Guava

Guava fruits can vary in shape from round, ovoid to the pear shape. They can be from 2 to 4 inches long. There are many varieties of guavas and they differ in flavour. The seeds are numerous but edible in the good varieties.

A guava tastes best when it is just ripe. The flesh is sweet, soft and creamy. The flesh is usually white but can be pink, yellow or red. The rind is edible. A ripe guava has a sweet, musky odour. The flavour is a like a cross between a strawberry and a lemon. In shape it resembles an apple or a pear and is sometimes referred to as the poor man's apple.

The guava is native to the the tropics. Its generic name is derived from the Greek word “psidion”, which is the name of the pomegranate.

The place of origin of the guava is unknown but it is believed to be somewhere in the region that extends from southern Mexico to Central America and the West Indies. Spanish and Portugese colonizers carried it to the East Indies. It is widely grown in Asia, Africa, Egypt and Mexico.

Guavas are low in cholesterol and Sodium, low on saturated fats, high in dietary fiber, Vitamin C, Vitamin A, Folate, Potassium, Copper and Manganese. Guavas also have a high level of lycopene (which helps prevent certain cancers) and are believed to reduce LDL or bad cholesterol.

One guava (medium size) has approximately 45 calories. It has a high concentration of Vitamin C in the skin. This reduces as fruit ripens and turns from green to yellow.

Guavas contain compounds that help to control blood pressure, lower cholesterol, battle diabetes and fight cancer.

It is commonly believed that eating an orange or other citrus fruits is more beneficial to health than eating any other kind of fruit. However, one guava has 165 milligrams (mg) of vitamin C, while one orange has a mere 69mg. The guava is also an excellent source of beta carotene, lycopene, potassium and soluble fiber.

Guavas are very rich in antioxidants. Antioxidants act against the "free radicals" which damage cells and can cause cancer, diabetes and coronary disease.

Guava also control blood pressure and cholesterol. This is probably because of the high potassium content found in guavas. Potassium a mineral that is essential for electrical reactions in the body, including your heart. It also keeps the heartbeat steady, and it assists the kidneys in removing waste.

The guava's cholesterol lowering effect may be due to its soluble fiber content. The soluble fiber forms a gel that binds cholesterol and carries it out of the body.

A guava leaf decoction is taken to relieve colds and bronchitis. The roots, bark, leaves and immature fruits, because of their astringency, are commonly used to halt gastroenteritis, diarrhea, dysentery and vomiting in cholera patients.

The guava was used in ancient Chinese medicine to treat diabetes for a very long time. Recent studies have now proven that it lowers blood sugar. It may be a natural way to help prevent diabetes.