh Avocado leaves can be used as a bed for roasting meats, as a wrapper for steaming or grilling fish, and also placed inside the wrapping of tamales to impart flavor. They can also be dried and added to soups, stews, mole sauces, and extracted to make salad dressings to add a nutty hazelnut and strong anise flavor. Dried Avocado leaves will keep up to one year when stored in an airtight container in a cool, dry, and dark place. Fresh Avocado leaves will keep for a couple of days when stored in a jar filled partially with water, covered with a plastic bag, and in the refrigerator.
Ethnic/Cultural Info
Both the Aztecs and the Mayans used Avocado leaves as a natural remedy for pain, diarrhea, coughs, arthritis, menstruation irregularity, and upset stomach. Dried or fresh leaves were traditionally crushed and steeped in hot water to make teas and tonics. The tea was also rubbed on the skin directly to sooth and treat the symptoms of acne, eczema, and dry skin.
Geography/History
The avocado tree is believed to have originated in Puebla, Mexico. Fossils and artifacts have been found dating the avocado tree to 10,000 BC with cultivation occurring around 900 AD. Today they can be found in markets around the world including the United States, Central and South America, Europe, Asia, Southeast Asia, Australia, and South Africa.
Recipe Ideas
Recipes that include Avocado Leaves. One
is easiest, three is harder.| Flavors of The Sun |
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Mexican Black Beans with Avocado Leaf |
| Telegraph |
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Refried Black Beans with Avocado Leaves |
| Cooking Channel |
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Avocado Leaf Crusted Tuna Taquitos |
