Top Health Benefits of Guava: A powerhouse of fibre

What comes to your mind when you think of fibre? Some of the most common fibre-rich foods recommended by expert nutritionists include oats, apple, whole grains, and other vegetables. But did you know that the simple and ubiquitous fruit, guava, is a powerhouse of fibre, and other wonderful nutrients?

Guava is a tropical fruit that is believed to have originated in Central America. It is a powerhouse of nutrients, being rich in vital vitamins, minerals, and antioxidant poly-phenolic, and flavonoid compounds that play a pivotal role in prevention of cancers, anti-aging, etc.

For those who dislike or cannot digest whole grains and oats, guava can be an easy and tastier way of getting more fibre in the diet, since it has more fibre than any other fruit or vegetable at the same weight!

The Common Benefits of Guava

It is a versatile fruit, lending itself very well to Indian cooking. It finds its way into jams, chutneys, pickles, halwa and chaats! It is also easy to make smoothies out of guava along with other fruits such as banana or apple since it blends well with other tastes. It is by itself a most delicious and complete snack.

All you have to do is cut it up in long pieces, sprinkle red chilli powder, and salt over it for a yummy and fibre rich snack! Or pickle it just as you would make a mango pickle!

5 Health Benefits of Guava you should aware of

Here is a list of benefits that this wonder fruit offers:

Rich Fiber Source

The fruit is very rich source of soluble dietary fibre (5.4 g per 100 g of fruit) which makes it a good laxative. The fibre protects the colon by decreasing exposure time to toxins as well as binding to cancer-causing chemicals in the colon.  Soluble fibre is a boon to diabetics as well, since it regulates blood sugar absorption.  The still unripe fruit does not have that much simple sugars in it, making it very safe for diabetics.

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Antioxidant and Vitamin C

Guava-fruit is an excellent source of antioxidant vitamin-C. 100 g fresh fruit provides 228 mg of this vitamin, more than three times required daily amount (RDA). The flesh just underneath its outer thick rind contains exceptionally higher levels of vitamin C than its inner creamy pulp. Scientific studies shown that regular consumption of fruits rich in vitamin C helps human body develop resistance against infectious agents and scavenge cancer causing harmful free radicals from the body. Further, it is required for collagen synthesis within the body. Collagen is the main structural protein in the human body required for maintaining integrity of blood vessels, skin, organs, and bones.

Flavonoids and Vitamin A

The fruit is a very good source of Vitamin-A, and flavonoids like beta-carotene, lutein and cryptoxanthin. The compounds are known to have antioxidant properties and therefore essential for optimum health. Further, vitamin-A is also required for maintaining healthy mucus membranes and skin. Consumption of natural fruits rich in carotene is known to protect from lung and oral cavity cancers.

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Lycopene

100 g of pink guava fruit provides 5204 µg of lycopene, nearly twice the amount than in tomatoes. (100 g tomato contains 2573 µg of lycopene). Studies suggest that lycopene in pink guavas prevents skin damage from UV rays and offers protection from prostate cancer.

Abundance of Minerals

Minerals like magnesium, copper, and manganese are abundant in guava. Manganese is used by the body as a co-factor for the antioxidant enzyme, superoxide dismutase. Copper is required for the production of red blood cells.

A unique and surprising fact is that guava can be recommended in almost any health condition, including diabetes, kidney ailments including renal failure, heart disease or liver disease, because it is low in carbohydrates, rich in fibre and very low in potassium that renal patients are told to restrict.