The Avocado Pitting Hack That Will Put Your Safety Concerns To Rest

While there are always dangers to be found in the kitchen if you're not careful, there are some tasks that seriously feel like a life-threatening undertaking — one, in particular, has long been removing the pit from an avocado. Until recently, a common suggestion for separating this pesky pit from the creamy flesh of the fruit has been to quite literally stab the seed, twist the knife to loosen it, and remove it. But that method is a risky business, and many home cooks aren't comfortable with the idea of losing a finger over a craving for guacamole.

But thanks to TikTok star @partyshirt, we now know there's a safer way to do it. In an amazingly simple, totally gadget- and blade-free hack, it's possible to pop the pit out of the flesh using your own hands. Just secure the pit between your pointer and index fingers. Next, press the back of the pit through the skin side of the avocado with your thumb, and voila — the little sucker practically jumps right out. This simple hack should help set your mind at ease the next time you're tasked with bringing the taco fixings to a potluck or whipping up some table-side guac.

Now that you know how to safely liberate your fruit, you can focus more on the benefits of avocados rather than weighing them against a potential blade wound or the hassle of a messy removal with a spoon. Because of their dense nutrient profile, avocados are recommended for everything from heart health to osteoporosis (via WebMD), so working avocados into your routine can be a delicious way to add some nutrition to your day. Guacamole may have the market cornered on avocado-related recipes, but that's not where the magic of this pear-shaped wonder stops.

If you prefer to stick with the dip format, try switching it up. Avocado with sweet potato and charred onion makes for a more autumnal option, or go Greek with a yogurt-based cucumber and mint iteration. Alternately, grilled avocados take things to another dimension, adding depth of flavor by caramelizing the natural sugars in the flesh and adding a little bit of crisp, slightly bitter char. These grilled slices also work beautifully as a burger topping or served with a protein and veggies. If you want to stick with the green theme, toss chunks of avocado into a kale and mango salad. Thanks to their extreme creaminess, avocados are even great for baking recipes, like super fudgy brownies. The many different options out there may seem less intimidating now that you don't have to worry about safely de-pitting the avocados during prep.

When living by a climate- and budget-friendly waste-not, want-not philosophy, throwing anything away feels like a shame. At a glance, avocado pits seem like big, woody balls that may not seem like they have a place in your life once they've been removed from the fruit, but fortunately, there are plenty of innovative humans out there who have found new ways for these seeds to survive in the world. Carve them, plant them, use them to make shampoo, or even use them as a base to mix up a beautifully pink shade of dye useful for textiles — a practice believed to possibly have roots in Central and South America.

But what about eating the pit? While the seed of the avocado is considered to be a powerhouse of nutrition (high in fiber, vitamins A and E, and potassium) and there is evidence out there that the pit is bitter but edible — and there are even internet recipes on how to make it into a tea — the jury is still out on whether it's actually a good idea to consume the pit. In fact, the California Avocado Commission advises against it. A toxin called persin is present in both the pit and the leaves of the avocado plant, and as studies to determine its effects on humans have not been carried out, you can play it safe by utilizing the seed in other creative ways.