7 Simple Tips to Keep Avocados from Turning Brown
Avocados tend to turn brown quickly, which makes them look unappetizing. Is there any way to keep that from happening? Of course!
Most people know that in order to get the most benefits from an avocado and enjoy its freshness, it’s important to eat all of it in the least amount of time possible.
However, sometimes we don’t want to eat an entire avocado at once, and thus an inviting portion remains that would be a shame to throw away.
Thankfully, there are a variety of natural tricks that will allow us to keep avocados from turning brown, so they stay fresh and green for a longer period of time.
Let’s take a look at them!
Tips to Keep Avocados from Oxidizing
1. Leave the pit
The first tip to help keep avocados from oxidizing and keep them fresh is to leave the pit in half of the avocado, or even better, use only the half of the avocado without the pit.
However, keep in mind that this only helps to preserve the part of the avocado that is in contact with the pit. Therefore, the part that is in contact with the air will turn brown quickly rapidly and lose its freshness.
That’s why you should look for an alternative that imitates what the pit does, but that will cover the entire piece of the remaining avocado.
2. The onion method
This trick consists of cutting a quarter part of a red onion in large slices, which can be placed in the bottom of an airtight container. Later, you place the piece of the remaining avocado that you want to preserve on top of the onions, with the pit facing upwards. Seal the container and keep it in the refrigerator.
According to a study from Government College University, the vapors emitted by the onion can help prevent the avocado from turning brown. The study also emphasizes the antioxidant properties of onion. Furthermore, the only part that comes in contact with the onions is the skin of the avocado, so the flavor of the fruit will not be altered.
3. The olive oil method
Olive oil is a natural ingredient that does not alter the flavor or the fragrance of the avocado that you wish to keep fresh. To take advantage of this trick, simply spread olive oil on the part of the avocado that you want to keep fresh and then store it in an airtight container. A study from La Inmaculada Hospital in Huercal-Overa (Spain) found that the oil is an antioxidant and keeps avocados from coming into contact with the air and turning brown.
Read: Four Quick Tricks to Clean Pots and Pans
4. The lemon juice method
Another ingredient that helps to preserve the freshness of an avocado is lemon juice. The citric acid in lemon juice dramatically reduces the oxidation process and helps avocados stay green, according to a study from the University of Antioquia (Colombia).
- To do this, simply sprinkle the lemon juice on the part of the avocado that you want to preserve.
- Another option is to place a large slice of lemon over the top of the avocado if it doesn’t have the pit.
In both cases, it’s ideal to keep the avocado in an airtight container in order to preserve its freshness, from 2 to 4 days, at a temperature of about 40ºF.
5. Use cold water
A very common method that is used in many homes and restaurants is to place an avocado in cold water in order to limits its contact with oxygen.
In this case, it’s only recommended when the leftover piece of avocado will be used rather quickly.
Read: 5 Cleaning Tricks if You Don’t Like to Clean
6. Plastic wrap
Plastic wrap, or Saran wrap, is also a great help to preserve any leftover avocado for a longer time. Just cover the avocado with a good quantity of plastic and later place it in the refrigerator.
Even if the top part turns a black color in just a day or two, all you need to do is scrape off the top part and the part underneath will still have its fresh green color.
7. Crush the avocado
If you don’t want to waste any part of the leftover avocado, a good idea to preserve it for longer time is to prepare delicious guacamole.
- For this, just crush the avocado and add 1 tablespoon of lime juice for each part of the used avocado. The acid from the juice will help to keep avocados from oxidizing and changing color.
- However, if you want to be even more certain, place the crushed avocado in an airtight container, cover it with plastic wrap and then put the lid on. The plastic wrap and the lid will keep the oxygen from getting to the surface of the avocado, keeping it from oxidizing.
Later, you can use the crushed avocado to make a special guacamole, or even use it in a salad.
Have you ever wasted avocado because you didn’t know how to keep it fresh? Well, now you know some great tricks to keep your avocados from turning brown. Enjoy!
