Deep Thoughts: Don’t Throw That Trash Away!!!

There I was staring at this big lump of seed from the avocado fruit (what we Nigerians popularly call pear) and wondering why the seed cannot be eaten too. What a waste! It just stares back at you until you pick it up and throw into the dustbin. Totally useless… or not! I started thinking if there might just be a use for it that is not common, God couldn’t have just created such a big seed for just planting. And, boy was I right; getting on google and searching for what to do with an avocado seed, I found more than 20 uses for it. Also found out that the seed was called a pit. Being Grace, I got extremely excited and started taking note of what I could use the pit for. Here are my favorite options;

1. Indelible Ink: Apparently, by crushing the avocado pit, a milky liquid comes out that can be used as an ink or even food dye. I already imagine the kids I teach working with this as a craft. There is nothing like making your own ink and writing Japanese-style calligraphy with a brush. Tsubarashi desu!
2. Smoothie: How I love making smoothies, and any idea of making awesome combinations sets me on a roll. Avocado itself plus half the pit plus cucumber and apples is just one recipe among many others I found. And why it is so awesome; the glorious health benefits, 70% of the antioxidants in the fruit is found in the seed.
3. The Super Remedy for Toothache, Stomach ache, itchy/sore skin: There is a nagging toothache that visits me intermittently, now I have something to ease the pain, cut a piece of the pit, place it on the tooth and gnaw on it, please don’t swallow. For stomach ache, boiling half the pit in water makes for an awesome tea. Gurgling the tea also aids a toothache. And for itchy or sore skin, applying the smashed seed mixed with olive oil is all one needs to soothe it.
4. Avocado pit shampoo: Do I hear someone calling #TeamNatural? I certainly I am screaming it. This is such a goldmine for me and I already plan on using my seed for it. All I have to do is dry it, grate into a pot with 2 cups of water, boil and cool for 30 minutes, then combine with 20ml of my natural shampoo (Dudu Osun/black soap). Long, wavy, thick and soft hair here I come.
5. Jewelry: who knew that dried and baked avocado seeds could turn into beautiful dusty pinkish-brown ornaments for bracelets, pendants, earrings, and necklaces? I smell money. I can’t say more, google and find out.

Are there things we consider thrash but are of practical use? Yes. To illustrate further, a friend of mine immediately suggested we google banana peels as well and we found 20 uses for it, among them is; teeth whitening and shoe polishing. A story for another day. This is a huge lesson for me which is, to search for the value in the trash.

So folks, next time when you want to throw something away, think again and visit Google. It might just be the next best thing that could save your life or even make you some millions.

Jaa Mata!