Table of Contents
- Guava health benefits, the superfood
- What are Guavas?
- Healthy skin
- Diabetes and Guava
- Cancer prevention
- Eyesight
- High blood pressure
- Health benefits of Guava during pregnancy
- Weight loss
- Healthy bowel
- Promotes a healthy immune system
- Health benefits of drinking Guava juice
- How to make Guava Salad
- Summary
By no means, a conventional fruit, Guavas are becoming popular with those of us who are health conscious. Anecdotal evidence shows that Guavas contain many health benefits such as:
- Promoting healthy skin ,
- Preventing cancer ,
- Improves eyesight ,
- Diet during pregnancy ,
- Weight Loss ,
- Mitigating the effects of diabetes , and
- Lowering blood pressure .
In the following article, we take a closer look at the health benefits of Guava. We also give actionable advice on how you can incorporate this tropical fruit into your diet.
Guava health benefits, the superfood
It seems we discover another so-called ‘superfood’ every few months. Acai Berries are an excellent example of this and often touted as a magic bullet for weight loss and general health. In reality, Acai Berries aren’t all that much healthier than many types of berries. Foods like this become popular for a short time and then fade back into obscurity.
The reason for this is that most people can’t or do not have enough time to research nutrition
Without this knowledge, we’re forced to rely on the media for nutritional advice. Because of the nature of media, these recommendations aren’t always in our best interests.
It’s important when considering adding a new food to your diet, that you understand the pros and cons.
Guavas are a superfood because they are chock full of vitamins and minerals. Many of these vitamins and minerals are not only useful but essential. Some of the most significant nutrients found in Guava are:
- Vitamins A and C
- Potassium
- Lycopene, and
- Fiber.
Here’s the nutrition profile for a serving of Guava:
| Amt. Per Serving | |
|---|---|
| Calories | 112 |
| Carbohydrates | 24mg |
| Sugar | 15g |
| Fiber | 9g |
| Protein | 4g |
(source: Mercola.com)
Again, to get the most out of your diet, it’s important to know what you’re eating.
What are Guavas?
The Guava fruit is not found in abundance at grocery stores generally. The reason for this is because it is indigenous to a select few tropical regions. Guavas are most prevalent in the Caribbean and exported to places where they’re in demand.
If you do take the time to track it down, or use its leaves for tea, you will enjoy a host of health benefits. We have listed some of these in the section below.
Healthy skin
Most people believe that having healthy skin requires the use of beauty treatments. The real path to, healthy, and attractive skin is consuming nutrient-rich foods.
Guavas contain some of the most important nutrients when it comes to healthy skin. These nutrients are vitamins A and C. Besides those nutrients; it is also full of antioxidants which help prevent skin damage.
These nutrients found in Guavas contribute to healthy skin in a myriad of ways:
- Improved skin texture,
- Tightening and toning loose skin,
- And preventing premature aging and wrinkles.
The reliance on skin care products can not only be costly but may irritate your skin. It is always a good idea to go natural, and Guavas are one of the best ways to do so.
Diabetes and Guava
The Mayo Clinic defines Diabetes as,
“A group of diseases that affect how your body uses blood sugar (glucose). Diabetes means you have too much glucose in your blood, although the causes may differ.”
So, the solution to treating diabetes lies in the ability to regulate the amount of sugar, or glucose, in the bloodstream to healthy levels. One such way to do this is by consuming plentiful amounts of fiber. Fiber regulates the absorption of sugar in the body, which decreases the occurrence of spikes in both glucose and insulin.
A recent study showed that “an intervention involving fiber supplementation for type 2 diabetes reduced fasting blood glucose. The study suggests that increasing dietary fiber in patients with type 2 diabetes is a beneficial disease management strategy.”
( Dietary fiber for the treatment of type 2 diabetes mellitus via PubMed ).
Eating Guava can help to treat diabetes because of its high fiber content. A serving of Guava contains a whopping 9g of fiber!
Cancer prevention
The Guava can maintain many properties that can then combat cancer. In fact, a study has shown the growth of human prostate cancer cells suppressed using Guava leaves.
The study concluded that, “… these findings suggest that guava leaves can interfere with multiple signaling cascades linked with tumorigenesis and provide a source of potential therapeutic compounds for both the prevention and treatment of cancer.”
( A Hexane Fraction of Guava Leaves (Psidium guajava L.) Induces Anticancer Activity … via PubMed )
Besides this, Guava contains plentiful amounts of
lycopene
. Lycopene may help prevent free radicals from causing damage to the body.
Eyesight
Vitamin A and its derivatives are essential for eye health. Because Guava is such an excellent source of this vitamin, it also contributes to healthy eyes.
Besides vision health, Vitamin A also assists the prevention of macular degeneration and cataracts.
High blood pressure
All up approximately 20% of us will experience high blood pressure at some stage in our lives. That number increases to 50% after hitting the age of 70.
Studies have proved that “increased consumption of Guava fruit can cause a reduction in BPs and blood lipids with a lack of decrease in HDL-cholesterol.” The increase is, “due to its higher potassium and soluble fiber content, respectively.”
( Can guava fruit intake decrease blood pressure and blood lipids? Via PubMed )
Besides its high fiber content, it has a hypoglycemic nature and therefore, balances levels of glucose and insulin.
Health benefits of Guava during pregnancy
Because of its rich nutrient content, Guavas assist with keeping pregnant women healthy by:
- Preventing gestational diabetes,
- Promoting healthy bowel movements,
- Maintaining a capable immune system with high vitamin C levels, and
- Keeping blood pressure low, which in turn prevent miscarriages and premature births.
Weight loss
Guava is a great weight loss supplement because it is nutritious and especially filling due to its high fiber content.
And while fruits do contain sugar, when compared to other fruits like oranges and apples, it has little.
Healthy bowel
We have already seen the high fiber content that Guavas contain. Fiber helps maintain the intestinal track and ‘keep things moving’ so to speak.
Fiber plays many roles in digestion such as helping balance glucose and insulin levels. But it’s primary role is facilitating healthy bowel movements.
When eaten in its entirety, that is seeds, rind and all, it will help with digestion and bowel function.
Promotes a healthy immune system
Vitamin C is essential for boosting the body’s immune system . The best source of vitamin C is through citrus fruits
Guava is not only a citrus fruit, but it has much higher vitamin C contents than most other fruits. It contains 228mg of the vitamin, which is almost 3 and half times the suggested daily intake.
Due to its Vitamin C content, it also contains antioxidants. Antioxidants are essential in the fight against free radicals.
Health benefits of drinking Guava juice
One of the best ways to make sure that you are getting adequate nutrients from food is juicing. By juicing fruit and vegetables, it allows a person to consume the best parts of the food.
When juicing Guavas, it is a good idea to find ripe ones. They are softer which is easier on the juicer.
How to make Guava Salad
Spicy Guava Salad
Ingredients:
- 2 to 4 medium-sized guavas
- Half teaspoon roasted cumin powder
- Half-teaspoon red chili powder
- A pinch of Chaat masala
- A few sprigs of cilantro or coriander leaves chopped fine.
- Lemon juice to taste
- Salt to taste
Procedure:
- Cut the guavas into bite-sized pieces, or fine depending on how you want it. Ensure they are not too ripe or too raw and then transfer the chopped pieces into a bowl.
- Add the chaat masala, red chili powder, cumin powder, and salt.
- Add fine chopped coriander leaves.
- Squeeze lemon juice over and give it all a good toss until mixed well.
- Serve immediately.
Summary
As you can see, there are so many extraordinary health benefits of eating Guava. There is no need on our part to exaggerate any claims; the science and studies speak for themselves. Guava, whether you juice it, drink it in tea or eat the fruit whole is worth a look next time you visit the grocery store.