Guavas are a native Central American tropical tree, related to the myrtle family; they are sensitive to frost and grow well in subtropical areas.

There are many varieties and these vary in size and shape but generally, guavas are round to pear –shaped usually less than 7.5 cm in diameter, with green or bright yellow skins, some have a reddish blush.
Ripe guavas have a musky pungent odour. Their flavor varies with each variety and may taste of lemon, strawberry or pineapple. The strawberry guava has the best flavor and the red colour makes attractive juice. They contain small hard seeds that can be a nuisance but some of the newer varieties are relatively free from seeds.

·    The guava is an outstanding source of vitamin C, the pink varieties being richer in Vitamin C than the white. One average fruit can provide as much as 150 mg vitamin C.

·    Guavas are also a good source of soluble fibre and contain moderate amounts of calcium phosphorus and niacin.

·    They help reduce high cholesterol levels can be useful for constipation, boost immunity and protect the heart. They are highest in nutrients when fresh and ripe

Guava available in pink and yellowish white colours is a very nutritious fruit and promotes good health. It is a light fruit and can be taken to be consumed anytime as a snack. It has very high content of Vitamin C which prevents damage to organs like the eyes, heart and arteries. It also protects you from colds and cough as well as scurvy. Besides it is good for the skin, prevents cancer, lowers blood pressure and cholesterol and has anti-bacterial properties.

The benefits of guava include controlling blood pressure, lowering cholesterol, battling diabetes, combating cancer and protecting prostrate!

Diarrhea & Dysentery: Guava is very rich in astringents (compounds those make your gums feel tighter and fresh after you chew guava leaves or eat a raw guava or use some toothpaste) which binds up loose bowels in diarrhea. These astringents are alkaline in nature and have disinfectant and anti-bacterial properties, thus help cure dysentery by inhibiting microbial growth and removing extra mucus from the intestines. Further, other nutrients in guava, such as vitamin-C, Carotenoids and potassium strengthens and tones up the digestive system and disinfect it.

Guava can improve your heart health by helping to control your blood pressure and cholesterol. Guava's ability to lower blood pressure could be the result of potassium. This mineral is an electrolyte that is essential to electrical reaction in your body, including your heart.

For bad breath caused by gum disease, guava is a treatment option. Besides calcium, manganese, and oxalates, guava is also a good source of malic, oxalic, phosphoric, and tannic acids. Eating guava stops bleeding in the gums and strengthens their hold on the teeth. It also destroys harmful bacteria, residing in the gums. This, in turn, decreases bad breath. Apart from the fruit, chewing the young leaves of the guava tree also stops gums from bleeding.

Constipation: Guava is one of the riches sources of dietary fibre. Its seeds, if ingested whole or chewed, serve as excellent laxatives. These two properties of guava help forming bowels, retaining water and clean your intestines and excretory system thoroughly. It is said that single constipation can lead to seventy two types of ailments. It is absolutely true. Every way to your total health goes through proper digestion and more importantly, proper excretion. Guava ensures both of these.

Cough & Cold: Juice of raw and immature guavas or decoction of guava-leaves is very helpful in giving relief in cough and cold by loosening cough, reducing mucus, disinfecting the respiratory tract, throat and lungs and inhibiting microbial activity due to its astringent properties. Guava is one of richest in vitamin-C and iron which are proven to be preventive against cold and viral infections. In some areas in India, roasted ripe guava is used as a remedy against extreme cases of cough and cold and congestion.

Skin Care: Guavas can help improve your skin texture and avoid skin problems more than the best of beauty creams or skin toner gels can do. This is chiefly due to the abundance of astringents in its fruits (more in immature ones) and in leaves. You can benefit from it either by eating the fruits (this help tighten your muscles apart from your skin) or by washing your skin with the decoction of its immature fruits and leaves. It will tone up and tighten the loosened skin. In addition to the astringents, guava is very-very rich in vitamin-A, B, C and potassium which are very good anti oxidants and detoxifiers and keep your skin glowing and free from aging, wrinkles and other disorders.

Piles: soak equal quantities of the peel and leaves in 100ml of water, overnight. In the morning, boil in the same water until 20 grams is left. Sieve and drink.

Coughs: cut a guava in half, bake it in the oven and sprinkle pepper on it before eating.

Weight Loss Guava is very helpful for those who want to lose weight without compromising with their intake of proteins, vitamins and fibre. Guava, being very high in roughage and very rich in vitamins, proteins and minerals, but with no cholesterol and less digestible carbohydrates, is very filling and satisfies appetite very easily. Just have a medium sized guava in the lunch and you will not feel hungry till night. But ironically, it helps gaining weight in lean and thin people. This is probably due to its richness in nutrients, which keeps your metabolism right helping proper absorption of nutrients.

High Blood Pressure: Guava helps reduce cholesterol in blood and prevents it from thickening, thereby maintaining fluidity of blood and reducing blood pressure. Studies have shown that food stuffs which lack fibre (such a refined flour) add to blood pressure, due to quick conversion to sugar. Guava, being very rich in fibre and hypoglycemic in nature, helps reduce blood pressure.