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Can I Eat Avocado Pits?

Christina Edwards
Christina Edwards

All parts of an avocado fruit can be eaten, including the avocado pit. To eat the pits, they must first be removed from the centers of the fruit. They can then be dried and ground or smashed up. Since the vitamin-rich pits have an unpleasant taste, many people choose to eat avocado pits mixed in with another food or a drink.

Eating avocado pits has several health benefits. The pits are very high in vitamin C, for instance. Avocado pits are also very rich in antioxidants and soluble fiber.

Avocado pits may be broken up with a hammer before eaten.
Avocado pits may be broken up with a hammer before eaten.

The best way to remove an avocado pit is to use a sharp knife to cut around the circumference of the fruit. The cut should be deep enough to reach the pit. The top half of the fruit can then be removed, and the pit should be exposed. Lay the fruit on a hard, flat surface, with the pit facing upward. Using a very sharp and heavy knife, smack the avocado pit with the blade of the knife.

The pit of an avocado can be easily removed by using a sharp knife to cut around the fruit's circumference.
The pit of an avocado can be easily removed by using a sharp knife to cut around the fruit's circumference.

Once the blade of the knife sinks part way into the pit, the knife blade can be twisted. This action will cause the avocado pit to come loose from the fruit. Most people who eat avocado pits will also eat the avocado flesh. Whether it is consumed or applied to the skin, there are several benefits of avocados.

Before you eat avocado pits, you may want to dry them. This can be accomplished by setting them on a dry, sunny windowsill. It will usually take several days for a pit to dry completely.

Avocado are stone fruits. This means that they have very hard seeds, or pits, similar to stones. Avocado pits must first be broken up or ground up into a powder before they can be eaten.

Tossing an avocado pit into a blender could ruin the machine. Instead, you may find that smashing it with a hammer makes it easier to grind it up. You can also cut the pit up before you grind it up.

Avocado pits might be blended into a smoothie to increase their flavor.
Avocado pits might be blended into a smoothie to increase their flavor.

To smash avocado pits before you grind them, put them in a heavy-duty plastic bag and smash them with a mallet or hammer. Putting a heavy towel over the bag will help prevent the bag from tearing. The avocado pit pieces can then be ground up in a heavy-duty blender or food processor. This should result in a fine powder.

Most people who eat the pits find they are quite bitter tasting. This is because of the tannins in the pit. Mixing them in smoothies is one of the most popular ways to eat avocado pits. Ice can be blended with fruits, like bananas and strawberries, to make a smoothie. Bits of avocado can also be added, along with about half of the ground up pit.

Discussion Comments

anon1003873

I just wash the skin with soap and water, then skin it and throw the whole thing in my 25 year old blender with banana, apple, beet powder, Carnation instant breakfast and left over coffee from the pot. I put it on blend for 5 minutes and drink the whole smoothie. I swear I have been doing it for about three months about 4 to 5 times a week and I swear my eyes, back pain and skin have improved. I am 63 years old, a retired fireman and it doesn't give me a bad effect. Also my constitutionals have improved.

anon1003551

I have ground avocado pits in my Cuisinart with a little water, then strained the result. The paste turns red and grainy, so I mix a spoonful in my breakfast oatmeal, with some yogurt.

Demaisra

I just recently started eating avocado seeds and would love some actual nutritional information on them. I also would love an actual serving size in dry grams. I've been doing 2 tablespoons a day.

Here's what I do to avoid the bitter taste. After I remove the pit from the fruit, I wash and dry it with a paper towel, then I grate it with the small grate on my cheese grater and dry the gratings over night. Once completely dry, I grind them up in a spice grinder. I store the avocado seed powder in a jar with a lid.

The best way I found to eat it without a bitter taste is in a smoothie:

Demaisra's Healthy Avocado Seed Smoothie

Blend in blender:

1 cup almond milk

60 grams banana, frozen

1/4 cup oats

1 Tbsp ground flax seed

7 to 14 grams ground almonds

1 Tbsp local honey

1/4 teaspoon cinnamon and or vanilla extract

stir in:

2 Tbsp avocado powder

I feel if you stir in the powder after the smoothie is blended, the tannins won't be released to create the bitter taste.

If anyone can help me find nutrition info on seeds that would be appreciated.

dzuberbu

Concerning 'the seed':

I have several 'seeds' (hereafter referred to as 'pits') that have dried. There is an outer layer of 'skin' that hardens and easily flakes off. But what remains does not always look as though it's "clean". Many of the pits, once the outer skin is removed, look almost 'grungy' -- I apologize for lack of a better description -- one metaphor might be that they look a bit like blue cheese -- very veiny. And additionally, they often seem to be almost 'fossilized' in parts.

Obviously, I don't know what I'm doing in trying to prepare them for eating. Does anybody have any idea what I'm attempting to describe; and if so, can you help?

Thanks in advance for any and all feedback.

anon976294

There is so little written on the internet about avocado leaf tea! Is it healthy for humans? Can the leaves of young trees be used for tea? Thanks!

Mor

I had no idea you could use the pits in avocado recipes. I always put them aside with the intention of growing the avocado pits, but I've rarely been patient enough to actually end up with a shoot. They take a very long time to sprout so you've really got to be patient. And even then it will be several years before you'll get any fruits from the tree.

So maybe I'll use my pits for food now instead.

croydon

@pastanaga - It's probably a good idea to do this anyway, because tannins aren't very good for you. That's the main reason people boil acorns if they plan to make acorn flour. Too many tannins are essentially poisonous.

I don't think there are enough in avocado pits to make a difference, particularly since people only eat a little bit at a time, but I wouldn't try to eat three at once or anything like that and I think boiling them is a definitely a good idea.

pastanaga

I recommend that you boil the pits before drying them. Most of the recipes I've seen for avocado seeds recommend that you do that, although I don't think it's strictly necessary.

Tannins are water soluble though, so it may help to remove some of the bitter flavor.

I know for acorns, which are another potential food item that is high in tannins, you are supposed to boil them for a while and keep removing the water to get rid of the tannins. I don't know if that would help with the avocado pits or not, because I haven't tried it, but it wouldn't surprise me if it did work.

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    • Avocado pits may be broken up with a hammer before eaten.
      By: donatas1205
      Avocado pits may be broken up with a hammer before eaten.
    • The pit of an avocado can be easily removed by using a sharp knife to cut around the fruit's circumference.
      By: oriori
      The pit of an avocado can be easily removed by using a sharp knife to cut around the fruit's circumference.
    • Avocado pits might be blended into a smoothie to increase their flavor.
      By: v_blinov
      Avocado pits might be blended into a smoothie to increase their flavor.
    • Avocados are referred to as a vegetable, when in fact they are a type of stone fruit.
      By: MSPhotographic
      Avocados are referred to as a vegetable, when in fact they are a type of stone fruit.