When Canadian businessman and entrepreneur John Goloni first came to Mexico in October 2020, his life in his home country was rewarding. Goloni and his son had started a healthcare charity that supplied CAD $15 million (US $11.1 million) of hearing aids to underprivileged people in Canada. Still, when the Canadian government discontinued the program after several successful years, Goloni was forced to abandon the project.
At the same time, his health was suffering, and his weight stood at over 300 pounds. Goloni knew it was time to concentrate on his health issues and decided to move to Mexico. He chose the beautiful beach towns of Ixtapa-Zihuatanejo in the state of Guererro.
“The change in my life’s circumstances caused me to reevaluate everything about my life in Canada. Weighing all the pros and cons was a no-brainer for me. I felt there was a much richer life and more beautiful people in Mexico. I love everything about Mexico. I feel free here,” he says.
With a background in research and a sincere desire to change, Goloni stumbled across a YouTube video extolling the benefits of adding avocado seeds to one’s diet. Although avocados are well known as a superfood for their fat content, Goloni’s interest was piqued when he learned that the fruit’s seed packs its biggest health punch. He decided to try it and started by going to several pozole restaurants in the area, gathering leftover pits, and grinding them into a powder. When he started taking the product, Goloni began experiencing benefits such as improved digestion, a boosted immune system and reduced inflammation.
“The changes were incredible,” he says, “and I experienced remarkable health benefits: My back pain and numbness in my right leg disappeared. My energy levels soared, and my tiredness vanished. All my blood markers improved significantly, and I even avoided taking prescribed statins and metformin. My overall health improved naturally. My blood markers were better than ever during my last visit to the doctor in Canada. I’ve lost over 70 pounds since I got here.”
Goloni’s journey led him to a profound realization: “While avocados are recognized for their nutritional value, the seed is a hidden gem, packed with health benefits that are yet to be fully explored.”
Goloni knew that finding avocado seeds would not be an issue. Avocados are essential in Mexico’s culinary culture, a key ingredient in dishes like the iconic guacamole, often stuffed with seafood or served sliced as a flavorful accompaniment to a meal. Several cities in the state of Michoacán have declared themselves the ‘avocado capital of the world’.” Mexico is the world’s largest producer of avocados, with an annual production of 2.5 million metric tonnes, representing around 30% of world production. With Michoacán growers a few hours away from Zihuatanejo, the proximity of supply was also a bonus to Golloni’s plans.
Turning avocado seeds into powder is a process in itself. After cleaning the seeds, they must be dried in the sun at up to 45 F for four hours. Although his method is primitive now, Goloni plans on installing solar beds and using solar dehydrators in the future, which will be faster and more efficient. The third step is to peel the husk and split the seed before placing it in the sun or dehydrator for eight to 12 hours.
“The husk in itself is very nutritious,” Goloni says. Researchers at the University of California are testing it now as a cancer-fighting agent.”
The final step before shipping out through a logistics company he is currently in talks with is to pulverize the seeds, sift and clean them and package them.
“I am selling out at the local eco-tianguis market and a small cafe in another local market,” says Goloni, who does all the processing in his kitchen. “Building a facility in Michoacán to handle the expansion will create jobs, and it will take time to fix the bugs, but it is definitely in the plans. But this will take time. For now, I’m a one-man show.”
Elisabeth Ashe is a Canadian who has lived and worked in Mexico for many years.
