Tips for healthy living: Stay healthy with guava

Doris Obinna

Guava is a sweet and delicious fruit cultivated in tropical climates. This seasonal fruit, scientifically known as Psidium guajava, is round or pear-shaped. It is light green, yellow or maroon in colour when it ripens.  It has white or maroon flesh, depending on its type, and has small hard seeds enveloped in its soft, sweet pulp.

The common types of guava include apple guava, yellow-fruited cherry guava, strawberry guava, and red apple guava.

Guava is mostly eaten raw (when ripe or semi-ripe) or consumed in the form of juice, jams, and jellies.

It is important to note, “a few guavas in the season keep the doctor away for the whole year.” The most important health benefit of this tropical fruit includes:

Antioxidant properties: The naturally high content of Vitamin C in guavas, four times higher than that found in oranges, helps boost the immune system.

According to a study published in 2006, the antioxidants in the fruit help defend the body against the proliferation of free radicals in the body, which are one of the main causes of serious conditions like cancer and heart diseases.

Control diabetes: The intake of guava can also help patients suffering from diabetes. It contains a high level of dietary fiber, which has a beneficial effect on lowering blood glucose levels in the body. Recent studies in animal models have shown that consuming it may help prevent the risk of type-2 diabetes. However, more research is needed to confirm the entire scope of its benefits.

Improves brain health:  Another tremendous benefit of guava 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.

Relief from cough and cold:  Another research published in the Journal of Ethnopharmacology, on the anti-cough and antimicrobial activities of guava leaf extract, states that it is very helpful in providing relief from cold and cough.

Juice of raw and immature guavas or a decoction of its leaves is helpful in relieving coughs and colds by reducing mucus, disinfecting the respiratory tract, throat, and lungs, and inhibiting microbial activity with its astringent properties.