Guava is a sweet fruit which has a variety of colours with many health benefits as well as side effects if extremely consumed.

It is said that Guava, believed to have developed in Central America, serves as a natural remedy for a range of health ailments.

Research suggests that guava fruits and leaf extracts may have a number of health benefits.

Furthermore, research has confirmed that guava is one of the traditional ways of combating diabetes, heart disease, and men dysfunctions.

Guava contains a lot of Nutrition Values

According to the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA), guava contains just 68 calories and 8.92 gm sugar.

Imperatively, guavas are also rich in calcium as they contain 18 gm of the mineral per 100 gm of the fruit. It also contains 22 gm of magnesium per 100 gm of the fruit, as well as significant amounts of phosphorus and potassium- 40 and 417 gm per 100 gm, respectively.

What Is Guava?

Guava is a savoury and rich fruit farmed in tropical weathers. The scientifical name for this fruits is known as Psidium guajava.

It comes in different colours, which includes: light green, yellow or maroon in when it gets ripens. Also, it has white or maroon flesh, based on its type, and which also has small hard seeds enclosed in its soft, luscious pulp.

The common types of guava include yellow-fruited cherry guava, strawberry guava, apple guava, and red apple guava. This fruit is often eaten raw (when ripe or semi-ripe) also it can be consumed in the form of juice, jams, and jellies.

Health Benefits Of Guava

1. Menstrual Cramp: Guava contains a lot of properties which counterpoise women who are experiencing menstrual pains.

Premenstrual Dysphoric Disorder (PMDD)

Several women experience dysmenorrhea, which is painful symptoms of menstruation, such as stomach cramps and body pains.

There is practical evidence that guava leaf extract may reduce the pain level of menstrual cramps.

Research confirms that by Healthline 197 women who experience painful symptoms are found taking 6 mg of guava leaf extract daily resulted in reduced pain intensity.

The guava leaf extract is also said to be a valid source to help relieve uterine cramps.

2. Dysentery & Diarrhoea: Guava contains property that combats diarrhoea and dysentery. Whether you chew its leaves or eat the raw fruit, the astringent qualities add substance to loose bowels and reduce the symptoms of diarrhoea.

Furthermore, other nutrients such as vitamin C, carotenoids and potassium, fortify the digestive system while also reducing infection.

3. Improves Eyes sight: Guava is a good source of vitamin A, well known as a booster for vision health. It can help slow down the appearance of cataracts, macular degeneration, and improve the overall health of the eyes. It helps protect the cells in your eyes and can also slow the deterioration of eyesight.

4. It Improves Brain health: One of the tremendous benefits of guavas is the presence of B vitamins, B3 and B6. Vitamin B3 (also known as niacin) can increase blood flow and stimulates cognitive function, whereas vitamin B6 is a nutrient correlated with brain and nerve function.

Health benefits of Guava

Guava fruits can help reduce the risk of cataracts and macular degeneration. Even though guavas are not as rich in Vitamin A as carrots, they are still a very good source of the nutrient.

The guava leaves can also help to strengthen the eye veins due to the presence of the vitamins.

5. It Fights Cancer: Another great advantage of guava is that it contains property that battles different types of cancer.

According to research, lycopene, quercetin, vitamin C and other polyphenols act as potent antioxidants which neutralise free radicals generated in the body, preventing the growth of cancer cells. Guava fruit has shown to be widely successful in reducing prostate cancer risk and also inhibit the growth of breast cancer cells since it is rich in lycopene.

6. It aids Digestion: Guava is an outstanding source of dietary fibre. One guava can provide 12% of your prescribed daily intake fibre.

Therefore, eating more guavas helps healthy bowel movements and prevent constipation.

Additionally, guava leaf extract may fasten digestive health. Research suggests that it may reduce the intensity and duration of diarrhoea.

More so, many studies have revealed that guava leaf extract is antimicrobial. This means that it can neutralise harmful microbes in your gut that can cause diarrhoea.

Read: Health Benefits of Turmerics

7. It Improves heart health: Many scientists believe that the high levels of antioxidants and vitamins in guava leaves mostly help protect your heart from damage by free properties.

Guavas contain higher levels of potassium and soluble fibres, it’s also believed to be one of the major contributors to improved heart health.

Consuming guava leaf extract have valuable health benefits: the fruit prevents high blood pressure and high levels of (LDL) cholesterol due to it’s linked to higher risks of heart disease and stroke.

Therefore, the fruit may have benefits for heart health as well.

According to Healthline, 12-week study in 120 people found that eating ripe guava before meals lead to a general decrease in blood pressure by 8–9 points, a reduction in total cholesterol by 9.9%, and an increase in “good” HDL cholesterol by 8%.

8. It glows the Skin: Guava aids the skin’s to regain brightness and freshness. This fruit also contains Vitamin K property, which helps get rid of skin discolouration, redness, acne irritation and dark spot.

How to Use?

Try this at home: by preparing a DIY scrub at home: Try to mash some guava fruits with an egg yolk and rub it on your face. After 20 minutes, rinse with warm water. Repeat it once or twice a week, this scrub will remove dead cells from your skin and lighten your complexion.

9. It’s Anti-Ageing: Guavas are rich in Vitamin C, Vitamin A and antioxidants which also protects your wrinkle skins. In other words, old-age is an undeniable stage in life because as long as growing old is most for everybody that lives up to a longer age. However, ageing can easily be prevented to some extent by simply eating guavas or guava leaves extracts.

10. It Prevents Diabetics: Guavas is rich in fibre and with a low glycaemic index, it can be consumed by diabetics and those who want to prevent diabetes. Guavas help in treating diabetes 2, the body stops producing insulin which is responsible for the absorption of glucose. However, consuming fruits and vegetables rich in fibre is recommended.

11. It aids Weight Loss: This fruit helps you to shed a few pounds? Guava is just the ticket. Without compromising your intake of proteins, vitamins and fibre, guava helps you lose weight by regulating your metabolism. Raw Guava also has far less sugar as compared to other fruits like apples, oranges, grapes, and other fruits.

However, if you are placed on a specific diet and aiming to lose some weight, you can add guavas to your meals and experience fewer food cravings throughout the day; using this fruits as a snack can also help reduce hunger between meals.

12. It Assists During Pregnant: Guavas contain properties which include Folic acid, or Vitamin B-9, which are recommended for pregnant mothers since it helps in developing the baby’s nervous system and protect the newborn from neurological disorders.

13. Immune Booster: Guavas help to protect the immune system. It contains all the needed properties in order to protect you from attacks of harmful toxins and effective immune response against strange particles.

Guavas contain a high amount of antioxidants due to the presence of vitamin C, guavas do not only help fight bacteria and other illnesses, but it also helps the body to increase its immunity levels.

And when the immunity level of the body is increased, it becomes strong enough to fight against any foreign contaminant that might arise.

14. It assists Health Metabolism: Guavas help to keep the body healthy and promote oxygenation in the metabolic rates needed to maintain the body. Guavas are rich in dietary fibres as well as antioxidants which are useful in muscle regeneration and also keep the brain functioning perfectly.

Furthermore, dietary fibres help the body in breakdown complex proteins and completely, which besides all its benefits, also reduces bloating.

15. Osteoarthritis:  Guavas contains antioxidant properties which assist in the degeneration of joint cartilage and the underlying bone that causes pain and stiffness, especially in the hip, knee, and thumb joints. It is a common form of arthritis.

According to the National Institutes of Health, the causes of Osteoarthritis can include joint injury, obesity, and ageing. Research as also shown that Guavas can reduce inflammation disease and pains. It also increased joint movement in patients suffering from osteoarthritis symptoms.

16. Blood Pressure Management: Guava contains a dietary fibre, which properties is beneficial to keep the arteries and blood vessel clean.

It helps to moderate blood level from which is necessary restraining excessive blood flow to the heart. Guavas are hypoglycemic and can regulate adequate blood flow throughout the body.

How to eat guava?

Eating guava starts by cutting it into half. Then cut the halves into thinner slices. You can eat the entire slices with the rind or not, it depends on your choice.

If you’re looking for a better way to eat a guava, you can dip the slices in different sauces — you are free to mix it up with either a sweet or salty spices.

Side Effect of guava

After many studies on the health benefits of guava, there are not yet recognized negative side effect of guava.

However, you should avoid consuming too much guava, because too much intake of it is not healthy. The rapid increase of fibre in your body could lead to indigestion related issues. Therefore, when you consistently consume fibre; you should also increase the intake of fluids.

If you are not placed on consuming high dietary fibre or potassium you should consult your health provider before the regular consumption of guavas. Also, pregnant women and breastfeeding mothers should limit the intake amounts – there is a chance it results in diarrhoea.

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