What’s the difference between Hass and Shepard avocados? It’s not just the colour
<p><em><a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/yasmine-probst-235268">Yasmine Probst</a>, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/university-of-wollongong-711">University of Wollongong</a> and <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/karen-zoszak-1474727">Karen Zoszak</a>, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/university-of-wollongong-711">University of Wollongong</a></em></p>
<p>Whether with crumbled feta or poached eggs, you’d be challenged to find a cafe in Australia or farther afield that doesn’t have avocado somewhere on the menu.</p>
<p>This fruit (yep, it’s a fruit from a tree, not a vegetable) is widely associated with brunch culture and other trendy eating habits.</p>
<p>The Australian avocado industry developed in the 1960s, 30 years after the start of the first large-scale <a href="https://australianfoodtimeline.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2019/04/Avocado-history.pdf">production in California</a>. Orchards producing avocados now span most parts of Australia.</p>
<p>Avocados are considered a <a href="https://theconversation.com/what-actually-makes-avocados-bad-for-the-environment-230571">monoculture crop</a>: they’re grown on the same land each year, making them more susceptible to pests and creating a need for increased fertiliser use. The carbon footprint of avos is almost twice as high as that of apples, but much lower than many animal food sources.</p>
<p>There are now over 50 different avocado types globally, but only a few are grown commercially.</p>
<h2>Not all avos are the same</h2>
<p>You may not notice a difference when you get your avocado toast at a cafe. But at the shops or the market, a striking difference occurs each year in Australia.</p>
<p>In autumn, the familiar dark purple Hass avocado disappears and is replaced with the lighter green Shepard variety. In Australia, this typically happens between February and May.</p>
<p>If you don’t know the difference between the two, you may expect Shepard avos to perform the same way as Hass – and be left disappointed. There are some important differences.</p>
<h2>Hass avocados</h2>
<p>Hass avocados are known for their dark, pebbly-looking skin that appears almost black when ripe. They have an ovoid shape with a slight pear-like appearance. The thick skin can be a challenge to peel, often requiring a sharp knife or avocado slicer.</p>
<p>Hass avocado flavour is rich, creamy and buttery, with nutty undertones. Their texture is ideal for mashing, blending and spreading, creating a creamy texture in dips, guacamole and smoothies.</p>
<p>Hass avocados ripen – and darken in colour – slowly over several days. They remain firm to the touch when ripe, and will feel squishy when overripe. A slight give when pressed confirms Hass avos are ready to eat.</p>
<p>Available in Australia from May to January, Hass are the dominant variety of commercially grown avocado worldwide. They were <a href="https://modernfarmer.com/2019/08/scientists-crack-the-genetic-code-of-the-hass-avacado/">cultivated by horticulturalist Rudolph Hass</a> in California in the 1920s.</p>
<h2>Shepard avocados</h2>
<p>Shepard avocados have smooth, green skin that remains green even when they are fully ripe. They are round to slightly oblong in shape and have a slightly milder and sweeter taste, with less pronounced nutty undertones.</p>
<p>Shepard avocados ripen more quickly than Hass, but you won’t be able to tell that by the colour. Instead, check for softness – Shepard avocados are very soft when ripe. What might feel overripe when handling a Hass will likely be ideal ripeness if it’s a Shepard. The thin, smooth skin makes them easy to peel by hand or with a gentle squeeze.</p>
<p>Their buttery soft texture is firm and creamy, and they hold their shape well when cut, making them ideal for slicing, dicing and spreading despite being structurally firm.</p>
<p>Interestingly, Shepard avocados brown much more slowly than Hass, making them perfect for garnishes. Their milder flavour also makes Shepard avos well suited to sweet dishes, such as chocolate mousse.</p>
<p>Shepard avos account for approximately 10–15% of Australian avocados and are in season from February to April each year while there is a gap in the Hass season.</p>
<p><a href="https://www.abc.net.au/news/rural/2023-04-13/hass-avocados-more-popular-variety-shepard/102154678">Australia is the only country in the world</a> that grows Shepard avocados commercially. (They are grown in Queensland.)</p>
<h2>Avocados and our health</h2>
<p>As avocados contain <a href="https://afcd.foodstandards.gov.au/fooddetails.aspx?PFKID=F000162">roughly 13 grams of fat per 100g</a>, people <a href="https://theconversation.com/four-simple-food-choices-that-help-you-lose-weight-and-stay-healthy-112054">wishing to lose weight</a> were previously advised to avoid or limit eating them.</p>
<p>We now know that a majority of this fat is oleic acid, a monounsaturated (healthy) fat that helps to reduce cholesterol and improve <a href="https://nutritionj.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/s12937-024-00915-7/tables/1">heart health</a>.</p>
<p>Additionally, only 1% of an avocado is made up of carbohydrates, making the fruit popular with people following a ketogenic (keto) diet of low carbs and high fat.</p>
<p>People who consume avos also tend to <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC9361124/">follow a better pattern of eating</a> in general. They eat more whole grains, fruit and vegetables and fewer discretionary or takeaway foods.</p>
<p>As an energy-dense food, consuming a whole avocado is about the same as eating 2.5 whole apples. Per 100 grams, avocado actually gives you less energy than an equivalent amount of cooked white rice.</p>
<p>As avocado dishes are visually appealing and often featured in food photography, they have become a symbol of modern eating habits.</p>
<p><em>Correction: this article has been amended to clarify that most parts of Australia now have avocado orchards, and that avocados have roughly 13g of fat per 100g, not 53%.</em><img style="border: none !important; box-shadow: none !important; margin: 0 !important; max-height: 1px !important; max-width: 1px !important; min-height: 1px !important; min-width: 1px !important; opacity: 0 !important; outline: none !important; padding: 0 !important;" src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/233243/count.gif?distributor=republish-lightbox-basic" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" /></p>
<p><a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/yasmine-probst-235268"><em>Yasmine Probst</em></a><em>, Professor, School of Medical, Indigenous and Health Sciences, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/university-of-wollongong-711">University of Wollongong</a> and <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/karen-zoszak-1474727">Karen Zoszak</a>, Accredited Practising Dietitian, PhD Candidate, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/university-of-wollongong-711">University of Wollongong</a></em></p>
<p><em>Image credits: Shutterstock </em></p>
<p><em>This article is republished from <a href="https://theconversation.com">The Conversation</a> under a Creative Commons license. Read the <a href="https://theconversation.com/whats-the-difference-between-hass-and-shepard-avocados-its-not-just-the-colour-233243">original article</a>.</em></p>
