Over the past few years, Avocados have become known as a ‘superfood’ for good reason. They are a nutrient dense, and it’s no wonder that they have been prized for thousands of years.
The avocado is fruit, a member of the berry family. Archaeologists found evidence in a cave in Central Mexico that avocados were eaten 10,000 years ago. There is even fossil evidence that millions of years ago a similar species grew as far north as what is now California. Cultivation began about 5,000 years ago and many cultures - the Inca, Olmec, and the Maya - grew trees. The fruit was eaten throughout Mexico and Central America and trees were grown as far south as Peru and Venezuela. Avocado seeds have been found buried with Peruvian mummies signifying the importance of the fruit.
The Nahuatl people were native to southern Mexico and Central America and include many cultures such the Aztecs. Perhaps because of their shape or their appearance hanging on the tree, the word avocado comes from the Nahuatl word ahuacatl, which means testicle. Avocados were thought to be an aphrodisiac and throughout Central and South America were eaten as a sex stimulant.
In the 16th century, the Conquistadors were the first Europeans to taste avocados. The fruit was described in the written account of the Spanish exploration of the Americas near Santa Marta, Colombia. The Spanish changed the name to aguacate, and brought the fruit to Europe and sold them to other countries.
The tree was first planted in the United States in the mid-1800s. In 1871, a botanist successfully planted trees from Mexico in Santa Barbara. Starting in the early 1900s, the fruit was recognized as valuable and the tree was cultivated in large quantities. California is now one of the leading domestic growers of avocado, primarily the Hass variety. It is also grown in Florida and Hawaii. It is a subtropical plant and is now grown on every continent, where conditions are warm enough. Each region grows a different type of tree suited to the growing conditions of the area.
Avocados nourish the body inside and out with vitamins, minerals, fatty acids, and internally, with fiber.
Avocados are high in a compound called Cartenoids, including beta carotene and lutein. These compounds are important anti-oxidants and fight damage to the cells. They improve skin density, tone, and thickness. This improves the skin's general appearance.
Vitamin C helps the body produce elastin and collagen both of which bind skin cells together and maintain the proper architecture of the cells. If the structure is maintained, the skin is more likely to appear tight and this reduces the appearance of wrinkles.
Vitamin E is a fat soluble vitamin. As an antioxidant, it prevents and repairs free radical damage from oxidizing fat cells in the skin. It also encourages the growth of new cells. This regeneration of cells diminishes the appearance of wrinkles. In combination with Vitamin C, it can protect the skin from sun damage.
The fatty acids in avocado oil, specifically the oleic acid, infuse moisture into the epidermal layer of the skin and help this layer maintain the moisture. The fatty acid - omega 9 regenerates damaged skin cells and reduces irritation and the appearance of redness. Fatty acids are a crucial building block of a healthy complexion.
Our Sunflower & Avocado Pre-Shave Oil preps the beard and the surface of the skin for shaving. The oils hydrate the skin and soften the beard leaving skin supple and making shaving easier.
The rich Organic Aloe, Olive & Avocado Lotion combines the hydrating and anti-inflammatory benefits of aloe with the anti-oxidant strengths of avocado. The lotion penetrates deeply and nourishes dry, or chapped skin anywhere on your body.
Five-Oil Eye Makeup Remover is gentle and hydrating as it lifts eye makeup away.
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