Avocado-Related Injuries Are On the Rise

The first time I learned the "correct" way to remove the pit from an avocado, it was -- not coincidentaly -- soon after my sister had gone in for hand surgery. Surgeons were repairing a nerve she'd sliced real good while trying to separate that pesky avo pit from the meat. Her doctor instructed her to do it the way it's demonstrated in this video on how to cut avocados, and I've also been doing it that way ever since, too.

While I wouldn't go so far as to say my sister started a trend, the fact is, avocado-related injuries have seen a legit uptick lately according to The Times of London. They even have a name for it: "avocado hand." And it's so bad that British Association of Plastic, Reconstructive, and Aesthetic Surgeons is suggesting they start putting safety labels on the fruit.

While the pit was the culprit for my sister, most of the cuts surgeons are seeing are a result of slips and misses trying to pierce the tough, thick skin. And these injuries can involve serious nerve and tendon injuries that require surgery, like in my sister's case. You'll notice I put "correct" in quotes above—that's because there are many "best" methods out there for getting that avocado goodness out of that stubborn casing, so find the "best" way that works for you. But the point here is, be super-duper careful! Avocados are pretty much the best, but they're not worth a trip to the operating room. Agreed? Good.

Check out this post for everything you ever wanted to know about avocados. And be safe out there!