How to Keep An avocado From Turning Brown

Helpful tips to keep an Avocado from turning brown.

I love avocados.  I eat them most days for lunch and love them on salads. But because they are high in calories, I do try to limit the amount of one that I use.  Invariably they seem to turn brown.   I did a bit of research to see what would help me keep this from happening. Here are some tips that I have discovered to help keep an avocado from going brown.

Why Do Cut Avocados Turn Brown?
Before we can stop this happening, we have to find out why it does.  Avocados contain an enzyme called polyphenol oxidase, which will cause it to turn brown when it comes in contact with air. So reducing the amount of air that gets to it is the key to solving the problem.

• The most common method says that leaving the pit in an avocado will keep it from turning brown.  To a certain degree, it does work. The area in contact with the pit will stay green, but the outer edges still turn brown for me.  But there is a big but that goes with this method.  Normally, you will cover the avocado and pit with plastic wrap, right?   So, it’s really the plastic wrap that keeps the guacamole from turning brown, not the pit!

• As with apples, acid does help keep an avocado from browning, but really it only slows down the process. If you’re only eating half an avocado, say for breakfast or lunch, keep the pit attached to the second half and rub the cut side with a little lemon or lime juice. Place it in a resealable plastic bag, removing as much air as possible, and refrigerate. It should be fine for up to 2 days, but you might need to scrape off some discoloration. This method works mainly because it seals out the air. 

• Cold water helps keep an avocado from turning brown.  Many  chefs and cooks use this method because they need to prepare avocados in advance of restaurant service. Whether you dice, slice or just spoon out your avocado halves, you’ll want to immediately immerse them in ice cold water (they’ll stay fresh for up to 4 hours). The cold water keeps the avocado away from oxygen. Also, rinsing the avocado under cold water helps delay browning. This method works because it keeps out all oxygen.

• Another method similar to the cold water method is to wash them under cold water and then put the avocado“lid” back onto the avocado half that has not been used yet.  This seems to work double duty for keeping it from going brown.

These tips will work on both the Haas avocados and also the Florida type, also known as Slimcados. So whichever method you use, it’s all about keeping the avocado away from oxygen. Plastic wrap was never so handy!

More cooking tips on my Facebook page – The Gardening Cook.

What is your favorite method for keeping an avocado green? 

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