By Nora Siblani MS LD
Nutrition Consultant & Clinical Dietitian
F B: Nora’s Nutrition and Health
instagram: @norasiblani
Guava is in season! This super healthy tropical fruit has many benefits to offer due to its rich content in vitamins, minerals and other nutrients. From its edible skin to the numerous hard seeds, guava fruits will boost your overall health and nourish your body. This nutritious rounded fruit is known for its strong sweet fragrance and sweet and tangy flavor. It’s easily spotted and extraordinarily desired. By the end of this article you might find yourselves at the nearest grocery store looking for guava fruits.
Guava fruits are a delight in the kitchen, as they can be used in a variety of dishes. In the grocery store pick your guava fruits to be firm but allow gentle pressure when pressed. Keep them stored in the refrigerator; however, like other fruits and vegetables, it’s best to have your guava fruit as fresh as possible for optimum minerals and vitamins supply. Guava is mostly eaten raw as a fruit. It gives a very desirable fragrance and taste when included in fruit salads. Chopped guavas make a unique luscious ingredient in salads. A combination of guava, coriander, lemon juice, cumin and chili can make a very delicious appetizer! Guava fruit makes a great addition to gourmet main courses, especially as an ingredient in succulent sauces. It is also incorporated in many smoothies for its high nutrition value, and it is also part of some cocktail drinks such as guava margaritas. Guava fruit can be cooked in the oven in some desserts like guava fruit crumble, and they can be made in to creams and frostings for cakes. This desired fruit can also be preserved in the form of jam.
Guava fruit is often overlooked in the field of nutrition and dietetics, misleading health seekers away from this nutrition powerhouse. Find out some of the benefits this super food provides you!
Immunity booster! Guava fruit is a very good source of vitamin C, a powerful antioxidant. In fact, one medium guava fruit provides around 280% of the recommended daily allowance. Guava fruit’s high supply of vitamin C makes it a good resource to improve the immunity system, protecting your body against common diseases and infections. Eating guava is a smart way to welcome winter with a better immunity.
Cancer guard! Guava fruits are also rich in lycopene, a phytonutrient well-known for its anticancer properties, as it may help prevent prostate cancer and other types of cancer.
Face beautifier! Eating guava fruit supplies your skin with a big dose of vitamin A and other vitamins and minerals that nourish the skin and the eyes. Its high amount of vitamin K may help your skin against discoloration such as dark circles, due to improvement in blood coagulation. The high amount of antioxidants in guava fruits helps ensure the maintenance of healthy skin by fighting against free radicals. This will help improve skin texture and glow. It will also help protect against skin ageing and wrinkles and against many other skin diseases and problems.
Digestive Care! Guava fruit is very rich in fiber, which improves the bowel movement and enhances digestion. Guava fruits can help avoid constipation as their seeds can have laxative properties. On the other hand, guava fruits can also help against diarrhea due to their content in tannins with astringent properties. Tannins in guava fruits also have antibacterial properties and can help clean the intestines.
Diabetes-Friendly! There are 11 g of carbohydrates in one guava fruit, of which 5 g are in the form of fiber, making this luscious fruit a fiber-rich food. The high dietary fiber content in one guava fruit makes it a convenient and good choice for a nutritious snack for diabetics. Fiber can help control and regulate blood sugar levels.
Hearty Good! The high fiber levels in guava fruits also play a role in controlling blood cholesterol levels. In addition to that, guava fruits are good source of potassium, which improves blood pressure and may help decreasing risks of cardiovascular problems.
Weight management! A few guava fruits a season may keep the dietitian away! One fruit contains 45 calories only, which makes it a suitable healthy and light snack. Weight watchers can enjoy this snack at fewer calories without giving up beneficial nutrients. Its high fiber content makes it very filling and satisfying. The fiber in this fruit will help you feel satiated for a longer period of time as compared to fruits with less fiber.
Don’t forget to add guava fruit to your grocery shopping list!