HEALTH BENEFITS OF GUAVA
The health benefits of guava include the treatment of
diarrhea, dysentery, constipation, cough, cold, skin
care, high blood pressure, weight loss and scurvy.
Many of you may have tasted this mouth-watering
treat, or have at least seen or heard about it. Guava is
very common in Asian countries, but is increasingly
available in the western world, particularly as more of
its health benefits are revealed. It is a somewhat round
or pear-shaped seasonal fruit, and is light green,
yellow, or maroon in color on the outside when it is
ripe. Guava also has white or maroon flesh and lots of
small hard seeds enveloped in very soft, sweet pulp. It
is eaten raw (ripe or semi-ripe) or in the form of jams
and jellies.
This popular fruit is a powerhouse of nutrients. If
the traditional adage says that “An apple a day keeps
the doctor away” in Europe and Americas, the phrase is
probably changed to “A few guavas in the season keeps
the doctor away for the whole year” in the Indian
Subcontinent and places where guavas typically grow. Its
scientific name is Psidium Guajava.
The health benefits of guava include the treatment of
diarrhea, dysentery, constipation, cough, cold, skin
care, high blood pressure, weight loss and scurvy.
Many of you may have tasted this mouth-watering
treat, or have at least seen or heard about it. Guava is
very common in Asian countries, but is increasingly
available in the western world, particularly as more of
its health benefits are revealed. It is a somewhat round
or pear-shaped seasonal fruit, and is light green,
yellow, or maroon in color on the outside when it is
ripe. Guava also has white or maroon flesh and lots of
small hard seeds enveloped in very soft, sweet pulp. It
is eaten raw (ripe or semi-ripe) or in the form of jams
and jellies.
This popular fruit is a powerhouse of nutrients. If
the traditional adage says that “An apple a day keeps
the doctor away” in Europe and Americas, the phrase is
probably changed to “A few guavas in the season keeps
the doctor away for the whole year” in the Indian
Subcontinent and places where guavas typically grow. Its
scientific name is Psidium Guajava.
What makes guava special is that protecting the fruit
does not require excessive use of chemical pesticides as
in the case of grapes, apple, and other so-called
“exotic” fruits. It is one of the least chemically
treated and sprayed fruits.
What The Benefit
Health Benefits of Guava
Some of the surprising and brilliant health benefits
are listed below.
Weight loss: Guava is very helpful
for those who want to
lose weight without
compromising their intake of proteins, vitamins and
fiber. Guava is very high in roughage and rich in
vitamins, proteins and minerals, but it has no
cholesterol and a low number of digestible
carbohydrates. It is a is very filling snack and
satisfies the appetite very easily. Guava, especially
raw guava, also has far less sugar as compared to
apples, oranges, grapes, and other fruit. Adding a
medium-sized guava to your lunch and you will not feel
hungry again until the evening. Ironically, it can also
help with weight gain in lean, thin people. This is
probably due to its wealth of nutrients, which keep the
metabolism regulates and helps to promote the proper
absorption of nutrients.
Diabetes: In a related benefit to
blood pressure mentioned above, an intake of guava can
also help those patients who suffer from
diabetes.
The high level of dietary fiber in guava helps to
regulate the absorption of sugar by the body, which
decreases the chances of major spikes and drops in
insulin and glucose in the body. Studies have shown that
consuming guava can help prevent the appearance of
type-2 diabetes.
Eyesight: Guavas are extremely good
sources of vitamin-A, which is well known as a booster
for
vision health.
It can help slow down the appearance of cataracts,
macular degeneration, and general health of the eyes. It
can not only prevent degradation of eyesight, but even
an improvement in eyesight once it has begun to degrade.
Cancer Prevention: One of the most
celebrated and important benefits of adding guava to
your diet is its ability to inhibit the growth and
metastasis of cancerous cells. There have been numerous
studies done in recent years on guava’s effects
primarily on
prostate cancer,
breast cancer, and oral cancers. Guava leaf
oil is extremely successful as an anti-proliferative
substance, and has actually been shown to be more
effective than some leading modern medicines in reducing
cancerous growth. Guavas are also
rich in lycopene, a
powerful antioxidant that has been shown to be wildly
successful in reducing prostate cancer risk. That same
antioxidant has also shown to inhibit the growth of
breast cancer cells, although further human trials need
to be done.
Finally, the naturally high levels of vitamin-C in
guavas, which are four times higher than the levels
found in oranges (the traditional vitamin-C powerhouse),
provides the immune system a huge
boost in antioxidants.
Antioxidants are the major lines of defense against the
proliferation of free radicals in the body, which are
one of the main causes of serious conditions like cancer
and heart disease. Therefore, adding guava to your diet
has numerous ways in which it helps you stay health and
cancer-free.
Scurvy: Guava can outdo many other
fruits, including orange and other citrus fruits, in
terms of its concentration of vitamin-C. A
deficiency of vitamin-C can cause scurvy, and proper
intake of vitamin-C is the only known remedy for that
dangerous disease. In fact, guavas contain 5X more
vitamin-C than oranges, which are often heralded as the
absolute best source of that beneficial vitamin.
What makes guava special is that protecting the fruit
does not require excessive use of chemical pesticides as
in the case of grapes, apple, and other so-called
“exotic” fruits. It is one of the least chemically
treated and sprayed fruits.
Rich in Vit C: Guava
contains Vitamin C and it helps protect cells and lower
cancerous damage to them.
Lesser Diabetes Risk and Cleaned System:
Fiber is important for lowering blood sugar levels. At
the same time, it is good in cleansing digestive system
and maintaining free bowel movement. Guavas are rich in
fibres. The more your system stays clean, the happier
you will be from inside.
Eye Health Improvement:
Vit A or retinol is
responsible for good eye sight. Guava is rich in
retinol, so if you don’t like carrots, you can try a
guava for improving your eyesight
Folate Content:
Guavas contain a mineral known as folate. It helps
promote fertility in humans.
Regulation of blood pressure levels:
Potassium in guavas helps normalize blood pressure levels. A banana and a guava
contains almost the same amount of potassium.
Trace Element Copper Enriched:
Guavas contain the trace
element copper which is very good in maintaining good
functioning of the thyroid gland. Improper functioning
of thyroid gland can cause a lot of health problems.
Manganese Richness:
Guavas are rich in manganese which helps the body to
absorb other key nutrients from the food that we eat.
When our food gets properly utilised, we get all the key
nutrients like biotin, vitamins, etc.
Nervous Relaxant:
Guava is rich in magnesium which acts as a nervous
relaxant. It helps to relax muscles and nerves of the
body. So after a hard work out, a guava is certainly
what you need to relax your muscles and give your system
a nice energy boost.
Healthy Mind: It
helps to keep your brain functions positive by
maintaining good blood flow and also by infusing it with
Vit B3 and Vit B6. Vit B6 is pyridoxine which is good
for nerves. It keeps your nerves relaxed.
Winter has set in and it’s the season
for some delicious guavas. We all love to eat this fruit
and several varieties are available. Guava is basically
a tropical fruit that is believed to have its origin in
Central America where it is also known as “sand plum”.
Guava tree is a tropical evergreen shrub. In fact, guava
is a large berry which is round or oval in shape with
light green or light yellow skin. The color of its flesh
varies from white or pink to dark red and has edible
seeds.
There are various species of guavas
which differ in terms of fragrance, taste and
appearance. Generally it has a strong, sweet and pungent
fragrance and its flavour ranges from strawberry or
lemon to tropical. It is widely available in India and
is locally known as “peru”. In fact, it is quite cheap
so everyone can afford it. In India, roadside vendors
are often seen selling guavas.
Besides its unique flavor and
fragrance, guava has been hailed has one of the best
fruits because of its numerous health promoting
qualities. This humble fruit is known for its medicinal
properties, thanks to the sugars, vitamins and minerals
present in it. It is extraordinarily rich in vitamin C
and also contains carotene and antioxidants that are
beneficial for skin health. Guavas are consumed in
varying degrees of ripeness. They are also used in
cooking as an ingredient in both sweet and savoury
dishes. Guava juice is also a refreshing drink.
Benefits Of Guava For
Skin:
Guava has an important role to play in
skincare since it is abound in vitamin C, antioxidants
and carotene, all of which are beneficial for your skin.
Thus, guava pulp is often used in the manufacture of
cosmetic care lotions for the face and body. The
benefits of guava for skin are as follows.
Improves Complexion
Pink guava helps in beautifying your
skin, thus enabling it to regain its radiance and
freshness. To improve your complexion, you can prepare a
simple guava scrub at home. For this purpose, mash some
guava flesh with an egg yolk and apply it on your face.
Rinse off after 20 minutes with warm water. When used
once or twice a week, this scrub will remove dead cells
from your skin and lighten your complexion. It will also
remove impurities, thus providing your skin a fresh and
invigorated feeling.
UV Protection:
Pink guavas contain twice the amount
of lycopene present in tomatoes. Lycopene is an
antioxidant that protects your skin from being damaged
by UV rays and environmental pollution. A guava provides
about 2.9 grams of lycopene.
Anti-ageing Properties:
Guava is a rich source of vitamins A,
B, C and potassium which are good antioxidants and
detoxifiers. They fight free radicals, thus keeping your
skin glowing and free from premature signs of ageing
like wrinkles and fine lines. Besides, lycopene protects
the healthy cells from toxins that accumulate in the
body due to metabolism and environmental pollution.
These toxins also cause pre mature ageing by damaging
the DNA in charge of growth and development.
Natural Skin Toner:
The high concentration of vitamins,
minerals and nutrients in guava helps in keeping your
skin toned, fresh and wrinkle free. Guava is effective
in enhancing skin texture, tightening the loosened skin
and reviving the lost elasticity of the skin. The
astringent qualities of guavas keep your skin free from
blemishes, acne, wrinkles and pimples. Washing your face
with the decoction of immature guava fruit and its
leaves beautifies your skin
Treatment of Acne and Dark Spots:
If you are suffering from acne and
dark spots, you can take some guava leaves and mash them
to make a smooth paste. Clean your face and apply it on
the acne and dark spots. Doing this daily will heal your
acne.
Skin Hydration:
Proper hydration is vital for healthy
skin. Water plays an important role in keeping your skin
hydrated. Thus, it is recommended to have 8 glasses of
water in a day. Guava is an excellent source of water
with 81% of the fruit comprising of water. In this way,
it plays an important role in skin hydration.
Treatment of Skin Problems:
A guava provides more than twice the
recommended daily value of vitamin C which is excellent
for skin healing as it contributes to generation of
collagen, the substance that imparts firmness to the
skin. Besides, it provides about 1.4 micrograms of
vitamin K which is 2% of the recommended daily value.
This vitamin improves blood coagulation, impairment of
which causes skin redness and irritation. This makes it
beneficial in treating dark circles, spider veins,
rosaceae, acne irritation and splotchiness of skin.
Treatment of Blackheads and Skin Itchiness:
In case of blackheads, you can blend
the leaves of the guava fruit with little water and
apply it as a scrub on your nose to remove blackheads.
Guava leaves can also rid you of skin itchiness as they
contain allergy blocking compounds.
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