Close-up of hands using a knife and fork to cut into avocado toast with eggs and spinach.

With its bright green flesh, an avocado looks like a vegetable — but botanically, an avocado is a fruit. From a nutrition standpoint, it fits more into the healthy fat category: half of a medium avocado has as much fat as a tablespoon of olive oil. Indeed, avocados can defy categorizing. And they’re popular: the average American eats about nine pounds of avocados per year, much of it around football season and holidays.