Guava is a tropical fruit and is seldom mentioned when we talk about nutrition. I don't really fancy this fruit because its flesh is hard but its nutrition is immense. I tried juicing it once with my centrifugal juicer and it broke my juicer. That's how hard this fruit is. But when done properly, the juice is amazingly healthful.
Guava fruits may be round, ovoid or pear-shaped. The better varieties are soft when ripe, some crunchy in texture with edible rind and seeds. The varieties may come in white, pink, yellow and even red. Its small seeds range between 100 and 500 per fruit.
Nutritional Benefits
Guava has an incredibly high content of vitamin C. In fact, one guava fruit contains four times more vitamin C than an average-sized orange; and ten times more vitamin A than a lemon!
Guava is an excellent source of fiber, almost 70 times more fiber than can be found in an orange! Other key nutrients are vitamins B2 and E, calcium, copper, folate, iron, manganese, phosphorus and potassium.
Health Benefits
The high content of vitamin C (ascorbic acid) in guava makes it a powerhouse in combating free radicals and oxidation that are key enemies that cause many degenerative diseases.
Cancer: The anti-oxidant virtue in guavas are believed to help reduce the risk of cancers of the stomach, esophagus, larynx, oral cavity and pancreas.
Cholesterol: The vitamin C in guava makes absorption of vitamin E much more effective in reducing the oxidation of the LDL cholesterol and increasing the (good) HDL cholesterol.
Constipation: The fiber in guavas promote digestion and ease bowel movements.
Diverticulitis: The insoluble fiber is beneficial in preventing and treating diverticulities.
Heart disease: Eating guava or drinking guava juice regularly helps keep heart disease at bay.
Vision: The high content of vitamin A in guava plays an important role in maintaining the quality and health of eyesight, skin, teeth, bones and the mucus membranes.
