Do you know what a guava is? Have you seen it at the supermarket or at the greengrocers but did not dare to buy it? Or maybe yes, but when you tried it, you ended up throwing it away (or conversely, tasting it).
There is no doubt that guavas are a strange fruit in taste and smell, but maybe what you don’t know about it is how beneficial it can be. That’s why today we are going to focus on her and talk to you at length so that you give her a chance. Even if it covers your nose with some varieties.
Contents
what is a guava
The first thing you need to know about guava is that we are talking about a tropical fruit. Its origin is in Central and South America. and, although the ones we often see are the yellow ones, the truth is that there are different varieties and colors. Even shapes and sizes.
It can be eaten without delay, although it is not a fruit that can be said to be… sweet. The truth is that it is commonly associated with the smell of cat urine, so many times, especially when ripe, it can sometimes be unpleasant. To this we must add the fact that it is a fruit with a fairly strong flavor, not the ones you are used to eating often. One could say that it is even stronger than the mango.
Features
For all the above, we can say that guava has certain characteristics that differentiate it from other fruits, such as:
- Its round or oval shape. It is characteristic, although depending on how it grows it can become more oval or stay rounder.
- Her size. In this regard, we must tell you that you have variables. Some can be as small as golf balls (and that’s not because they were caught prematurely but because they are that way); but others can be as big as a tennis ball.
- The color of guava differs outside and inside. Regarding the exterior, the most common is yellow, but the truth is that there are varieties that can have dark or even pink skin. As for the interior, it is mostly cream-coloured.
- The texture of the pulp is said to be juicy, but it is neither soft nor sweet.. It has a fairly strong hint of acidity and this varies depending on whether the fruit is more or less ripe. The same goes for the texture. Inside the pulp itself are also the seeds. They are edible, so it will depend on everyone who wants to eat them or not.
Guava, is it a fruit or a vegetable?
If you are looking for a quick and direct answer, we will tell you that guava is a fruit. Although it may taste a little different from other more common fruits, such as apples or strawberries, belongs to the fruit group as it develops from the flower ovary and contains the seeds of the plant.
Neither it can be considered a vegetable.
However, it is true that guava can be used as a main dish as well as in baking or as an accompaniment.
What is guava used for?
After seeing that guava is one of the rarest fruits and not everyone likes it, why would anyone eat it? Well, mainly because it has many health benefits.
We talk about some of them:
- Strengthens the immune system: Among the properties of guava, one of them is to be rich in vitamin C, an antioxidant that will help you improve your immunity and prevent you from catching so many diseases (or these are more benign) .
- Improves digestion: Thanks to the amount of dietary fiber it has, problems such as constipation will not be part of your daily life. In addition, it will help you improve digestion.
- Reduces the risk of chronic diseases: Vitamin C is not the only antioxidant found in guava, but there are others with bioactive compounds. These act against chronic diseases such as diabetes, cancer or heart problems. For example, in the case of diabetes, when this fruit became known, it was said to be used to regulate blood sugar.
- Control blood pressure: Especially since it is an important source of potassium which helps regulate both blood pressure and cardiovascular problems.
- improves the skin: In addition to vitamin C, it also contains collagen, so the combination of the two helps keep your skin nourished, firm and healthy.
- prevent infection: By having elements with antimicrobial and anti-inflammatory properties, these act as a barrier to prevent the infections that you face on a daily basis.
Why does guava smell so bad?
As we told you, guava smells bad. But it’s not always like that. There are many people who love this smell. Also, it will all depend on the variety you buy, as some can have a sweet and fruity aroma; and others being a problem to have them inside the house.
Some factors that affect the smell of guavas they are:
- Maturity. The more mature it is, the more unpleasant its smell can become. In fact, they ripen very quickly, so you have to be careful when buying them if you’re not going to consume them fast enough.
- where you place it. If you put it in a humid or warm place, the fruit will ripen much faster and give off that smell.
- Variety. As we have already told you, there are guavas that have a stronger smell than others.
Keep in mind that just because it smells bad doesn’t mean it’s bad. In fact, it could be eaten if the texture, appearance and taste are good.
Important Guava Care
Finally, and although we have a specialized file on the cultivation of the guava tree, we want to leave you here the essential care that this tree must have so that it gives you a good harvest:
- Irrigation: Guava needs regular watering to grow properly. Of course, irrigation that keeps the soil moist, but not that it floods it.
- Subscriber: At least during the spring and summer months, you’ll need a monthly (or bi-weekly if you’re very productive) subscription.
- Size: You should remove dead or diseased branches and leaves to help you focus the energy where you need it.
- Protection against pests and diseases: It is quite prone to pests and diseases.
- Harvest: The right time to harvest is when you feel the guava soft to the touch and see it changing color.
Have you ever tried guava? How did you feel doing it? Would you dare to try it if you haven’t?