The Tasty International History Behind Avocados

In his distinctively direct manner, Lance Geiger of The History Guy talked about the long, international and very tasty history behind the avocado.

He explains how one theory posits that the unique fruit originated in Africa and was rafted over to the Americas via the Atlantic Ocean, where it was domesticated almost 10,000 years ago. While other theories talk about conquests and the avocado being anything but a delicacy.

The Spanish recognized the use of avocados as animal feed remedy for bruises and split ends and even as stamps on fabric evidence from seed remains suggests that avocados were a trade item spreading use throughout the Americas, although not to the West Indies. A 1605 Spanish publication suggests the fruit may have been discovered by the Incas via Conquest in the northern part of the Empire.

The avocado was finally adopted by Americans due a 1519 letter from Martin Fernandez de Eniso, a Spanish official who extolled the wonderful mouthfeel and taste of the fruit.

The Spanish, interested in any new species in the Americas, recognized the fruits value early on a 1519 publication by Colonial official Martin Fernandez de Eniso said “That which it contains is like butter and is of marvelous flavor so good an pleasing to the palette that it is a marvelous thing” Other Spanish chroniclers compared the fruit to figs and pears.

The history continues through to modern day, where an avocado is a very common thing and very popular in certain recipes.

The American taste for the avocado has skyrocketed in the 21st century, with the US Department of agriculture noting the annual per capita avocado demand tripling to 8 pounds between 2000 and 2021. Whether for trendy toast or for football party guacamole, the story behind the evergreen fruit is a spicy addition to the mix.