8 Health Benefits That Guava Provides

Guava is a delicious tropical fruit of the guava tree and belongs to the Myrtle family. It grows in tropical and subtropical regions of the world and is native to Mexico, Central America, and Northern South America. Being an excellent source of essential nutrients like vitamins, minerals, antioxidants, phytonutrients, polyphenols, and dietary fibers, etc, guava provide many health and beauty benefits.

# Promotes Weight Loss

Guava promotes weight loss as it has a low caloric value of 68 calories per 100 grams.

Dietary fibers in guava keep our stomach fuller for a longer duration and decrease our urge to eat again and again.

This controls overeating, a major cause of obesity.

Guava regulates our metabolism and allows our body to burn calories efficiently.

Eating guava is an efficient way of nourishing the body without worrying about adding too many calories.

# Regulates Blood Sugar

Guava helps in managing diabetes as it has a low glycemic index of 12.

It releases sugar into the bloodstream at a slow speed and prevents a sudden spike in blood sugar levels.

Dietary fibers in guava regulate the rate at which sugar is absorbed by the bloodstream, and helps in managing diabetes.

Eat guavas in moderation as overeating guavas may drop blood sugar below the normal level, and give rise to irregular heartbeat, fast heartbeat, fatigue, pale skin, shakiness, anxiety, sweating, hunger, and irritability, etc.

If you take diabetic medication, consult your doctor before adding guava to your diet to avoid food-drug intolerance risk.

# Maintain Ocular Health

Guava maintains our ocular health as antioxidants like vitamin C, vitamin A, and flavonoids, etc in guava protects our eyes from free radical damage.

This reduces the risk of age-related macular degeneration, cataract, and glaucoma, etc.

Vitamin A is an essential nutrient that keeps our eyes healthy, prevents dryness of the eyes, and reduces the risk of night-blindness.

# Protection Against Cancer(s)

Vitamin C, vitamin A, and other relevant compounds like phytonutrients, polyphenols, and flavonoids, etc in guava protects our cells and tissues from free radical damage.

By protecting our cells from free radical damage, it reduces the risk of various cancers such as colon cancer, rectal cancer, pancreatic cancer, abdominal cancer, and intestinal cancer, etc.

Lycopene, a powerful antioxidant present in the guava prevents the growth and development of cancerous cells.

Free radicals are the unstabilized ions that stabilize by stealing electrons from neighboring molecules, and doing so causes oxidative damage to them.

# Protection Against Scurvy

Vitamin C in guava reduces the risk of scurvy which can give rise to symptoms like bleeding or swollen gums, joint pain, weakness or fatigue, red spots, swelling in wounds, the opening of unhealed wounds, etc.

Guava has about 4 times more vitamin C ( 228.3 mg vitamin C per 100 grams of guava) than orange ( 53.2 mg vitamin C per 100-grams orange).

# Provides Relief From Diarrhea & Dysentery

The astringent property of guava improves bowel movement and reduces diarrhea symptoms.

The antibacterial and alkaline nature of the guava helps in curing dysentery by preventing the growth of microbes, and by removing excess mucus out of the intestines.

# Maintains Thyroid Health

Copper present in the guava helps in maintaining our thyroid health as it regulates the production and absorption of the thyroxine hormone responsible for thyroid metabolism.

Thyroid hormone regulates our metabolic rate and reduces the risk of thyroid disorders.

# Improve Digestive Health

Vitamin C and other antioxidant compounds like flavonoids, etc in guava protect our digestive system from free radical damage.

It reduces the risk of several cancers like colon cancer, intestinal cancer, pancreatic cancer, and abdominal cancer.

Dietary fibers in guava are natural laxatives that improve bowel movement, relieve constipation, and other gastrointestinal problems like abdominal pain, irritable bowel syndrome, gas, bloating, and, flatulence, etc.

Other nutrients like zinc, iron, magnesium, and folate, etc in guava also play a significant role in improving our digestive health.