The guava fruit (psidium guajava) is a pungent, strong smelling tropical fruit that usually appears on grocery and fruit market shelves in late summer to early fall. A native of Central and South America, as well as Asian countries like India, this yellow pear-shaped fruit grows on trees that can be as high as 80 feet in tropical rain forests. In addition to its many nutrients, including calcium, copper, iron, phosphorus and potassium, guava fruit has one of the highest amounts of vitamin C of any fruit or vegetable with as much as 180 mg of vitamin C to every 100 grams of fruit, or five times that of an orange or lemon.
In addition to vitamin C, the fruit contains large amounts of vitamin A, vitamin B, and niacin.
In India, guava trees are found with fruit having a reddish pulp which is said to be much sweeter than the Western varieties.
Not everyone likes guava fruit due to its very distinct odor. There is an old saying that if you want to eat alone at work, bring several guavas with you. That also goes for saying that if left too long in the ‘fridge, everything with smell like guava fruit. So, with most people, it’s either love them or leave them in respect to the fruit’s appeal.
Taking this very minor shortcoming into account, the fruit’s benefits far outweigh its “anti-social” shortcomings. In addition to the high vitamin C, guava fruit are high in anti-oxidants and flavonoids which help prevent aging. Many anti-aging preparations contain guava concentrate in their ingredients. Eating guava is also good for people who have bowel irregularity problems, as the fruit pulp and large seeds have a laxative-like quality. Guavas also are said to be as beneficial as tomatoes for men suffering from BPH or benign prostatic hyperplasia since the fruit contains an enzyme similar to that which is found in tomatoes.
Women suffering from prolonged menstruation have found to fruit to be very beneficial.
Other parts of the guava tree are very beneficial, including the leaves (used to treat diarrhea) and the bark (used to treat heart problems). The bark and leaves are also used in making dyes and in tanning leather.
Guavas can either be eaten fresh, dried, or made into jams and chutney. Like any fruit the maximum health benefits are derived when the fruit is eaten as soon as possible after picking.
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