Guava is a sub tropical sweet fruit that has several healing properties. With its exceptional flavor, taste, and wellbeing advancing qualities, the organic product effortlessly fits into the classification of new practical nourishment, regularly named as “super-natural products.
Guava is exceptionally high in vitamins C, A, E, & K and minerals such as potassium, copper, and manganese. In fact, guavas have 5 times the amount of vitamin C than oranges and 10 times more vitamin A than a lemon!
It is also packed with antioxidants that are known to boost the immune system and help to prevent colon, skin, lung, breast, and prostate cancer.
Guava is a rich source of lycopene and has nearly twice the amount than tomatoes. Lycopene is known to be an essential nutrient in helping to prevent prostate cancer, osteoporosis, macular degeneration, cardiovascular disease, skin damage, and chronic illnesses.
Guavas are also known to be particularly beneficial for constipation, diabetes, high blood pressure, gastroenteritis, and weight loss.
Guava is a perfect anti-aging food as they help to keep skin smooth, glowing, and wrinkle-free. They also provide a good source of energy and nourishment to keep the body strong and active.
Guavas are ripe when soft and they have a sweet, creamy texture that is excellent when eaten fresh, juiced, or blended into smoothies.
Guava leaves also provide several medicinal benefits and can be crushed or chewed for gum or tooth infections or pain as well as used for reducing mucus in the lungs and disinfecting the respiratory tract.
Guava can be found in fresh, juice, nectar, dried, and frozen form at your local supermarket and specialty food stores.
Eat fresh guava as it is, to enjoy its natural flavor and unique taste. Sliced guava-cubes are a great addition to fruit salads.
In Mexico, the guava agua fresca beverage is popular. The entire fruit is a key ingredient in punch, and the juice is often used in culinary sauces (hot or cold), as well as artisan candies, dried snacks, fruit bars, desserts, or dipped in chamoy.
Pilque de guava is a popular blend of the native alcoholic beverage.
In many countries, guava is eaten raw, typically cut into quarters or eaten like an apple, whereas in other countries it is eaten with a pinch of salt and pepper, cayenne pepper or masala.
Guava juice is popular in many countries. The fruit is also often prepared in fruit salads. It is known as the winter national fruit of Pakistan. In the Philippines, ripe guava is used in cooking sinigang.
Guava is a popular snack in Taiwan, sold on many street corners and night markets during hot weather, accompanied by packets of dried plum powder mixed with sugar and salt for dipping.
In east Asia, guava is commonly eaten with sweet and sour dried plum powder mixtures.
Because of its high level of pectin, guavas are extensively used to make candies, preserves, jellies, jams, marmalades, such as Brazilian goiabada and Colombian and Venezuelan bocadillo.
Growing
Guava fruit trees (Psidium guajava) are not a common sight in North America and need a decidedly tropical habitat. In the United States, they are found in Hawaii, the Virgin Islands, Florida and a few sheltered areas in California and Texas.
The trees are very frost tender and will succumb to a freeze when young, although adult trees may survive short periods of cold.
They must have shelter from freezing winds, even in sunny warm climates where occasional icy temperatures occur.
Growing guava from seed may not produce a fruiting tree for up to eight years and the plants are not true to the parent. Therefore, cuttings and layering are more often used as propagation methods for guava fruit trees.
The guava plants thrive in any soil with good drainage and full sun for best flowering and fruit production. Guava fruit trees are tropical to sub-tropical and may achieve 20 feet in height.
Spread 2 to 3 inches of mulch, such as bark pieces or wood chips, around your guava tree. Guava trees respond well to mulch because it blocks weeds while keeping the soil moisture levels high. Additionally, as the mulch decomposes, it adds nitrogen and micronutrients to the soil.
Water the guava tree once a week, applying enough water to moisten the soil to the depth of 1 foot. Guava trees are drought-tolerant plants, and infrequent watering helps encourage deep, extensive root networks that result in healthier trees.
Fertilize the guava tree once a month during its first year of growth, using a complete fertilizer product labeled for use on trees and applying it according to the label instructions. After the tree is more than 1 year old, fertilize every other month.
For more reading:
https://www.organicfacts.net/health-benefits/fruit/health-benefits-of-guava.html
http://www.nutrition-and-you.com/guava.html
http://www.medicaldaily.com/6-health-benefits-guava-leaves-treating-diarrhea-cancer-353666
http://www.healwithfood.org/health-benefits/guava-fruit-superfood.php
