Avocado may be a delicious and standard fruit that’s wealthy in healthy fats, vitamins, and minerals.
When avocados ar in season or on sale, it’s tempting to replenish.
To keep ripe avocados longer, you'll be able to attempt freeze them. However, freeze has some negative effects on the fruit’s quality.
This article explains the consequences of freeze avocados and the way best to try and do it.
Effects of freeze avocados
When freeze avocados, it’s necessary to think about the consequences on the nutrient content, texture, color, and flavor.
Nutrient content
Avocados ar wealthy in nutrients, together with healthy fats and fiber, additionally as copper, potassium, folate, niacin, and vitamins B6, C, E, and K (1).
Freezing itself doesn't considerably have an effect on the calorie, fiber, or mineral content of foods, however it should scale back their levels of soluble vitamins, like pyridoxine and vitamin Bc (2, 3).
No analysis has analyzed precisely what proportion nutrient loss happens from freeze avocados, however you must expect some losses — notably in cases of extended storage times (2, 4).
Yet, nutrients additionally decline over time in contemporary turn out. Thus, the nutrient losses from freeze shouldn’t be a major concern (2).
Texture
Freezing avocado impairs its signature swish, creamy texture.
When frozen, the fruit’s water expands and disrupts its structure — a control additionally seen in alternative frozen fruits, like papaya (5Trusted Source).
After being thawed, the avocado becomes slimed, watery, and mushy.
While you'll not wish to eat it on its own, you'll be able to remedy this unpleasant texture by mixing it into your smoothie or puréeing it to form dip or sauce.
Color
Avocados brown once exposed to O within the air (6Trusted Source).
When frozen, they’re usually puréed or take away halves or chunks, so exposing them to air throughout each freeze and thawing. Thawed avocado might speedily brown, therefore correct preparation and storage strategies ar essential.
While browning may be a action and doesn’t essentially have an effect on the style, some folks might notice it unappealing.
To reduce browning, you'll be able to brush tiny amounts of juice or vinegar onto the flesh before freeze. industrial preparations of frozen avocado typically add ascorbic or acid (7).
Additionally, you must certify to seal the fruit utterly. If improperly protected, it should expertise deep-freeze burn, which might cause discoloration and drying.
Flavor
Although freeze itself doesn’t considerably have an effect on flavor, varied process strategies may.
If you utilize vinegar or juice to stop browning, they'll modification the style slightly. Yet, these flavors won’t be as pronounced if you’re intermixture the avocado into a dip like dip.
Commercially frozen avocado product might contain additives and alternative ingredients, therefore you must check the label if you’re involved concerning style.
How to freeze avocados
Whole avocados tend to become brown and really mushy upon thawing. As such, you must cut, mash, or purée the fruit before freeze.
Frozen avocado features a period of 4–6 months, however industrial product might last even longer because of additional preservatives (8).
Freezing halves or items
Start by cutting a ripe avocado in [*fr1], then removing Hell and peeling it. If desired, you'll be able to cut it into smaller chunks.
Brush or spray the exposed avocado flesh with a touch juice to assist forestall browning, then wrap it in wrapper or place it in an exceedingly resealable bag. If you have got a vacuum sealer, you'll be able to use it instead.
It’s necessary to depart as very little air as potential touching the flesh to stop browning and deep-freeze burn.
Freezing mash or purée
You can likewise freeze mashed or puréed avocado — or perhaps do-it-yourself dip.
After peeling and erosion, mash or purée the fruit by hand or employing a kitchen appliance.
If creating dip, add lemon or juice and {any alternative|the other} seasonings — however avoid adding other vegetables like tomato or onion at this stage, as these tend to unharness water throughout thawing.
Place the purée in an exceedingly instrumentality, cube receptacle, or resealable bag, pressing out the maximum amount air as potential — by hand or with a vacuum sealer. Label and date the luggage and freeze at 0°F (-18°C).
How to thaw and use frozen avocado
Once you’re able to use your frozen avocado, take away it from the deep freezer|fridge} and thaw it within the refrigerator or at temperature. Thawing typically takes concerning one hour at temperature.
Thawed avocado is most fitted for dish dressings, smoothies, and alternative dishes like dip, dips, and spreads. many of us notice it unappealing to eat plain or in salads because of the changes in texture, however it’s utterly safe to try and do therefore if you want.
Seasonings and additional ingredients might facilitate mask the mushiness and alternative changes related to freeze.
The bottom line
Freezing avocado might assist you scale back refuse and keep this fruit handy throughout the year.
While most nutrients ar preserved throughout freeze, the flesh tends to become mushy and should brown throughout storage or thawing.
Therefore, frozen avocados ar best mixed into dishes like dip, dips, and smoothies.
