Avocado Pit Broth Is Packed With Nutrients and Super Easy to Make

It’s no secret that avocados have become one of the most beloved superfoods on the planet in recent years. Whether you’re smearing it over toast, smashing it into guacamole, or blending it into a smoothie, the versatile fruit can add a delicious boost of nutrients to your daily diet. That said, there’s one huge part of the avocado that most of us ignore entirely: the pit.

We usually toss the seed away without a second thought before preparing a yummy dish with the fruit’s creamy green pulp. Some folks might save their avocado pit to grow their own plant, but they would likely be hard-pressed to come up with any other ways to make use of the dense pit. It turns out, we may have been missing out on even more perks from avocados this whole time!

How do you prepare avocado pits?

Aside from growing a whole new plant from the pit, you may have noticed a trend in drying out and grinding up avocado pits as supplements to smoothies. Others have used this method to create exfoliating masks and lotions for their skin. 

There’s another option that doesn’t involve breaking the pit down into a powdery substance. Instead, you can use it to create broths, soups, and stocks that are both nutrient-rich and flavorful! Simply roast the avocado pits in your oven until they turn golden brown, and then allow them to simmer in a large pot of water. 

Follow the same process you would with chicken or ham bones to make a scrumptious base for countless soupy recipes. You can even prep for winter by whipping up some broth or stock during the summer when avocados are in season. Just pop as many containers as you can squeeze in your freezer to heat up during the colder months!

What are the health benefits of avocado pits?

Several studies over the years have attempted to unlock the potential nutritional value hiding away inside avocado pits. That said, there are also concerns about toxicity and whether it is even be safe to consume. 

A 2013 study published in the Scientific World Journal tested extracts from the pits and found a lack of “genotoxic activity,” which are the chemical agents that could result in cancer-causing mutations. More recently, a 2017 study published in BMC Plant Biology from the Monterrey Institute of Technology and Higher Education School of Engineering and Sciences specifically investigated the presence of persin, a toxin similar to a fatty acid, and found the levels to be low enough for normal consumption.

Another study from 2013 by Pennsylvania State University lists several promising benefits of consuming avocado pits, including for the treatment of hypertension, inflammatory conditions, and diabetes. They also describe the pits as rich in phenolic compounds, which aid in preventing and treating cancer.