Last updated on September 4th, 2018 at 07:04 am
I have been eating guavas for years, but did not know there are so many health benefits of Guava. I knew it helps in treating constipation and normal stomach disorder, but didn’t know Guavas are truly a super exotic fruit, until last year when a heard an expert talking about the benefits of Guava fruits and leaves.
Apart from tasting deliciously great, it has many health benefits including the treatment of old cough and cold, constipation, high blood pressure, diabetes among many other diseases. Both guava fruits and leaves are beneficial because they are highly nutritious and have antioxidant properties. It has Vitamin A (Beta-carotene), Vitamin C, Vitamin E, Minerals, Dietary Fibers, Protein and much more.
I am sure you have enjoyed the magical aroma and sweet taste of guava fruits. And if you thought it’s only the fruit that tastes good and has health benefits, you are wrong. Because guava leaves are equally beneficial for your health and well being, especially for stomach, skin and hair.
In this post, I am going to give you a good overview of all of the benefits of Guava fruits and leaves for skin, hair, heart, blood and much more.
There are many health benefits of guava fruits. Guava fruits are very nutritious and loaded with protein, fiber, vitamins and minerals which help in curing various types of diseases and disorders including high blood pressure and diabetes.
Like the fruits, the leaves can also be used for it medicinally benefits. Guava leaves has antioxidants, anti inflammatory agents and tannins which can cure stomach disorder, cough and cold, hair fall and skin disorders.
Guavas (also called as Amrood in Hindi or Peyara in Bengali) are usually round or oval in shape. It has a thick skin, and pulp with tiny and edible seeds. Skin color of guava fruits varies from light green to yellow or some time pink and maroon. Pulp may be off white, pink or maroon in some of the varieties. Colour of both pulp and skin varies for raw and ripe fruits.
Guava leaves are as nutritious as the super fruit. Size of guava fruits depends on the type of breed, but it may vary between 5-10 cm long and weigh around 50 grams to 200 gms. Guavas are available almost throughout the year, but it tastes amazing in monsoon and winter season.
Guava fruits originated from America and Mexico, but today it’s cultivated across many tropical and sub tropical countries including India. Guava is also being cultivated as a commercial food. You can consume Guavas in various forms like jams, jelly, juice etc. And obviously Guava leaves can be used to make tea (or KADHA in Hindi). Drinking tea made of fresh guava leaves is also beneficial for your health.
How and when to eat Guava fruits
Guavas are available in various size and types. It’s best to eat not so ripe or unripe guavas. It should be just a little hard, but not too hard or too soft/ripe.
Eating guavas in the morning is just best. You should include guava in the breakfast. But if you have gastric issues, it’s better to not eat the guavas in empty stomach and hence you may like to include it in the lunch. Avoid eating guava fruits in the night or post dinner. It tastes best in the morning or afternoon post lunch.
Also, if you are eating a fresh guava fruits, don’t chew the tiny seeds. Ideally, you should just cut the guava in 4 or 6 slices depending on it size. Start eating each slice or portion from its skin side. Chewing skin is okay, but don’t chew the pulp, else you may end up chewing the seeds too. So just chew the pulp lightly and gulp it. Chewing guava seeds may harm those, who are suffering from stomach ulcer.
Amazing health benefits of guava fruits
I am sure you have enjoyed eating Guavas from your childhood and knew that it’s good for the stomach, but there is more to it. Here are some of the amazing health benefits of Guava fruits worth knowing.
Guavas are immunity booster
Guava is probably the most powerful fruit for immunity. We know that oranges are rich in Vitamin C. But did you know that guavas are 4 times richer in vitamin C than the orange? Guava fruits can be the great source of vitamin C and Vitamin C can seriously improve your immunity and help your body fight common infections.
Guavas for weight control
If you are overweight and want to control your weight, eating guavas will help you. And if you are lean and want to put on some weight, even then consuming Guavas will help you. Guavas have plenty of nutrients that regulates the metabolism of helps your body absorb nutrients.
If you are planning to start dieting in order to put off some weight, then you may consider including guavas in your lunch. Guavas are very filling, which means if you have a nice and fresh guava for your lunch, you will not feel hungry till evening. Guavas are rich in fiber, protein, vitamins and minerals which are good for your health. Guavas are low in calorie and have no cholesterol, so it’s a super balanced fruit that you should include in your diet. Eating little raw guavas can be even better, because it’s not much sweet and has less sugar, than what you find in other fruits like apple or grapes.
Guavas are good for diabetes
If your parents are diabetic, you should take good care of yourself. Your diet and lifestyle can make a lot of difference in fighting the chances of becoming a diabetic. And eating just one guava post lunch could be the best thing to do.
Guavas are rich in dietary fiber and low in glycaemic index which helps regulates the absorption of sugar by the body. It regulates any major spike or drop in the level of insulin and glucose in the body. Fiber contents of guavas ensure that the sugar level of the body is well regulated.
Beneficial for heart health and blood pressure
According to this report, published in National Center for Biotechnology Information (US National Library of Medicine), a randomized trial was conducted on a group of about 72 people to examine the effects of eating guavas. After the trial, they concluded that, consumption of Guavas can cause substantial reduction in blood pressure and blood lipids, without decreasing the level of HDL-cholesterol (good cholesterol).
Guavas are rich source of minerals like sodium, potassium, iron, calcium etc and that makes it super fit to regulate blood pressure. Consuming guavas will balance the level of potassium and sodium which helps regulating blood pressure. Guavas are hearth healthy because of its antioxidants properties.
Guavas are great for constipation
There are many medicines available today that helps in treating constipation problems. But some of those medicines may not be good for your health in long term.
From ancient days, guavas are used to treat constipation. Guavas are super rich in Fiber. Eating just one guava every day after lunch can help you get rid of constipation. Just 100 gm of a Guava fruit contains about 5.4 gm of dietary fiber. By consuming just one fresh guava fruit, you get nearly 15% of daily recommended fiber in your body. Hence Guava is known to provide best relief from the constipation.
Beneficial in diarrhea and dysentery
Both guava fruits and guava leaves are beneficial in diarrhea and dysentery. Whether you drink fresh guava leaves tea or eat a fresh guava, it can reduce the symptoms of diarrhea and dysentery. Guavas have astringent qualities which are alkaline in nature and have disinfectant and anti-bacterial properties. And other vitamin like Vitamin C, Potassium and Carotenoids strengthens the digestion system and boost the health of intestine.
Great for eyes
Vitamin C, Vitamin E, and Vitamin A and beta-carotene are the dietary antioxidants which are good for health. Guavas have all of these vitamins and because of these antioxidants properties, it’s good for the eyesight. In 100gm of a guava fruit, you get about 31 μg of vitamin A equivalent, 374 μg of beta-carotene and 228.3 mg of vitamin C. Due to these many antioxidants, guavas are great for your eyes and overall health.
Health benefits of Guava Leaves
Guava leaves are loaded with medicinal properties which are beneficial for your health. Guava leaves can be consumed in many ways. You can just chew the fresh leaves or make tea from the fresh leave. You can even use dried leaves for making tea. Tea made of fresh or dried guava leaves can be used to cure many types of common disorders like cold and cough, diarrhea, obesity, etc. Here are some of the health benefits of guava leaves;
Making guava leaves tea is pretty simple.
Take a few guava leaves (8-10 leaves). Wash it properly, pour it into a kettle and let it boil for 10-15 minutes. You will notice the color of the water has changed and then it done. Just extract the leaves, filter rest of the water into a glass and your tea is ready to drink
Helps in weight loss
Team made of guava leaves can be a great supplement for weight loss. Just take a fresh leaves and boil it till the color of the water changes. Once done, just filter it and drink the tea. Due to high dietary fiber contents and low glycemic index, it becomes a useful supplement for weight loss.
Regulates bad cholesterol
In a standard size guava fruit of about 100 gm, there is zero cholesterol and just 1g fat. It does not add bad cholesterol, but helps you reduce bad cholesterol (LDL). A 100 gm of Guava fruit contains just 0.95 g of fat and now you know why guava fruits and team of guava leaves are magical in reducing the bad cholesterol.
Improves digestion
Both guava fruits and guava leaves tea can improve your digestion system. And when you digest what you eat properly, you will be fit and fine for ever. Guava leaves tea is known to stimulate the production digestive enzymes in our body. Guava fruits, juice or guava leaves tea can relieve from food poisoning as well.
How to consume ripe guava
Guavas taste best when it’s ripe, not so hard, and not so soft. Guavas can be consumed in various ways. You may just slice it, sprinkle some slat and eat it. Or you make like to make guava juice or Jams. You may also slice fresh guava and fry it in a pan, add some salt, pepper and eat it as a tea time snack. You may also take it as a salad.
Making guava Juice
Even if I like to eat it just after slicing, making guava juice is pretty simple and easy.
- Take about 4-5 fresh guavas or about 500 gm.
- Wash it properly and rinse it
- Slice guavas into smaller pieces so that it can go into the blender
- Add half cup of water or a little more if required.
- And blend it slowly. Don’t blend too much or else the seeds will also get blended, which is not good, from health point of view.
- You may also like to add some honey for sweetness or brown sugar and a bit of lemon juice for tanginess.
- I personally, don’t like to filter the juice, but you may use a strainer to filter out the seeds
- And you have 3-4 glasses of juice ready to serve
Summary
Guavas are truly a super food that you can consume in many ways. Eat it like a salad, or make a jam or juice, guavas taste good in any form. And not only the fruit, guava leaves are equally good and have all the medicinal values like the fruit itself.
Eating a fresh guava everyday can help you get rid of most of the common diseases and disorders including cough and cold, constipation, blood pressure, LDL-cholesterol, diabetes, obesity and much more.
What are other health benefits of guava fruits and its leaves you are aware of?
