A Fruit A Day

[prasanna]

Guava - Health Benefits of Guava

By Expert Author: Peter Hutch


Guava is a tropical fruit that is like the shape of pear, with green rind and pinkish or white flesh and small seeds. Some people say Guava is better than orange because guava contain more Vitamin C than citrus fruits (the edible rind contains a lot of it) and it contains appreciable amounts of Vitamin A as well. They are also a good source of iron and pectin, an enzyme used in making jams as well as promoting digestion.

Once they’re ripe, eat them quickly because they’re only at their peak for about two days. The guava leaf extract is also effective in treating gastrointestinal problems as it is rich in quercetin and other flavonoids. A drug used for the treatment of diarrhoea has been developed using guava leaves for this very reason. The bark extract is also supposed to protect the heart and improve its functionality and has been recently used to treat irregular heartbeats in South America. Guava leaves are also supposed to be good for weight loss.

The benefits of guava include controlling blood pressure, lowering cholestrol, battling diabetes, combating cancer and protecting prostrate!

Diarrhea and Dysentery: Guava is very rich in astringents (compounds those make your gums feel tighter and fresh after you chew guava leaves or eat a raw guava or use some toothpaste) which binds up loose bowels in diarrhea. These astringents are alkaline in nature and have disinfectant and anti-bacterial properties, thus help cure dysentery by inhibiting microbial growth and removing extra mucus from the intestines. Further, other nutrients in guava, such as vitamin-C, Carotenoids and potassium strengthens and tones up the digestive system and disinfect it. Guava is also beneficial in gastroenteritis due to reasons stated above.

High amounts of Vitamin C compared to other fruits. The flesh usually provides 230 mg per 100 gram (3.5 oz) Vitamin C. However, the level varies from 10 to 410 mg per 100 gram depending upon the variety. This can be compared to the recommended daily allowance which is only 60 mg of Vitamin C per person per day.

The health benefits of guava herbal medicine are truly incredible, and in particular it contains quercetin which is an antioxidant that blocks enzymes that are responsible for building sorbitol, the sugar that forms the cloudy white clusters that cause cataracts. Guava is also rich in folate which helps to fight bad breath that causes gum disease gingivitis.

Combating free radicals produced during metabolism and aids in preventing age related chronic diseases, such as Alzheimer’s, cancer, cataracts, heart disease and rheumatoid arthritis.

Guava can improve your heart health by helping to control your blood pressure and cholesterol. Guava's ability to lower blood pressure could be the result of potassium. This mineral is an electrolyte that is essential to electrical reaction in your body, including your heart.

Other Benefits:

  Where to begin? Shall I start with the fact that guava helps control diabetes, protects prostrate, its Lypocene reduces the risk of cancer, the juice of the leaves cures toothache, swollen gums and oral ulcers, heals wounds when applied externally, convulsions, epilepsy, bacterial infections and so on and so forth.

[prasanna]

Guava is a tropical fruit that is like the shape of pear, with green rind and pinkish or white flesh and small seeds. Some people say Guava is better than orange because guava contain more Vitamin C than orange and guava is a lot cheaper than orange.



Guava Contains :

   * Vitamin C the skin of guava contains more than 5 times Vit C than that of an orange.
   * Vitamin A and B
   * Calcium
   * Nicotinic Acid
   * Phosphorus
   * Potassium
   * Iron
   * Folic acid
   * Fiber

Nutritive Values of Guava : Per 100 gm.

   * Vitamin A : 250 I.U.
   * Vitamin B : Thiamine .07 mg.;
   * Niacin : 1.2 mg.
   * Vitamin C : 302 mg.
   * Calcium : 30 mg.
   * Phosphorus : 29 mg.
   * Carbohydrates : 17.1 gm.
   * Protein : 1.0 gm.
   * Calories : 70

Guava is Beneficial in the following cases :

  1. Prolonged menstruation
  2. High blood pressure
  3. Poor circulation (strengthen the heart)
  4. Congestion of the lungs
  5. Acidosis
  6. Asthma
  7. Catarrh
  8. Obesity
  9. Scurvy

[Medical Astrology]

Cough & Cold: Juice of raw and immature guavas or decoction of guava-leaves is very helpful in giving relief in cough and cold by loosening cough, reducing mucus, disinfecting the respiratory tract, throat and lungs and inhibiting microbial activity due to its astringent properties. Guava is one of richest in vitamin-C and iron which are proven to be preventive against cold and viral infections.