Common names: Avocado, Avocado Pear, Alligator Pear
Taxonomic name: Persea americana
Family: Lauraceae
Can be used for: wound healing, stomach complaints, fluid retention, high blood pressure caused by fluid retention, some liver issues, some kidney issues, infections, high blood sugar
Area of origin: Central Mexico
Healing constituents: minerals, fibre, glycosides
Warnings: None
I was told that it can take 15 years for an Avocado (Persea americana) grown from a seed to bear fruit. That seems far too long to wait, and in our very small patch, we need things that can produce something useful pretty quickly, even if it isn’t food.
Avocado leaves are a key ingredient in the Filipino herbology that Jelina and I studied in Manila, where Avocado leaves are used in a cleansing tea that is both astringent and diuretic. Avocado leaf tea tones membranes and flushes out liquids, making it excellent for diets, fluid retention, colds and even high blood pressure (when caused by fluid retention). The high levels of anti-oxidants in Avocado leaves can also help strengthen our hearts.
As is usual in the case of high blood pressure and other, nominally related heart conditions, check with a regular kind of doctor before using Avocado too heavily.
Avocado leaves are mineral rich, including such goodies as zinc, calcium, magnesium and potassium. They are also high in quercetin which is an anti-oxidant, so it can benefit cases of inflammation.
Their high levels of fibre benefit the body in many ways from helping physically clean us out by nourishing our all important gut biome. Certain glycosides have been found to help with some cases of diabetes, which is along standing traditional use. Avocado leaves are astringent, and their astringency works all the way through the digestive tract, making it a good one for diarrhoea too. The astringent properties can also be used for some kinds of coughs and respiratory issues where they tone and tighten mucous membranes.
