Why does leaving the pit in guacamole

Air is the enemy of the perfect guacamole. We tested some of the most popular tricks for storing guacamole to find the one that works the best. Yes, there was only one. Several failed for not preventing browning; others failed for ruining the flavor of the guacamole, even if they managed to ward off some of the oxidization. Read on for our best tips on how to keep guacamole from turning brown so it stays fresh and green the next day—or even the day after that.

For added protective measure, you can cover the bowl with plastic wrap. The results: Except for the area immediately under the pit, the smashed avocado spread was brown at least a half-inch deep.

The pit is a flop. The technique: Pressing the avocado peels flat against the guacamole surface shields the dip from air. The results: Good luck keeping the peels flat. In our tests, the avocado skins curled back to their original shape, which left the guacamole fully exposed. This reaction is what leads to the darker hues and eventually squishy texture, even with the seed still present. Here's where the not-really-but-maybe part comes in. While the seed doesn't actually slow the browning of the entire half of the avocado it's left in, it helps the area beneath it stay fresh.

Since that part has no oxygen interaction it's sealed behind the seed , it'll take a more time to go bad, explains Mahoney. Our verdict: Don't touch the pit until you're ready to take it out and eat what's below. If you really want to extend a half-avocado's life, Mahoney suggests dabbing lemon juice over the exposed parts. The citric and ascorbic vitamin C acids are vital.

Citric acid lowers the pH level of an avocado's surface making the entire covered area more acidic. The higher acidity causes the enzymes on top to decrease their browning activity.

Oxalic acid is in the pits and absorbs the oxygen which turns the guacamole brown. Sign up to join this community. The best answers are voted up and rise to the top. Stack Overflow for Teams — Collaborate and share knowledge with a private group. Create a free Team What is Teams? Learn more. Does an avocado seed help guacamole stay green?

Ask Question. Asked 9 years, 4 months ago. Active 6 years, 5 months ago. Viewed 6k times. Improve this question. Add a comment. Active Oldest Votes. Improve this answer. Flimzy 2, 10 10 gold badges 29 29 silver badges 46 46 bronze badges. Yes, it seems logical. But do you have any references? You mentioned that adding something acidic is also a myth - this answer seems to imply the opposite. Also, I found a link that seems to provide evidence that the seed thing is a myth.