Although there are possibly few things in life that beat the taste of a ripe and creamy avocado, slicing into an avocado only to find it is unripe is truly a disappointing feeling. While wondering whether it’s ripe enough to eat, did you ever wonder whether eating an unripe avocado is healthy or not?

According to nutritionist Anna Jasonides, R.D., unripe avocados are most certainly not toxic to humans. While non-allergic people can eat unripe avocados, avoid feeding any to horses, birds, and domestic animals, as the fatty acid derivative found in avocados called "persin" can cause illness or death in birds and domestic mammals.

Thus, next time you slice into an unripe avocado, rest assured knowing that you'll be perfectly safe to eat it, but perhaps should still reconsider due to the awful taste. Just give the avocados a gentle squeeze in the palm of your hand to test their ripeness while purchasing them, as a ripe avocado should yield to the gentle pressure.