| Scientific name:: | Psidium guajava |
| German name: | Guave |
| Other names: | Kujave |
| Classification: | Myrtales |
| Family: | Myrtaceae |
| Subfamily: | Myrtoideae |
| Genus: | Psidium |
| Season: | All year |
The evergreen and shrub-like guava tree bears apple-like fruits with an inedible yellowish green skin. The slimy, lime green or pale pink flesh is extremely tasty, but it contains a large number of angular and hard pits, which are edible, but somewhat limit the enjoyment of eating.
Fully ripened guavas do not only smell wonderful, but also have a unique, very sweet, very juicy aroma, reminiscent of a mixture of pears, figs, quinces and gooseberries.
Quantity per 100 grams
| Calories | 68 |
| Fat content | 1 g |
| Saturated fatty acids | 0,4 g |
| Polyunsaturated fatty acids | 0,4 g |
| Monounsaturated fatty acids | 0,1 g |
| Cholesterol | 0 mg |
| Sodium | 2 mg |
| Potassium | 417 mg |
| Carbohydrates | 14 g |
| Roughage | 5 g |
| Sugar | 9 g |
| Protein | 2,6 g |
Although the Guava originates in Haiti, it was spread to all tropical countries at the beginning of the 17th century. Today the guava tree is cultivated in Africa, America, Asia, Europe and the Orient.
Guavas alleviate stomach and intestinal complaints and due to its high potassium content the fruit promotes the transport of slag in the human body. In the case of severe toothache, the slow buying of guava leaves can alleviate the pain.
Guava can also score points for its vitamin C content. Very ripe fruits can even contain 900 milligrams of vitamin C and thus cover the requirement of 9 days. A normal fruit comes to about 270 mg.
The content of provitamin A is also extremely high. Guavas also contain a great deal of pectin, which acts as dietary fibre and a natural brake on appetite. It fills the stomach and swells in it. Guava is the right product for those who pay attention to their line and want to prevent ravenous appetite attacks.
Guavas can also be distorted in their fresh form, but they are usually used to make compote, liqueur, jam, juice or sauce into desserts. Fresh guavas taste best when they are lightly chilled, peeled and mixed with sugar, brandy or rum.
The guava can be eaten like a kiwi, which means you cut it open and simply spoon it out. The seeds contained in the flesh can be eaten without any problems, but should not be chewed as they are very hard and can damage the teeth. However, all seeds are in the middle of the fruit, so they can be removed before eating.
When stored in a cool place, undamaged guavas can be stored for up to 8 days. As they are very sensitive to pressure and spoil quickly after full ripeness, guavas are harvested unripe in their countries of origin and sent by air. Guavas in this condition can still be bought completely green and in pieces in very well-stocked specialist shops and supermarkets. If these unripe specimens are found, they can easily be bought and stored in a bright but cool place for post-ripening.