A tropical fruit that’s tastes delicious when stewed and added to salads, preserved as jams, baked into cakes, churned into ice cream, grilled along with cheese in sandwiches, or even stuffed into french toast, there are no limits to the versatility of guavas. And its nutritional quality has accorded it the title of a “superfood” in most nutritional circles. Here are all the health benefits this popular fruit provides.
# Aids Weight LossIf you’re on a diet, guavas might just be your new best friend. One medium-sized fruit only sets you back by 37 calories while offering you 12% (2.97 g) of dietary fiber. Dietary fiber slows down digestion and makes you feel full for a long time, keeping you from overeating. Besides, the low-calorie nature of guavas makes them a good snacking option that offers nutrition without packing on the pounds.
# Improves Skin HealthInclude guavas in your skincare regime. They contain a host of vitamins and antioxidants that might aid skin health. Their antioxidant content, in fact, has been found to protect skin from damage and slow its aging process, in turn preventing wrinkle formation. In addition to this, guava extract has been found to treat acne and lower inflammation when applied directly to your skin. Another study, conducted in test tubes, found that guava extract effectively killed acne-causing bacteria. This could be due to its antimicrobial and anti-inflammatory properties. However, further research is needed to fully validate this benefit.
# Promotes DigestionEating guavas regularly can keep your digestive health in check. As stated earlier, they are an excellent source of dietary fiber, 70% of which is insoluble.This type of fiber does not dissolve in water and can help food move through your digestive system, promoting regularity and helping prevent constipation. In addition to this, studies have found that guava extract may reduce the intensity and duration of diarrhea. Besides this, several studies have found that the antibacterial properties of guava extract neutralize harmful microbes in your gut that can cause diarrhea.
# Boosts Immune FunctionIf you tend to fall sick each time there’s a slight change in the weather, adding guava to your diet might help keep the sniffles away. One medium-sized fruit contains 126 mg of vitamin C, which makes up for a whopping 140% of the recommended daily intake.9 This is almost twice the amount you would get from eating an orange. Vitamin C has been found to reduce the duration of a cold. It might also kill off bad bacteria and viruses that can lead to infections. And since vitamin C can be flushed out of the body easily, it’s important to get enough regularly through your diet.
# Relieves Menstrual CrampsIf that time of the month is painful for you, stock up on some guava. Guava extract has been found to relieve the intensity of menstrual cramps, which is often the result of dysmenorrhea. A study, conducted in 197 women with painful symptoms, found that consuming 6 mg of guava leaf extract daily lowered the intensity of pain, more effectively than certain painkillers. Guava extract has also been found to relieve uterine cramps.
# Manages Blood Sugar LevelsIf you’ve been trying to manage your blood sugar levels, adding guava to your diet might be the key. Several test-tube and animal studies have found that guava extract improved blood sugar levels, promoted long-term blood sugar control, and increased insulin resistance. Studies involving humans have also shown similar benefits. One such study, conducted in 19 people, noted that drinking tea with guava leaf lowered blood sugar levels after a meal, with the effects lasting for up to 2 hours. Another such study noted that drinking this particular tea reduced blood sugar levels by more than 10%.