Don’t Throw Away Avocado Skins & Pits, Do This Instead!

When it comes to guilt-free fat and calorie intake, avocado is the superfood that always comes to mind. It contains monounsaturated fat and is a popular fruit for many healthy diets. But what about avocado skins and pits? Don’t throw these away! I’ll show you how you can put them to good use.

Uses of Avocado Skins & Pits

Commonly used in a variety of dishes, avocado becomes an addition to food waste. After pitting and peeling this delicious fruit, no one would think its leftovers are still useful. But avocado peels and pits are indeed valuable for many other uses. Sometimes, when the fruit overripens beyond use, the whole fruit may end up in the trash bin itself.

Here are a few good ways you can put discarded avocado peels and pits to good use.

Pit Smoothies

The fleshy part of the avocado is not the only thing that can be processed into a healthy smoothie. You may also enjoy the avocado pit smoothie for its digestive benefits. The avocado seed has fatty acids and soluble dietary fiber that promotes better digestion.

Slice avocado pits thinly and roast them or dehydrate them in the oven at 250⁰F (121⁰C) for two hours. Crush the roasted or dehydrated seeds using a mortar and pestle to break them down. Transfer it to a high-powered blender and blend until smooth. You can add avocado pit powder to any smoothie of your choice. Stir in honey or coconut sugar to mask the bitter taste that the seed may impart.

Infuse the peel and seed and use it as an aphrodisiac. Avocado is high in phytonutrients that help dilate the vessels, making them an excellent natural aphrodisiac. If you are looking to spice up your sex drive, cut up some avocado pits.

⇒ Eat These 10 Foods For 7 Days Straight to Manage Chronic Pain (Video)

Avocado Gargle for Toothaches

The avocado seed has anti-inflammatory and antifungal properties. In traditional medicine, it is used as a natural remedy for tooth and gum problems.

Roast and powder avocado pits and rub the powder into sore teeth and gums to relieve the pain. Or, you can add a teaspoon of it in a glass of water and use it as a gargle. Avocado pit gargle alleviates toothache and inflammation.

Avocado Tea

An avocado pit is edible and packed with antioxidants as potent as those contained in the flesh. It makes an excellent tea for boosting the immune system and slowing down aging. Just cut an avocado pit and peel, put them in a pot, and boil for 10 minutes. Let it sit for a few minutes before straining into a mug.

The tea may have quite a bitter taste but you can amend it with honey or any natural sugar to sweeten it.

Peel Bath

Instead of throwing away avocado peels, allow them to do amazing wonders for your skin. Avocado contains a high amount of vitamins C and E along with powerful antioxidants. When used internally or externally, these nutrients play a great role in improving the skin’s elasticity and moisture levels.

Add the peels to your bathtub or foot bath. You’ll thank me for this tip.

Foot Massage

If you are just looking to pamper your feet after a long and tiring day, reach out for a couple of avocado pits. Put them into a large bowl and roll your feet over them to relieve heel tension. Alternatively, you can also pre-heat the seeds for a natural hot-stone foot massage.

Homemade Scrub

Calluses are the thick and hardened layer of the skin that develops from friction or pressure. It is rarely painful but can be unaesthetic for some people. Calluses improve when the source of friction is removed or through softening the skin with the use of avocado seed.

Dry the seeds, chop and grind them into small and gritty pieces. Using avocado flesh, sprinkle the avocado pit pieces into it along with sea salt. Use it to massage and exfoliate the feet and toes then rinse with warm water.

DIY Shampoo

With all its amazing benefits for the skin and body, avocado is also popularly used as a hair mask. Avocado pit shampoo provides deep conditioning so much so that you can skip using the conditioner afterward. You can also get the same benefit by repurposing avocado pit into a natural shampoo. You may even use it longer since the pit lasts much longer than the short shelf life of the avocado flesh.

Prepare the avocado shampoo by boiling grated avocado pit in water. Let it sit and strain it into a jar. You may add a few ounces of shampoo and shake it until it’s bubbly or use it as it is. Avocado pit shampoo provides deep conditioning so much so that you can skip using conditioner afterward.

Stomach Soother

In folk medicine, roasted and powdered avocado seed is also used for treating mild diarrhea. One teaspoon of the powder with a glass of warm water can help improve its symptoms.

However, this remedy is only applicable to mild diarrhea symptoms.

Compost

Manage the heaps of avocado skin and turn it into a more purposeful use instead of piling it in the trash. The pit, skin and leftover avocado pulp are good to go in the compost bin. But since the peel and pit take longer to decompose, it would help to cut them into pieces. It would be better to grind the pits before adding them to the composter.

New Plant Growth

If you have a passion for planting, try growing your very own avocado tree from the leftover pit. In a conducive growing condition, you could have a tree full of fruit in the next five years.

To grow an avocado, you will need an unscarred seed, toothpicks and a jar filled with water. Locate the flat end of the seed, which is the bottom. Pierce the seed with toothpicks to act as scaffolding on the rim of the glass. Place the seed in the jar with the bottom part half submerged in water.

Place the jar in a sunny area until roots emerge from the seed and a stem sprouts on the top part. Once the stem reaches about 15 cm, cut it back to 8 cm. Wait for it to regrow to its height again before transferring it to the garden with rich humus soil.

DIY Ornaments

If you are feeling crafty, use dried avocado pits in decors and ornaments. Carve them, paint them and use them for any creative projects. Avocado seeds contain a natural oil that makes their surface appear glossy. Eco-friendly paint, or wax and oil can give them an even better luster.

Pop the avocado pit decors on the Christmas tree, or glue popsicle sticks to turn them into a puppet. These are just a few of the fun and crafty ideas you can make out of the salvaged avocado pits.

Fabric Dye

Hit two birds with one stone by repurposing your old white shirt using a DIY dye from repurposed avocado. Avocado peels and pits give off a pink to reddish-pink color that will act as a natural fabric dye.

Boil avocado skins and pits in water and simmer until the water changes color. Turn off the heat and let it sit overnight to whip up a brighter color. Remove the peels and pits and soak the shirt to breathe new color into it.

Now that you know tons of ways you can reuse the leftovers, stop throwing them away! Next time you whip up guacamole or make another salad, you know what to do.

You may also like:

Tangerine Peel Tincture for Bronchitis and Dry Cough

25 Crops You Can Grow in Buckets All Year Round (Video)

Anti-Inflammatory Avocado Ice Cream

Weed Tea- Turning Unwanted Plants Into Fertilizer

DIY Herbal Aphrodisiac

What Happens If You Freeze Avocado?

>>> Watch Video