Benefits of Guava For health

Take a look at 10 Guava health benefits!

1. Rich in Vit C:
Guava contains Vit C and it helps protect cells and lower cancerous damage to them.
2. Lesser Diabetes Risk and Cleaned System:
Fibre is important for lowering blood sugar levels. At the same time, it is good in cleansing
digestive system and maintaining free bowel movement. Guavas are rich in fibres. The more
your system stays clean, the happier you will be from inside.
3. Eye Health Improvement:
Vit A or retinol is responsible for good eye sight. Guava is rich in retinol, so if you dont like
carrots, you can try a guava for improving your eyesight
4. Folate Content:
Guavas contain a mineral known as folate. It helps promote fertility in humans.
5. Regulation of blood pressure levels:
Potassium in guavas helps normalise blood pressure levels. A banana and a guava contains
almost the same amount of potassium.
6. Trace Element Copper Enriched:
Guavas contain the trace element copper which is very good in maintaining good functioning
of the thyroid gland. Improper functioning of thyroid gland can cause a lot of health
problems.
7. Manganese Richness:
Guavas are rich in manganese which helps the body to absorb other key nutrients from the
food that we eat. When our food gets properly utilised, we get all the key nutrients like biotin,
vitamins, etc.
8. Nervous Relaxant:
Guava is rich in magnesium which acts as a nervous relaxant. It helps to relax muscles and
nerves of the body. So after a hard work out, a guava is certainly what you need to relax your
muscles and give your system a nice energy boost.
9. Healthy Mind:
It helps to keep your brain functions positive by maintaining good blood flow and also by
infusing it with Vit B3 and Vit B6. Vit B6 is pyridoxine which is good for nerves. It keeps
your nerves relaxed.

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Winter has set in and its the season for some delicious guavas. We all love to eat this fruit
and several varieties are available. Guava is basically a tropical fruit that is believed to have
its origin in Central America where it is also known as sand plum. Guava tree is a tropical
evergreen shrub. In fact, guava is a large berry which is round or oval in shape with light
green or light yellow skin. The colour of its flesh varies from white or pink to dark red and
has edible seeds.
There are various species of guavas which differ in terms of fragrance, taste and appearance.
Generally it has a strong, sweet and pungent fragrance and its flavour ranges from strawberry
or lemon to tropical. It is widely available in India and is locally known as peru. In fact, it
is quite cheap so everyone can afford it. In India, roadside vendors are often seen selling
guavas.
Besides its unique flavour and fragrance, guava has been hailed has one of the super fruits
because of its numerous health promoting qualities. This humble fruit is known for its
medicinal properties, thanks to the sugars, vitamins and minerals present in it. It is
extraordinarily rich in vitamin C and also contains carotene and antioxidants that are
beneficial for skin health. Guavas are consumed in varying degrees of ripeness. They are also
used in cooking as an ingredient in both sweet and savoury dishes. Guava juice is also a
refreshing drink.
[Read:Nutrition And Health Benefits Of Banana]
Benefits Of Guava For Skin
Guava has an important role to play in skincare since it is abound in vitamin C, antioxidants
and carotene, all of which are beneficial for your skin. Thus, guava pulp is often used in the
manufacture of cosmetic care lotions for the face and body. The benefits of guava for skin are
as follows.
11. Improves Complexion:
Pink guava helps in beautifying your skin, thus enabling it to regain its radiance and
freshness. To improve your complexion, you can prepare a simple guava scrub at home. For
this purpose, mash some guava flesh with an egg yolk and apply it on your face. Rinse off
after 20 minutes with warm water. When used once or twice a week, this scrub will remove
dead cells from your skin and lighten your complexion. It will also remove impurities, thus
providing your skin a fresh and invigorated feeling.
12. UV Protection:
Pink guavas contain twice the amount of lycopene present in tomatoes. Lycopene is an
antioxidant that protects your skin from being damaged by UV rays and environmental
pollution. A guava provides about 2.9 grams of lycopene.
13. Anti-ageing Properties:
Guava is a rich source of vitamins A, B, C and potassium which are good antioxidants and
detoxifiers. They fight free radicals, thus keeping your skin glowing and free from premature
signs of ageing like wrinkles and fine lines. Besides, lycopene protects the healthy cells from
toxins that accumulate in the body due to metabolism and environmental pollution. These
toxins also cause pre mature ageing by damaging the DNA in charge of growth and
development.
14. Natural Skin Toner:
The high concentration of vitamins, minerals and nutrients in guava helps in keeping your
skin toned, fresh and wrinkle free. Guava is effective in enhancing skin texture, tightening the
loosened skin and reviving the lost elasticity of the skin. The astringent qualities of guavas
keep your skin free from blemishes, acne, wrinkles and pimples. Washing your face with the
decoction of immature guava fruit and its leaves beautifies your skin.
15. Treatment of Acne and Dark Spots:
If you are suffering from acne and dark spots, you can take some guava leaves and mash
them to make a smooth paste. Clean your face and apply it on the acne and dark spots. Doing
this daily will heal your acne.
16. Skin Hydration:
Proper hydration is vital for healthy skin. Water plays an important role in keeping your skin
hydrated. Thus, it is recommended to have 8 glasses of water in a day. Guava is an excellent
source of water with 81% of the fruit comprising of water. In this way, it plays an important
role in skin hydration.
17. Treatment of Skin Problems:
A guava provides more than twice the recommended daily value of vitamin C which is
excellent for skin healing as it contributes to generation of collagen, the substance that
imparts firmness to the skin. Besides, it provides about 1.4 micrograms of vitamin K which is
2% of the recommended daily value. This vitamin improves blood coagulation, impairment
of which causes skin redness and irritation. This makes it beneficial in treating dark circles,
spider veins, rosaceae, acne irritation and splotchiness of skin.
18. Treatment of Blackheads and Skin Itchiness:
In case of blackheads, you can blend the leaves of the guava fruit with little water and apply
it as a scrub on your nose to remove blackheads. Guava leaves can also rid you of skin
itchiness as they contain allergy blocking compounds.
[Read:Foods For Clear Skin]
Benefits Of Guava For Hair
Guava is a powerhouse of nutrients including Vitamin A, vitamin C, folic acid, potassium,
copper, manganese, fibre, flavonoids and other phytochemicals. Thus, it is beneficial for
healthy hair growth and maintenance.
19. Combats Hair Loss:
Being extremely rich in vitamin C, guava is one of those fruits that promote healthy hair
growth. It also helps in combating hair loss problems.
[Read:Vitamin C For Skin, Hair And Health]
How to Select and Store?
Selection: Guavas are available in different varieties such as the Chinese Guava, Strawberry,
Lemon, Apple and Mountain Guava. In tropical regions, they are available all the year round.
Guavas with red flesh such as Thai maroon flesh are more nutritious than Green Apple
guavas. On ripening, the skin of the guavas generally turns from green to yellow, their flesh
softens and they develop a fragrant fruity aroma. While purchasing guavas, make sure that
you choose fresh fruits with their skins intact without any cuts, bruises or patches. Your
choice of guava also depends upon the variety that you are buying. If you are buying pink
guavas, choose the ones that are firm and devoid of soft spots. Their skin should be green
with a yellow tinge. While buying white Thai guavas, make sure that they are free from
blemishes or soft spots and their skin should be bright green in colour, like a Granny Smith
apple. Overly soft guavas or the ones with soft spots or discolouration should be avoided.
When the guavas are picked from the tree, they are mature but not ripe. In other words,
though the fruit has reached its optimum size and shape, the starches present in it have not
been converted into sugar. These starches will get converted into sugar after a few days
which will cause the fruit to soften and emit a wonderful guava fragrance. Ripe guavas
generally have a characteristic colour and aroma.
Storage: Guavas can be stored at room temperature for a few days. Mature but green guavas
can last for 2 to 5 weeks when kept at a regulated temperature between 46F and 55F and
relative humidity of 85% to 95%. To hasten ripening, the guava can be kept wrapped in a
paper with a banana or apple. Fully ripe guavas can be refrigerated for a few days. Pink and
white guavas yield to gentle pressure if they are ripe. Ripe guavas can be kept in plastic bag
or container and refrigerated for a few days. It is advisable to use them within a day or two.
Unripe guavas can be stored in a plastic container or bag and can last for about two weeks.
Freezing the guavas can make them last longer, even up to a year. To freeze a guava, cut it
and place it in a freezer container. Cover it with light simple syrup and provide a little extra
space in the container for expansion.
Tips for Usage (Cooking/ Eating)
As stated earlier, guava is a nutritious fruit with edible seeds and skin. Several varieties are
available with each variety having a unique flavour and aroma. Before proceeding to eat
guavas, it is necessary to wash them in cold running water to remove any dust and insecticide
residues. The floral ends and remnants i.e. sepals should be removed and the tips ends should
be cut with a sharp knife. Guavas can then be cubed or sliced like an apple. Guavas should be
eaten with their skin on as the edible rind contains abundant amounts of vitamin C. Even the
seeds can be eaten; and are very tasty and crunchy. Besides being eaten raw, guavas are often
cooked to eliminate their strong odour as some people do not like it. Given below are some
tips and recipes to enjoy this exotic fruit.
1. Guava juice and nectar are refreshing drinks and are often used as an ingredient in cold or
frozen drinks or in mixed liquor beverages.
2. Due to its unique flavour, guavas are often used to make jelly. They have a high content of
pectin, a chemical substance that helps jelly to set. The juice from half ripe guavas can be
combined with hibiscus flowers or low pectin fruits to make jelly. Guavas are also used in
butters, jams, marmalades and preserves.
3. Fresh guavas can be simply sliced and topped with a little sugar and cream. Guava cubes
can be added to other tropical fruits in a salad. Guavas can also be used with cheeses or in
apple dishes or as sauces for meat and poultry. Another way to eat a guava is to simply cut it
in half and sprinkle with a little lemon juice; and eat flesh and seeds with a spoon, discarding
the skin.
4. Freshly extracted juice of pinkish or reddish fleshed guava is not only sweet and yummy
but also rich in vitamins. In fact, it can give a tough competition to any refreshment. You can
easily prepare it at home. Wash and peel a guava. Add some sugar, inch ginger (optional)
and cold water; and blend it in a blender or juicer. Filter out the hard seeds and add some ice
cubes while serving. This juice is quite tasty and refreshing especially in hot weather.
5. You can prepare a cool and refreshing drink by combining guava pulp and lemonade with
a dash of lemon juice and sugar syrup. For this purpose, take about 8 large guavas, peel and
cut them into big pieces and blend them in a blender with very little water. After removing
and straining, add 4 teaspoons lemon juice, sugar syrup and a few drops of light pink colour.
Mix well and keep it in a bottle. While serving, add 1 teaspoon of this mixture and 3 ice
cubes to a bottle of lemonade.
6. You can prepare a delicious salad by combining roasted guava with feta cheese. For this
purpose, cut the guavas into thin round slices and marinate them with some chopped parsley,
balsamic vinegar, olive oil, black pepper powder and salt. Roast the slices till they turn
golden brown and caramelize the pine nuts with honey. Mix the roasted slices of guava with
caramelized pine nuts, lettuce leaves and cubes of feta cheese. Pour this dressing on the salad
and garnish with chopped parsley and feta cheese. It can be served cold.
7. Guava can be combined with apple to prepare a delicious curry. For this purpose, take two
apples and two guavas; and cut them into big pieces. Melt two tablespoons ghee in a pot and
put 3 cloves and 3 cinnamon pieces. Roast 10 to 12 raisins and 4 to 5 cashew nuts for two
minutes and then add the guavas and apples. Cook for some time and add 2 tablespoons red
chilli powder, 1 tablespoons turmeric powder, 1 tablespoon coriander seeds powder and
cumin seeds powder; and some salt and sugar. Remove and stir the mixture.
8. The sweet taste and strong fragrance of Florida pink guava make it suitable for dessert type
dishes. Guava kheer is one such dessert that is quiet simple to prepare. All you need to do is
pressure cook the guava and remove the seeds. Sieve it through a strainer. Adding sugar and
milk to the pulp, bring it to a boil. When the sugar gets dissolved, add cardamom powder and
garnish with roasted dry fruits.