Guava
Guava is considered a super food by some nutritionists who say guava can replace the apple in the popular adage, “An apple a day keeps the doctor away.” The fruit is soft when ripe, has sweet musky aroma and is creamy in texture. Internally, the flesh varies in color and may be white, pink, yellow, or red. Ripe fruits have rich flavor with sweet-tart taste.
Benefits: Guavas are rich in dietary fiber, vitamins A and C, folic acid, and the dietary minerals potassium, copper and manganese. One fruit contains about four times the amount of vitamin C as an orange. Researchers in India found that guava has positive effects on high blood pressure. It is also believed to lower cholesterol, battle diabetes and combat cancer.
How it’s used: Guavas can be eaten fresh or in salads. Sometimes guavas are canned whole or cut in half without seed removal. Bars of thick, rich guava paste and guava cheese are staple sweets, and guava jelly is almost universally marketed. Guava juice is also a staple drink.
