Whether you want to whip up a batch of guacamole, craft a superior grain bowl, prepare a perfectly refreshing green smoothie or make some avocado toast, a steady supply of fresh, ripe avocados is essential. But the fruit (yep—not a veggie!), which also is known as an alligator pear, can hide a few secrets under that tough, nubbly exterior.
How to Store Avocados
From the outside, it's fairly easy to determine the ripeness of an avocado when you're shopping, since a ready-to-eat one will yield to firm, gentle pressure. But the story can change once you get home and slice it open. Most of the time, you'll find bright green, creamy flesh. But sometimes, even a perfectly ripe avocado will reveal an interior that includes some stringy brown strips.
Considering how expensive avocados can be these days, it can be an unpleasant surprise to find those strips in your otherwise lovely avocado. You don't want to waste your money by tossing it all away, right? So if you're wondering what those things are, and if they're going to be OK to eat, here's all the information you need.
What Are the Brown Strips in an Avocado?
Those fibrous strips are just the avocado doing its thing to grow up big and strong. They're actually called "vascular bundles." Like veins do in our body, they carry nutrients and water. For a baby avocado blossom growing on a tree,they're necessary to ensure proper growth and development.
The good news is that you probably won't come across too many stringy avocados, according to Terry Splane, vice president of marketing for the California Avocado Commission. "Fibrous strands in avocados are a relatively rare occurrence," Splane says. What causes these unsightly bits in an otherwise-perfect avocado? Usually, it's age—as in youth, not old age. "Those strands are generally found in fruit from immature trees," he explains.
It's important to know that this stringiness can vary not only by variety, but also by the grower, horticultural practices and what happened during the growing cycle. For example, if the grower harvested from a young tree or improperly stored the harvested avocados, the avocados are more likely to be stringy.
Seasonality plays a role, too, so less-mature fruits might be stringier than ones that are later in their season. Avocado season varies depending on variety and where the avocados are grown, but generally California avocados are in season from spring through late summer or early fall, while avocados from Mexico are harvested from farms at different elevations throughout the year.
You can also zero in on certain varieties of avocado to reduce the odds of getting a stringy one. Widely available Hass avocados are generally considered to be the least stringy, so they're a good bet. If your market's produce section only carries Stewart varieties, however, you might be more likely to encounter strings, since those varieties are known for being stringier. (But don't sleep on Stewarts, since they're still known for their rich and nutty flavor.)
Is It OK to Eat Avocado with Brown Strings?
In a word, yes. "Although these fibers may be unsightly, they are safe for consumption," Splane says. You can apply your own common sense to the issue, too. As long as an avocado looks mostly green and tastes OK, you can eat it. If it's entirely brown inside or is giving off a bad smell, take the "L" on this one and try again.
If you find that there are brown strings inside, you'll want to pull them out and toss them in your compost bin. Their stringy texture makes them a less-than-ideal addition to your meal. It's good to know that while the strings may not look especially appetizing, it's OK if you accidentally eat them, because they're totally edible.
How to Easily Remove Brown Strings from an Avocado
If there are more than just a few strings and you're finding it difficult to separate them from the flesh, simply pull out your kitchen strainer and use the back of a kitchen spoon to press the avocado flesh through the mesh and into a bowl. Now you've got a perfect bowl of mashed avocado, ready for an order of avocado toast, a creamy taco topping or a batch of your killer guacamole.
Avocados Are a Bright Green Superfood—Strings or Not!
Even if you run into some strings and have to spend a few minutes removing them, eating an avocado is still a smart nutritional choice. According to the Department of Agriculture, they're a great source of potassium, folate, fiber and monounsaturated fats, all of which benefit the heart and cardiovascular systems.
Health Benefits of Avocados
While some people are concerned about the calories in avocados, you are getting a lot of nutritional bang for your buck with this superfood. "One-third of a medium avocado (50 grams) has 80 calories and contributes nearly 20 vitamins and minerals," Splane says. "It's a nutrient-dense choice with substantial amounts of vitamins, minerals and other nutrients with relatively few calories."
Bottom Line
You never know what you're going to get when you slice into a ripe avocado. But as long as most of the flesh looks green, the texture is firm and the fruit passes your personal smell test, you should be OK, even if you do encounter some brown strings. Just press the avocado flesh through a sieve and enjoy that freshly mashed avocado.
