Guava. Guava. Guava. The word alone sounds good for you.
The actual fruit? Well, it has what it takes to back up such a healthy sounding name. More commonly eaten in more tropical locations, guava is making its way into North America and that’s good news for your health.
It is typically treated with fewer pesticides than other exotic fruits and is absolutely packed with nutrients. Here are some good reasons to add it to your fruit bowl.
10 Benefits of Eating Guavas
1. Can help you lose weight
Like many fruits and vegetables, guavas are great because they pack a lot of nutrients into relatively few calories. They are even lower in natural sugars than apples and oranges. Yet, their high fiber content helps to keep you feeling full and stops you from snacking.
2. Can help with diabetes
The high amount of dietary fiber can help regulate blood sugar levels and prevent dangerous spikes. Some studies have shown that eating guava regularly can also prevent the onset of type 2 diabetes.
3. Can help keep your thyroid healthy
Guavas are full of beneficial minerals. Copper, in particular, is excellent for the health of your thyroid and helps to regulate hormone production and your metabolism.
4. Can help maintain good vision
Vitamin A is crucial for eye health and guavas are a great source. Vitamin A can even help to prevent cataracts and macular degeneration.
5. Can help fight cancer
Guavas contains an abundance of powerful antioxidants which have been shown to help prevent cell damage from free radicals. They contain quercetin, lycopene, and more vitamin C than oranges. As a result, guavas have been shown to help inhibit the growth of cancerous cells. They are particularly effective for prostate, breast and oral cancers.
6. Can help keep your brain sharp
Guavas contain B vitamins like niacin and vitamin B6, which can help increase blood flow to your brain and improve your cognitive functioning.
7. Can help lower your blood pressure
Guavas can improve the balance of sodium and potassium in your blood and therefore help to regulate its pressure. They can also help reduce the amount of bad cholesterol in your blood. Finally, the high amount of dietary fiber comes in handy again, as foods without it (like simple carbs) have been shown to raise your blood pressure.
8. Can boost your immune system
We often think of oranges as being the best source of vitamin C, but guavas actually contain many times more. They have truckloads and truckloads of it. And that’s just what your immune system needs.
Not surprisingly, eating guavas has been shown to be a great way to ward off colds and other viral infections.
9. Can help improve the health of your skin
All of the vitamins in guavas, like A and C, and antioxidants, like lycopene, are great for detoxifying and can help prevent premature aging and wrinkles. Eating the fruit is one option, or you can apply it your skin directly. The astringents, especially if the guava is not yet ripe, can help smooth your skin and make it glow.
10. Can help ease constipation
A final benefit of the dietary fiber is helping with your bowel movements. The seeds in particular can act as laxatives if consumed.
There are a lot of superfoods out there, but guava is most definitely a super-fruit!
Sources:
http://www.buzzfeed.com/kkcloned/top-10-health-benefits-of-eating-guava-1kv5b
https://www.organicfacts.net/health-benefits/fruit/health-benefits-of-guava.html
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