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MORE REASONS TO MUNCH ON GUAVA

This subject reminds me so much of my childhood days, when we used to climb the guava trees in my grand father’s compound to pluck the green, fibrous fruits. As I type right now, my mouth is watering for one of those. It doesn’t just appeal to the taste-buds, it also nourishes the body in ways some of us may not believe. Its no wonder our fore-fathers were so healthy with all these at their disposal.Guava is low in calories and fats but contain several vital vitamins, minerals, and antioxidant, poly-phenolic and flavonoid compounds that play a pivotal role in prevention of cancers, anti-aging, etc.

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Fiber Content:
The fruit is very rich source of soluble dietary fiber(5.4 g per 100 g of fruit, about 14% of DRA), which makes it a good bulk laxative. The fiber content helps protect the colon mucous membrane by decreasing exposure time to toxins as well as binding to cancer-causing chemicals in the colon.
Vitamin C Richness and Anti-ooxidant Activity:
*While pineapples provide 131% of the daily value of vitamin C in a serving, guavas offer 628%. Guava should be eaten with the skin, like an apple, imparting even higher concentrations of vitamin C. Eating fruits rich in this vitamin helps the body build up resistance to infection, including infectious diseases, while scavenging free radicals that could cause serious illnesses. The flesh just underneath its outer thick rind contains exceptionally higher levels of vitamin C than its inner creamy pulp.
*Scientific studies shown that regular consumption of fruits rich in vitamin C helps human body develop resistance against infectious agents and scavenge cancer causing harmful free radicals from the body. Further, it is required for collagen synthesis within the body. Collagen is the main structural protein in the human body required for maintaining integrity of blood vessels, skin, organs, and bones.
Vitamin A:
The fruit is a very good source of Vitamin-A,and flavonoids like beta-carotene,lycopene, lutein and cryptoxanthin. The compounds are known to have antioxidant properties and therefore essential for optimum health. Further, vitamin-A is also required for maintaining healthy mucus membranes and skin. Consumption of natural fruits rich in carotene is known to protect from lung and oral cavity cancers. A hungred grams of pink guava fruit provides 5204 µg of lycopene, nearly twice the amount than intomatoes. (100 g tomato contains 2573 µg of lycopene). Studies suggest thatlycopenein pink guavas prevents skin damage from UV rays and offers protection from prostate cancer.
Potassium:

Fresh fruit is a very rich source of potassium. It contains more potassium than other fruits like banana weight per weight. Potassium is an important component of cell and body fluids that helps controlling heart rate and blood pressure.

B-Vitamins:

Further, the fruit is also a moderate source of B-complex vitamins such as pantothenic acid, niacin, vitamin-B6 (pyridoxine), vitamin E and K, as well as minerals like magnesium, copper, and manganese. Manganese is used by the body as a co-factor for the antioxidant enzyme,superoxide dismutase. Copper is required for the production of red blood cells.
Other Health Benefits of Guajava

1. Healthy Mind:
It helps to keep your brain functions positive by maintaining good blood flow and also by infusing it with Vit B3 and Vit B6. Vit B6 is pyridoxine which is good for nerves. It keeps your nerves relaxed.
2. Antitumor and Cancer controlling properties
* Guava contains high amount of lycopene (5204 microgram) which is carotenoid phytonutrients. Lycopene has an anti-tumor property. Lycopene protects from oxygen free radicals as it actively fights to neutralize it. So eating guava will help to fight prostate cancer.
* Guava is a rich source of antioxidants, phytonutrients and flavonoid that make it highly beneficial to protect from cancer. It contains high amount of Vitamin C which protects from oxygen free radicals. Free radicals are produced due to oxidative stress. These free radicals damage DNA of cells which turns it into a cancer cell. But antioxidants neutralize these free radicals and acts as a shield to protect DNA from free radicals. As we know the main cause of cancer is free radicals and the damage caused by them to DNA marks the onset of cancer.Guava contains antioxidants that protect from free radicals and lycopene prevents tumor growth. So with both these nutrient guava becomes healthiest food to prevent cancer.
* Lycopene is effective to protect from prostate cancer. Guava is effective to protect from breast, mouth, skin, stomach, oral cavity and lung cancer. It also contains dietary fats which help to clean toxins from the colon. Thus it reduces the effects of toxin in the colon and protect from colon cancer .

3. Blood Pressure & Blood Production:
*The Potassium and Vitamin C have important role to play in our overall cardiac health. Potassium is a key element in maintaining the rhythm and function of all the muscles in our body including heart. The beat of heart which lets the blood flow in and out of heart is actually muscle contraction. The balance of this rhythm is maintained by potassium which is plentiful in Guava
*Apart from muscle function the Vitamin C in guava helps in growth and repair of body tissue and cartilage resulting in healthy blood vessels. This way, together Potassium and Vitamin C regulate blood pressure and help in normalizing the blood flow through the body.
*Guava also contains vitamins like Vitamin E, K, niacin, folate, pantothenic acid, Vitamin B6 and minerals like copper, manganese and magnesium which are important for blood formation. Also due to high content of Vitamin C, guava increases body’s capacity to absorb iron.
Further Studies on Guava
In one study, guava showed a marked blood glucose lowering effect when eaten by both adults at risk for diabetes and healthy volunteers, indicating its possible usefulness in improving and/or preventing diabetes mellitus, or adult-onset diabetes.
After conducting a Japanese study on guava leaf tea (GLT), which contains the polyphenols quercetin and ellagic acid, and regulates the absorption of dietary carbohydrate from the intestines, GLT can be (and is) given to patients at high risk of developing diabetes to curb blood sugar spikes after meals.
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