In modern shops it is possible to meet a set of fruit and vegetables. Many of them are not seasonal, and some and at all exotic and unusual for our person. Strange names, forms and new taste — the fact that sometimes there is a strong wish to surprise guests at the holiday table or just to indulge itself darlings. And such fruit as a guava, is a good occasion to diversify a diet, it not only is tasty, but also it is useful!
The guava is an exotic fruit. For the person of our places it is externally similar to apple, pear or a quince.
The average size — 8-12 cm in length, and has the form roundish or slightly oblong. Weight happens from 70 g at small fruits, up to 160 — at large. Coloring of a ripe fruit can be yellow, green or burgundy. The peel has to be dense and hilly, but not really thick (than it is thicker, especially bitter has taste). The smell has strong, but not sharp, slightly similar to a lemon, and taste sweet or it is a little with sourness. In pulp there are dense seeds.
Grows on a small evergreen tree (bush) of 4-6 meters in height. Belongs to the class bichromatic, to department of Angiospermae.
Whether you know? Only in the peel the guava contains in 5 times more of vitamin C, than the whole orange.
In the nature there are several species of this plant. The habitat South America classically is considered, but it is grown up as well in Africa, India and Southeast Asia.
As a rule, the crop from a tree is reaped once a year. Sometimes collect 2 times, but in that case fruits will be more small. Between the period of blossoming and harvesting passes on average 3-5 months.
The guava is very useful fruit thanks to the rich structure.
Structure of a guava (on 100 g of a product):
- proteins — 0.58 g;
- fats — 0.6 g;
- carbohydrates — 17.4 g;
- water — 80.7 g;
- cellulose — 5.4 g;
- ashes — 0.8 g;
- saturated fatty acids — 0.18 g.
Read also about nonsaturated fatty acids.
Such structure provides low caloric content — only 69 kcal on 100 g of fresh pulp.
Fruits contain various vitamins, minerals and electrolytes.
Vitamins:
- A, C, E and K vitamins;
- thiamine;
- pyridoxine;
- niatsin;
- folic acid;
- pantothenic acid;
- Riboflavinum.
Minerals:
- zinc;
- calcium;
- selenium;
- copper;
- phosphorus;
- hardware;
- manganese;
- magnesium.
- sodium;
- potassium.
This exotic fruit has a number of positive properties for various systems of a human body:
- helps at weight loss as contains many digestible carbohydrates and has no cholesteric connections. The percent of content of sugar is much less, than in many other fruit, and nutritional value rather high that with advantage to satisfy feeling of hunger;
- at diabetes improves digestion of sugar in blood, thereby preventing glucose jumps;
- vitamin A in structure contributes to normalization of sight and is effective prevention of a cataract;
- oil of greens of a plant is one of the most effective remedies on reduction of cancers;
- well resists to such disease as a scurvy;
- struggles with diarrhea and dysentery;
- has positive impact on a thyroid gland, normalizing a hormonal background;
- increases cognitive abilities of a brain;
- effective means at various forms of cough;
- deals with such problems of skin as aging and withering;
- improves immunity;
- normalizes arterial blood pressure.
Study useful properties of such exotic fruit as: rambutan, papaya, grapefruit, avocado, feijoa, mango, lime and pomelo.
In cookery, medicine and cosmetology use literally all components of a plant: flowers, fruits, seeds, leaves and root. All parts of a guava have the useful properties and are used in various forms.
Tea from guava leaves — remarkable means at the solution of a number of physiological problems:
- is preventive at diseases of a cardiovascular system;
- eliminates the excess of cholesterol;
- lowers and normalizes pressure;
- regulates exchange of lipids, than prevents obesity;
- it is useful at the beginning diarrhea;
- weakens menstrual pains at women.
For preparation of drink use leaves and bark of a plant (fresh or dry). It is worth making as usual tea — to fill in with boiled water and to insist several minutes. Later at desire to filter through a sieve, it is also possible to drink.
Whether you know? From South America the guava was brought for the first time by the Spanish conquerors. Thanks to them it began to be grown up practically in each warm southern country.
For residents of the countries where the guava grows everywhere, such broth — the most usual element in a diet. For us it is exported in the form of the packaged tea (generally from Japan). It is possible to buy it in many large supermarkets.
In modern medicine the guava has a big range of application, such as fight against a dental plaque, excessive sweating, various skin diseases (eczema, pigmentary spots), diseases of digestive system, catarrhal diseases and many other problems. For the solution of all possible tasks the guava is a part of such medical and cosmetic products as toothpastes, powders, essential oils, ointments and others.
Essential oils — perfectly look after hair and skin. Learn more about cosmetology properties of essential oils: cedar, melissa, tea tree, fir, orange, sandalwood, rosemary.
In cosmetology use plant seeds extract. These ingredients add to cosmetics because of them properties, extraordinary useful to skin:
- strengthening of vessels, blood circulation improvement;
- food and recovery of skin;
- elimination of wrinkles and other age manifestations.
Use also other parts of a plant, extracting from them useful substances, doing powder or lotions from broth of leaves. All this promotes improvement of the general condition of the sluggish and growing old skin.
Before the use it is better to check itself for intolerance of fruit — to eat a small piece and to see to reaction of an organism. At individual intolerance (allergic or other reactions of a body) it is worth refraining from exotic delicacy.
In general the guava has no contraindications. But it is necessary to remember that in pulp high content of firm seeds which are undesirable for eating — it can cause irritation of a throat. And the peel should not be eaten only to people with diabetes — it can promote increase in level of glucose in blood.
Important! The use more than 1 kilogram of a guava can cause an indigestion even if you have no allergy to fruit.
Also it is impossible to use immature fruits as they contain the connections worsening work of kidneys.
In shop look for the softest guava from all that are available. The fruit is softer, the it is more sweet and more tasty.
To define how ripe plant you chose, carry out a number of simple inspections:
- squeeze a guava if under fingers dents, then a fruit ripe were formed;
- on a peel there should not be spots or damages, it can demonstrate perversity of a product;
- if color gives pink, then it only begins to ripen. Color of a ripe fruit yellow, is more rare green;
- the smell of a sweet, ripe fruit has to be felt from far away. So choose fragrant copy.
Before the use of a guava it should be washed with flowing cold water well. Also the peel has useful properties, but when transporting it is processed by a large number of chemistry so as far as it is useful in the conditions of our environment — not really clear. It is better to keep itself and not to risk health, pulp also has many valuable qualities.
By means of a sharp knife cut a fruit on the segments convenient to you by the size. And further enjoy taste (with a skin or without). Some gourmets like to eat fruit with sugar, soy sauce or vinegar. Here business is exclusive in your food preferences!
Important! In the crude fruits more useful substances as many of them are in a peel remain.
Stones contain in pulp in a large number. They are edible, but rather firm that can cause discomfort when swallowing. Also do not try to chew them — it can damage tooth enamel.
The guava is used as independently, and in a set of culinary recipes. If this fruit for you to liking, then it is possible to prepare a refined and exotic dessert which will surprise all. Pies, ice cream, cocktails are an incomplete list of delicacies from a fragrant fruit.
As fruit is exotic, rules of storage at it not absolutely usual:
- at the room temperature on the open place of property remain only a week;
- are longer stored at a temperature of +7...+10 °C — about a month;
- in the freezer it can long be stored (6-8 months), practically without losing useful qualities.
It is recommended to store in the fridge only the cut fruit which you did not eat up. It is necessary to do it in a tight package or a container. Fresh and suitable for the use it will be for several days. You should not have fruit near sharply smelling products, the guava strongly absorbs surrounding smells.
Of course, the guava is the most useful in places of the natural dwelling. There it can be bought everywhere, and the beneficial influence on an organism and tastes will be better. But it is quite possible to try exotic and houses. In supermarkets there is a set of fruit and vegetables which from far away reached to our table to surprise us with singularity of a form and taste.