The harm sometimes happens when somebody holds an avocado in a single hand and wields a pointy knife within the different. When the knife slips, or the particular person loses their grip on the avocado as they’re reducing it, the knife can slice into their palm or fingers. It isn’t unusual for folks to have extreme nerves and tendons. In some circumstances, folks stab themselves within the hand whereas utilizing the tip of a knife to take away the pit.
“I’ve handled individuals who’ve lower off a finger whereas slicing an avocado,” mentioned Eric Wagner, a hand surgeon and affiliate professor of orthopedic surgical procedure at Emory College in Atlanta. “Slicing an avocado appears so innocent, however we have seen some fairly unhealthy accidents from it. By far and away probably the most accidents I’ve seen are from avocado accidents.”
Wagner and his colleagues encountered so many sufferers needing hand surgical procedure due to avocado-related knife wounds that in 2020 they revealed a examine that examined the phenomenon’s nationwide prevalence. They discovered that between 1998 and 2017, greater than 50,000 folks in america went to emergency rooms in search of remedy for avocado-related knife wounds.
Most hanging was that the incidence of those accidents elevated sharply over time. Within the four-year interval from 1998 to 2002, simply 3,143 circumstances requiring emergency room visits had been reported. However between 2013 and 2017, the speed shot up dramatically, with 27,059 emergency circumstances reported — an almost ninefold improve. Wagner mentioned that the speed of those accidents seems to be accelerating as a result of he is seen much more circumstances up to now 5 years than he noticed beforehand.
The rising reputation of avocados
The soar in accidents intently mirrors the rising reputation of avocados. In line with the federal authorities, the typical American consumed about 1.5 kilos of avocados per yr in 1989, however by 2017, the typical consumption had soared to about 7.5 kilos of avocados yearly.
In a examine Revealed within the American Journal of Well being Conduct, researchers discovered that about 2 p.c of all client product-related accidents reported to the federal authorities stemmed from reducing avocados.
“That does not appear to be lots, however it’s 1 in each 50 knife accidents,” mentioned Matthew E. Rossheim, the lead writer of the examine and an affiliate professor within the Faculty of Public Well being on the College of North Texas Well being Science Middle in Fort Price. “It is surprising what number of ER division visits are associated to avocado hand reducing accidents.”
Avocado hand is not solely a US phenomenon both. Research have documented circumstances in a variety of different international locations, together with England, Sweden, switzerland and Eire,
In america, Wagner and his colleagues discovered that many of the accidents occurred amongst ladies between the ages of 23 and 39, and that the injuries had been often on their left hand, possible as a result of that was the hand they had been utilizing to carry the avocado whereas reducing into it. About half the folks that had been injured had suffered wounds to their palms. The opposite half had lacerations on their fingers, most frequently their index finger (34 p.c of circumstances), adopted by their thumb (19 p.c of circumstances) or ring finger (17 p.c of circumstances).
A lot of the accidents passed off on weekends from April by means of July. Wagner mentioned he suspects this was as a result of persons are extra incessantly cooking, barbecuing and gathering exterior for social events when the climate warms up, and that individuals could find yourself being rather less cautious than common.
“Quite a lot of the folks I see had been at a household occasion when it occurred and alcohol was concerned,” he mentioned.
How you can safely lower an avocado
Avocados are chock stuffed with fiber, wholesome fat, potassium, and different nutritional vitamins and minerals. They’re some of the nutritious fruits you may eat (sure, they’re technically fruits). However reducing them open should not imply risking a visit to the emergency room. So, this is the way to safely lower open an avocado:
- Place the avocado on a reducing board, utilizing your non-dominant hand to carry it in place.
- Together with your dominant hand, maintain a knife parallel to the reducing board and punctiliously lower the avocado in half lengthwise across the seed, rotating the fruit across the knife.
- Maintain the avocado in your fingers and make a twisting movement to separate the 2 halves.
- Maintain the half that comprises the pit in your non-dominant hand. Gently squeeze it to assist separate the pit from the flesh and use a spoon to scoop it out along with your different hand. Or strive the “pop” methodology: Place each thumbs on the pores and skin facet, proper behind the pit, and push the pit away from you.
- Place one half of the avocado skin-side down on the reducing board. Maintain the facet of the avocado with one hand, and lower from high to backside, ensuring the knife’s blade is perpendicular to the reducing board. Now repeat with the opposite half of the avocado.
- Use a spoon or your fingers to peel the pores and skin from every quarter of the avocado. (In case your avocado is ripe sufficient, you may go straight from pitting it to peeling off the pores and skin along with your fingers or a spoon.)
If you wish to be particularly secure, think about using a butter knife as an alternative of a pointy knife. However most significantly, do not lower your avocados whereas holding them within the palm of your hand, mentioned Wagner, the hand surgeon at Emory.
“That is mindless as a result of if the knife slips then your thumb or index finger are going to get sliced,” he mentioned.
Second, all the time bear in mind to chop away out of your hand or fingers in order that they will not be within the blade’s path if the knife or avocado slips.
Wagner mentioned that he loves making selfmade guacamole, however seeing so many accidents has made him extraordinarily cautious about how he slices avocados. “It undoubtedly takes me somewhat longer to chop an avocado then it did again earlier than I turned a surgeon,” he mentioned.
Wagner mentioned that his spouse, who’s an orthopedic surgeon, has additionally modified her method.
“I’ve instructed her so many horror tales about folks reducing off their fingers that she’s tremendous cautious,” he added.
Do you may have a query about wholesome consuming? E-mail EatingLab@washpost.com and we could reply your query in a future column.
