Avocado Knife Injuries Are Increasing — This Simple Trick Can Prevent Them

Avocados are everywhere — whether you're tossing them in salads, layering them on sandwiches, spreading them on toast, or mashing them for guacamole. But no matter the recipe, the first step is always slicing it open and removing that stubborn pit.

The typical method involves slicing the avocado lengthwise around the pit. Then, you hold one half with the pit and strike the pit with the knife in a swift, controlled motion. The blade gets lodged into the pit, allowing you to twist and pull it out. This popular method, however, can be quite hazardous.

What is 'Avocado Hand'?

How to Safely Slice an Avocado

A TikTok user recently shared a clever trick for cutting an avocado safely without the need for aggressively stabbing the pit. It starts similarly to the traditional method: Pierce your knife through the skin and run it along the pit lengthwise. Then, without separating the halves, make a perpendicular cut to create quarters.

Now you'll have four quarters that easily separate from the pit. Simply peel away the first three pieces, remove the pit from the fourth, and you're done! No dangerous knife movements near your hands.

For added safety: Instead of holding the avocado in your hand, place it flat on a cutting board and steady it with one hand while you use the other to make the cuts.