Can You Eat Avocado Peels?

Avocados aren't just on-trend — their popularity has firmly rooted itself in the zeitgeist. The buttery, fiber-filled fruits (yes, they're fruits — berries, if we're being technical) are here to stay. Whether you love sliced avocado on top of your morning toast with everything but the bagel seasoning, you prefer a few slices on a perfectly grilled burger, or you like avocado smashed up into a spicy, citrusy guacamole, you've likely never wondered whether you should hang onto the peel. It turns out you actually can eat avocado peels — and, believe it or not, they're pretty good for you (we were surprised too). Research shows that avocado peels contain antioxidants and have antimicrobial effects.

The type of avocado you choose matters if you're trying to get the health benefits of eating the skin. If you'd like to bite into it like an apple, look for Mexicola avocados, which have thin, pliable, purplish skin (the color of an eggplant). If you're interested in eating the skin of other types of avocado — like the tasty Hass variety, commonly found in grocery stores — you'll need to put in a bit of work.

If you're not stocked up on Mexicola avocados but still want to reap the health benefits that come from eating avocado skin, you'll need to turn the peels into a fine powder to add to other foods. Start by cleaning the peels, then bake them at a low temperature before grinding them in a food processor. Sprinkle the powder over morning oatmeal (add some raw honey for sweetness and an extra boost of antioxidants), or try adding a bit to a green juice or a smoothie. 

Many people wonder if you can also consume the pit of an avocado, but the jury is still out on this idea. While the pit is loaded with healthy fats, scientists say that it also contains toxins that are unsafe to eat. Rather than tossing the pit in the trash, however, you can use it to grow your own avocado tree. If you're lucky enough to live in sunny Southern California, you may be able to get your tree to bear fruit after a few years. If you don't live in an area where it stays fairly warm year-round, however, you'll have better luck growing your tree indoors. It likely won't bear fruit, so you'll need to keep buying your avocados (and their health-benefit-loaded peels) from your local grocery store.