HEALTH BENEFITS OF GUAVA
THE continuing pandemic is turning home cooks into magicians with new creations and combinations being created based on what food we can afford or growing in the garden. As we wait for more Fijian’s to do their part and get vaccinated so we can reopen for business, keeping your health and immune system at its best has become even more paramount. Natural herbs, remedies, vitamin C and fresh produce is vital for strong immunity. Amongst the many and varied local produce, one often neglected fruit is regarded as one of nature’s best superfoods - guava. Known as ‘quava’ locally, there are plenty reasons why you should be eating more of this delicious tropical fruit. Guavas are sold in varying degrees of ripeness and colour with the pink versions offering the best taste and add vibrant colour to the plate. Guava tops the list of fruits with vitamin C as they contain four times more than oranges and ten times more vitamin A than a lemon. Vitamin C is one of the key medicines that help our body to heal and defend against infection. If you are not eating lots of this key vitamin and you catch a cold or flu, your body will find it harder to fight.
Multi vitamins in one fruit
Guava is an unassuming fruit that many don’t realize contains a host of vitamins and minerals, making it one of the few multi-vitamin fruits. If you want to optimise your brain function, guava should be included in your diet. Guavas are rich in the B group of vitamins. Niacin, better known as Vitamin B3, promotes blood circulation, thereby stimulating brain function. Vitamin B6, that is pyridoxine, helps in brain and nerve function. They also contain similar levels of potassium like bananas, helping to regulate the balance of blood pressure whilst reducing cholesterol. Consumption of guavas helps slow down the absorption of sugar in the blood too and is a rich source of fibre so is helpful for diabetic individuals. Even though guavas don’t contain iodine, they are still beneficial in promoting healthy thyroid function, because it contains copper, which aids the production and absorption of hormones. Guavas are also a good source of manganese, folate, vitamin A and E, and pink guavas are said to contain twice the amount of lycopene present in tomatoes. Lycopene protects the skin from being damaged by UV rays and also works against prostate cancer.
Origin and distribution
The guava has been cultivated and distributed by man, birds, and animals for so long that its place of origin is uncertain, but it is believed to be an area extending from southern Mexico into or through Central America. It is common throughout all warm areas of tropical America and in the West Indies (since 1526), the Bahamas, Bermuda and southern Florida where it was reportedly introduced in 1847 and was common over more than half the state by 1886. Early Spanish and Portuguese colonisers were quick to carry it from the New World to the East Indies and Guam. It was soon adopted as a crop in Asia and in warm parts of Africa. Egyptians have grown it for a long time and it may have travelled from Egypt to Palestine. It is occasionally seen in Algeria and on the Mediterranean coast of France. Apparently it did not arrive in Hawaii until the early 1800’s, which means it did not arrive to the region on the canoes of early Polynesian settlers. Now it occurs throughout the Pacific islands, including Fiji. Generally, it is a home fruit tree or planted in small groves, except in India where it is a major commercial resource. A guava research and improvement program was launched by the government of Colombia in 1961, and many of the recipes found today can be sourced back to this region as the abundance of the fruit created many regional dishes.
Guava tea leaf
When you think of guava trees its flavorful fruit probably comes to mind first. But the young leaves of the guava tree can be brewed to make a tea that’s been part of traditional medicine for centuries in Mexico and parts of South America for centuries, just as Fijians have known lemon leaf and lemongrass leaf tea. A large evergreen shrub or small tree native to tropical regions, guava leaves contain natural compounds that modern science recognizes for several potentially significant health benefits. Guava leaves contain natural phytochemicals, including several antioxidants called carotenoids and anthocyanins, and others called flavonoids. The juice of the leaves is said to provide relief from cold and cough by reducing the formation of mucus, disinfecting the respiratory tract and preventing bacterial activity in the throat due to its astringent properties.
Fruit in savoury dishes
One of the elements I love about modern South Pacific cuisine is the use of fruits in savoury dishes as well as desserts. The sun-rich tropical fruits work well as natural sweeteners in curries, casseroles, BBQ marinades and salsas, offering contrast and textures that go well with just about any meat, seafood or vegetarian dishes. Try adding fresh passionfruit to a potato salad dressing or red papaya in curries to liven up these dishes with a touch of the tropics. One tends at first to think of fruit as not belonging to savoury dishes, but prunes appear in many Middle-Eastern stews, and raisins are added to some meat dishes in some parts of the world. In North America, pork with applesauce is common, and you’d be hard pressed to get away with not providing a sweet cranberry sauce on the table for Christmas lunch with roast turkey. We glaze ham with a sweet sauce, cook it with pineapple, put pineapple on pizzas, and what would the Chinese sweet and sour dish be without pineapple! In England, lamb is often served with mint jelly. And Waldorf Salad could almost be served as a dessert with the tangy addition of apples.
Sports diet favourite
Listed as the number one fruit for its high vitamin C and A content, guava is one of nature’s perfect medicine foods for athletes. The wild and organic guava offers a full array of medicinal properties for professional and amateur athletes, as well as armchair sports supporters. It also arrives at a time when Fiji begins to feel the colder weather and is a perfect remedy for the prevention of cold and flu. Mother Nature works in mysterious ways sometimes, but the seasonal availability of the fruit is a sign that we all need to enjoy guava as much as we can whilst in season.