The Tropical Fruit That Can Protect Your Heart, Lower Your Blood Pressure, and Much More!

Benefits of Guava

Guava is a tropical fruit grown in hot, humid and dry regions of North America and other similar climates around the world. There are several types of guava including white, red, purple, pink, and yellow. Guava fruit or juice is sweet and there are many health benefits of guava juice: it contains a large number of nutrients and it is considered a great source of soluble fiber.

Benefits of Guava Juice

The benefits of guava juice are important for your health: guava is extremely high in vitamin C (about 228 mg per 100 mg serving), vitamin A, and the phytochemicals, betacarotene, lutein and lycopene.

1. Prevents Radical Damage:

Vitamin C is extremely important as a water-soluble antioxidant which protects our cells from free radical damage. It is also very important in the formation of type-3 collagen necessary to manufacture and support blood vessels, skin, and gums.

2. Formation of Immunity Cells

Vitamin C is also crucial in the formation of immune cells, connective tissue, and blood clotting mechanism. By eating guava or drinking its juice, you will reap the many health benefits of guava juice.

3.  Improves Vision

Well, it contains a healthy dose of vitamin A, which is an essential nutrient vital for vision, to strengthen your immune response, and for the maintenance of mucous membranes and skin.

4. Rich in Antioxidants

The phytochemicals in guava give this fruit or its juice a super antioxidant “punch.” These important chemicals are necessary in the prevention of cataracts caused from excessive UV damage and also for protecting the lungs from the damaging effects of pollution and toxic smoke.

5. Prevents Cancer

Plus, have you been told to eat more tomatoes to get a good amount of lycopene? Pink guava actually has approximately twice as much lycopene as a tomato! Lycopene has been found to inhibit prostate cancer cell growth and protect the skin from the damaging free radicals caused from pollution and UV rays—another one of the great benefits of guava juice.

6. Good for Heart Health

In addition, guava is a rich source of potassium—key for heart health and blood pressure control. This tropical wonder also contains B-vitamins, magnesium, and vitamins E and K.

Now there’s even more reason to add guava juice to your daily routine, considering you’ll be reaping so many guava juice benefits.

7. Low Glycemic Index

Now although guava is mostly composed of carbohydrates (75% of the calories), because of the degree of fiber and water guava contains, the glycemic load is actually quite low (seven).

The glycemic load refers to the concentration of sugar delivered per 100 gram serving. This means that guava will not disturb your blood sugar and will not result in weight gain if consumed as a whole fruit or whole fresh juice—another one of the important benefits of guava juice.

Don’t miss out on guava juice benefits. Guava can be consumed as a freshly prepared juice, eaten whole in a fruit salad, as a fruit base in the manufacture of gelato or ice cream, and in jams, jellies, or preserves.

For an excellent and refreshing drink, (and not to mention healthy, considering the numerous benefits of guava juice) add eight ounces of fresh guava juice in a mixer with one medium banana, 1/2 cup of coconut milk, and two cups of ice. Blend together and serve. Delicious!

I recommend introducing guava juice into your diet to reap the benefits of guava juice!


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Sources:
“Guavas, common, raw,” Nutrition Data web site; http://nutritiondata.self.com/facts/fruits-and-fruit-juices/1927/2 ,last accessed, October 28, 2013.
“Guava nutrition facts,” Nutrition and you web site; http://www.nutrition-and-you.com/guava.html,last accessed October 28, 2013.