The Surprisingly Great Health Benefits of House Sitting

Have you ever wondered about the health benefits of house sitting? What do I mean?

Avocado Tree

Sometimes there are unexpected health benefits of house sitting. For instance, at our current house sit in Mexico, the owner has a huge avocado tree with a bumper crop.

It is so loaded that one of the branches snapped off and this is where we got the unexpected perk.

We took photos and notified the owner and she said, “Please help yourself, give some away, put some outside the door for people to take.” we did all three!!

Brief History of the Avocado

Did you know that avocado (Persea Americana) is a fruit? It takes about 3–4 years to produce. It is an evergreen tree and is native to North and South America. It was domesticated by Mesoamerican tribes (north and central America) over 5,000 years ago.

It contains a single pit and can self-pollinate.

Mexico has been the leading producer of avocados since 2020. That year, they supplied nearly 30% of the world’s harvest.

The avocado can grow in shapes like pear, egg, or spherical. Each avocado fruit needs 70 litres (18 US gallons) of water to grow.

Mexican avocado production is concentrated in Michoacán state and west-central Mexico. For over 25 years, Michoacán has dominated the US market. However, the US can now sample the fruit from Jalisco state.

Even though it takes several years to bear fruit, many home owners grow their own. For us, that provides unexpected health benefits of house sitting.

Why the Avocado is Considered Green Gold

Here in Mexico, avocados are almost as precious as gold and silver (they are worth nearly $3 billion in exports a year).  That is a significant amount of money for Mexico.

Worldwide, the market last year was 9.29 billion dollars (US). This makes it a very lucrative commodity. Profits from avocados are higher than for oil.

Avocado production in Michoacán provides more than 40,000 permanent jobs and approximately 60,000 seasonal jobs.

But besides their monetary value, avocados have huge health benefits.

New Cartel Commodity

With the vast majority of the avocados coming out of  Michoacán, this provides a hotbed for cartel activity and control.  According to Mexico News Daily, last year this city was the most violent globally.

The avocado industry has become a target for rival cartels fighting to gain control and squeeze the avocado farmers for money. The cartels had access to government databases whereby they kidnapped avocado farmers. Not only have they been kidnapping the farmers, but they are also taking over their farms, and clearing them out so they can grow their crops.

Besides the drug trade, the cartel is diversifying into other lucrative ventures. In addition to taking control of the ‘green gold,’ they are also attempting to seize land such as the Monarch Butterfly Biosphere Reserve to produce more agricultural goods and carry out illegal logging, eliminating those who get in their way.

Blueberries, strawberries and blackberries are produced in Michoacá and shipped to the United States. Unfortunately, many farmers are taxed by cartels.

Hours before the 2022 Super Bowl, Mexico’s avocado exports were suspended by US authorities, because of a threatening phone call to a plant inspector.

Even though this didn’t affect the Super Bowl, because the avocados had already been shipped, the suspension caused the prices of avocados to skyrocket and to remain so for several months.

The cartels are not the only threat to the avocado industry. The deforestation and the water shortage facing Mexico are also causing stress and threatening the supply.

Unfortunately, this delicious fruit faces so much plight before it gets to our tables!

Why Are Avocados such a Perfect Fruit?

The avocado is loved worldwide. Why? Because it is considered a superfood. Since we both love avocados, this provided great health benefits of house sitting because hey contain many nutrients and health benefits, such as:

• 800mg per cup of potassium (double a banana)
• a source of vitamin C, K, E, pre-vitamin A and B5
• magnesium
• an anti-inflammatory
• vitamin E which is perfect for skincare
• high in good fat but low in sugar
• good for the cardiovascular system

Other Health Benefits of Avocados

Other great reasons to consume avocados include:

Healthy Gut

They are high in fibre, which can aid in promoting a healthy body weight as they keep you satisfied longer than low-fibre foods.

Rich Source of Antioxidants

Antioxidants help fight free radicals, that damage cells and create an imbalance. A diet high in antioxidants is beneficial in reducing the risk of chronic disease.

High in Folate

Folate is needed to promote healthy brain function and healthy pregnancies.  Pregnant women should consume 600 micrograms daily; it can also help prevent birth defects.

A study by the National Library of Medicine on avocados in Maternal Diets during the Periconceptional Period, Pregnancy, and Lactation concluded the following:

Loaded with Monounsaturated Fats

These fats help to lower LDL cholesterol (which can cause blood clots by reducing blood flow through the arteries) without affecting the good HDL cholesterol.

Side Effects of Too Much Avocado

As with anything good for most of us, there can be some negative side effects for others. These could include:

• allergies (rare and can be oral or latex)
• possible weight gain so maybe limit intake to half or a small one daily if this is a concern

Avocados in Food Preparation

Stuffed Avocado

The avocado is not only delicious and nutritious but also very versatile. There are many sweet and savoury recipes and different ways to eat them.

The ever-popular Guacamole is very important in Mexican culture, as it is believed that the Aztecs were among the first people to make it.

In addition to this wonderful dish, avocados can be eaten on their own or consumed in the following ways :

1. smoothies (my husband’s favourite)
2. on toast
3. tacos
4. dips
5. as a side dish to a meal (one of my favourite ways)
6. appetizers
7. salads
8. salad dressings
9. sushi
10. quesadillas
11. sandwiches
12. entrees
13. as a stuffing
14. mayo replacement
15. in soups
16. as fries
17. hummus
18. desserts

The list is endless of the many ways you can enjoy avocado!

Final Thoughts

I am extremely grateful to have access to a tree of avocados (green gold) in the backyard to be enjoyed during our brief stay. We will be helping ourselves. Delicious!

Avocados are not the only food that has provided health benefits of house sitting. We have been able to enjoy while house sitting. Others include sweet cherry tomatoes, lemons and limes, fresh herbs such as rosemary and basil, and rhubarb. We have been fortunate to reap the health benefits of house sitting.

So who knew that there were such great health benefits of house sitting?  Are you a lover or hater of avocados? What is your favourite way to use them? Let us know in the comments below.