Guava / Guayaba
Scientific Name: Psidium guajava
Origin: South America
Botanical Family: Myrtaceae
Guayaba is a tropical evergreen tree with aromatic yellow fruit that is rich in vitamins and known for its culinary uses and medicinal properties.
Brief History and Description
Guayaba is a small tree whose height reaches 3 to 8 meters. The ripe fruit is yellow with pink flesh and begins to bear fruit within 2 to 4 years. Guayaba's taste is sweet, and the ripe fruit is highly aromatic. Guayaba's native home is tropical America, and its distribution in the pre-Columbian days is unknown.
Culinary Usage and Nutritional Properties
Guayaba is rich in vitamin C, lycopene, fiber, and antioxidants. Although Guayaba is a fruit, its culinary uses are almost unlimited. It can be paired with soft cheeses, seafood, and fatty meats. Guava is a great dessert ingredient in ice cream, panna cotta, and custard. Guayaba can be baked, roasted, caramelized, pureed, preserved, and jammed. You can also add it to mixed juices or make it dehydrated.
Economic and Environmental aspects
Guayaba manzana is loved for its unique flavor and medicinal properties. It can potentially be exploited commercially to obtain health and economic benefits.
As an evergreen plant, it effectively improves the environment.
Annual Yield
The Guayaba tree yields 23 to 36 kg of fruit or more per year.
Pharmacological Activities and Bio-active Properties
Guayaba is rich in antioxidants, and has anti-inflammatory, and antimicrobial activities,1
Guayaba manzana effectively manages diabetes,
It promotes digestive health,
It protects the heart,
The leaves of the fruit can treat nausea and vomiting,
Due to its antimicrobial and antispasmodic properties, it can treat diarrhea,
The vitamin C in this fruit can help strengthen immunity, and fight disease-causing pathogens, and protect the body's cells from damage,
Guava also contains lycopene. These antioxidants help reduce cancer risk, especially breast and prostate cancer.2
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