Experts have claimed that a meal that's adored by millennials is now 'destroying the planet'.
As the generation that's pretty concerned by the threat of climate change, you might be shocked to hear that your go-to breakfast could be hampering your sustainability efforts.
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Avocados have soared in popularity in recent years after being crowned one of the greatest superfoods, packed with nutrients, vitamins and antioxidants. That, and they make for an ideal breakfast when paired with eggs and toast.
However, British TV personality and famous gardener Alan Titchmarsh has urged people to ditch avocados for the sake of the planet.
He told The Times his issue with it comes from the fact dense rainforests have been sacrificed to grow them to meet the demand.
Titchmarsh said: "Most of those sold in the UK are grown where the rainforest has been felled at an alarming rate to accommodate them.
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"They are then shipped, often more than 5,000 miles across the ocean, as breakfast for supposedly environmentally friendly consumers."
Instead, the gardening pro hopes people will opt for other healthy alternatives.
He added: "There's a lot to be said for Cornflakes, Weetabix and Shreddies."
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The insight comes as the US could potentially be hit with inflated avocado prices.
President Donald Trump has threatened Canada and Mexico with 25 percent tariffs on goods, which sparked heated discussions from the trading neighbors who have threatened similar retaliatory tariffs on US products.
While there has been temporary relief with Trump rolling back on some of his tariffs, as per the BBC, the trade dispute doesn't show any sign of letting up any time soon.
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The next Canadian prime minister, Mark Carney, has vowed to win the trade war against the US, saying: "Americans should make no mistake: in trade, as in hockey, Canada will win."
However, the tariffs on Mexico, one of the world's largest avocado producers, are still expected to drive up costs.
But the price shouldn't be our only concern as, according to the Sustainable Food Trust, our adoration for the fruit comes at an environmental cost, too.
The website says avocado trees can be 'quite temperamental to grow', as they do not react well to frost or salinity, making Central and South America the top growing destinations.
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Mexico leads the way here as the largest producer, accounting for more than 500,000 acres of land, and is worth around $5.6 billion annually around the world.
Yet the trade has a hefty carbon footprint at around 846.36 grams of CO2 per every two small avocados - which is so high as they typically travel long distances to reach Western supermarket shelves.
Mexican avocados haven't always dominated US grocery stores either, as it was only when then President Clinton lifted a ban on the fruit from the North American country in 1997 that it started shifting the market.
Before that, most of the avocados in the US had been homegrown in California and Florida, but now around 75 percent of the produce eaten in the States comes from Mexico.
The Trust claims exporting avocados has 'not brought stability and prosperity to Mexico'.
This is due to the rise of plantation-style farms to meet the global demand, which has high agrochemicals and 'exploitative' practices, having possibly deforested land to make way for the plantations.
Meanwhile, the plant's apparently unquenchable thirst for water (around 320 liters per avocado) presents another loss to a community where water may already be scarce.
The Trust adds: "[D]espite bold claims that avocados are a clean and sustainable superfood, the reality is that avocados have serious environmental consequences."
Topics: Climate Change, Environment, Health, World News, US News, Mexico, Food and Drink
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