What color is guacamole?

What color is guacamole? Green. Traditional guacamole is green because its main ingredient is the green flesh of ripe avocados, usually mashed with salt, lime juice, onions, cilantro, and chiles.

Guacamole originated in Mexico and has been prepared in many regional styles. Its shade can range from pale yellow-green to deep green depending on the avocado variety, ripeness, and added ingredients such as tomatoes or herbs.

A common mix-up is that guacamole can turn brown after exposure to air. This is enzymatic browning, caused by oxidation of compounds in the avocado. Lime or lemon juice and airtight storage can slow the change, but brown guacamole is not automatically spoiled.

Some products called guacamole falso use ingredients such as squash or green tomatoes instead of avocado, so their color and flavor may differ from traditional guacamole.