- 1. Improves digestion
- 2. Treat diarrhea
- 3. Prevents aging and prevents cancer
- 4. Prevents anemia
- 5. Favors weight loss
- 6. Take care of skin health
- Nutritional information of guava
- How to eat guava
- 1. Guava juice
- 2. Guava tea
Guava is a fruit with great nutritional value and medicinal properties, due to its content in vitamin C, A and B. Its scientific name is Psidium guajava, it has a sweet flavor and its pulp can be pink, white, red, yellow or orange .
This tropical fruit can be found in the regions of Central and South America and is a great option to add to weight loss diets, as it has few calories. In addition, it favors digestion because it is rich in fiber, being excellent for treating gastrointestinal problems.
Thus, the main health benefits of guava are:
1. Improves digestion
Guava is a fruit rich in fiber that stimulates bowel movements, improving digestion. In addition, when eaten with peel, it helps fight stomach acidity, being excellent for the treatment of gastric and duodenal ulcers.
2. Treat diarrhea
This fruit has astringent, antidiarrheal and antispasmodic properties that help to reduce both diarrhea and abdominal pain, in addition to eliminating the microorganisms that may be at its origin, due to its antimicrobial action. Therefore, it can be taken to treat gastroenteritis and infantile dysentery.
Because it has a strong anti-diarrheal property, due to its high tannin content, guava should be avoided by those suffering from constipation.
3. Prevents aging and prevents cancer
Because it is rich in antioxidants, such as lycopene and vitamin C, it helps to prevent cell aging, as it prevents the damage caused by free radicals, as well as it prevents the appearance of some types of cancer, such as prostate cancer, for example..
In addition, vitamin C can also help strengthen the body's immunity, making it more resistant to viruses and bacteria.
4. Prevents anemia
Guava facilitates the absorption of iron from the diet, making it possible to avoid cases of anemia due to lack of iron, especially when it is consumed with foods rich in iron, such as seafood, egg yolks or spinach, for example.
5. Favors weight loss
Each guava has about 52 calories, and can be consumed in a diet to reduce weight, as a dessert or snack, since it is also rich in pectin, a type of fiber that favors the feeling of satiety, naturally reducing hunger.
6. Take care of skin health
Eating guava, especially red or pink, is excellent for the skin as it contains large amounts of lycopene, an antioxidant that helps maintain skin health and prevent premature aging, which results in loss of elasticity and wrinkles.
Nutritional information of guava
This table shows the nutritional information for each 100 grams, of white and red guava:
| Components in every 100 grams | White guava | Red guava |
| Energy | 52 calories | 54 calories |
| Proteins | 0.9 g | 1.1 g |
| Fats | 0.5 g | 0.4 g |
| Carbohydrates | 12.4 g | 13 g |
| Vitamin A (retinol) | - | 38 mcg |
| Vitamin B1 | trace elements | 0.05 mg |
| Vitamin B2 | trace elements | 0.05 mg |
| Vitamin B3 | trace elements | 1.20 mg |
| Vitamin C | 99.2 mg | 80.6 mg |
| Calcium | 5 mg | 4 mg |
| Phosphor | 16 mg | 15 mg |
| Iron | 0.2 mg | 0.2 mg |
| Magnesium | 7 mg | 7 mg |
| Potassium | 220 mg | 198 mg |
How to eat guava
Guava can be consumed whole, in juices, vitamins, jams or in the form of ice cream. In addition, with leaves it is also possible to prepare teas.
The recommended portion for consumption is 1 unit of about 150 grams per day. Here's how to prepare some simple recipes with guava:
1. Guava juice
Ingredients
- 2 guavas; 1 tablespoon of mint; ½ liter of water
Method of preparation
Remove the guava skin and beat the blender with the other ingredients. This juice can be drunk up to 2 times a day.
2. Guava tea
Ingredients
- 15 g of guava leaves; ½ liter of boiling water.
Method of preparation
Add the leaves and let stand for 5 to 10 minutes. Then let it warm, strain and drink 2 to 3 times a day. This tea can also be used to make a sitz bath, to treat vaginal infections caused by trichomoniasis or candidiasis, due to its antimicrobial properties.
