Scientific Name: Persea americana
Order: Laurales
Family: Persea
California avocado (Persea americana) is in the Persea family. An avocado is actually a fruit not a vegetable. California avocado fruit have greenish or yellowish flesh with a buttery consistency and a rich, nutty flavor. California has about 3,000 avocado growers covering roughly 50,000 acres of land in the state.
California avocado contains a sufficient amount of fat (24% daily value [DV]). Most of the fats from California avocado come from monounsaturated fats and polyunsaturated fats, which are beneficial fats that can improve a person's blood cholesterol levels. California avocado is also abundant in folate (22% DV) also known as vitamin B9. Folate helps the body form healthy red blood cells and is crucial during early pregnancy for reducing the risk of brain and spinal birth defects.
The amount of vitamin K (26% DV) in California avocado is beneficial for bone health and normal blood clotting. The fiber (27% DV) in California avocado aids in bowel movement and cholesterol management, as well as lowers the chance of heart diseases and maintains one's weight. One of the famous foods that is made of avocado is guacamole, which can be loosely translated to "avocado soup".