How can guava be good for your gut?
Guavas are a tropical tree fruit originating in Central America. They are oval in shape, with light green or yellow skin, and contain edible seeds. Guavas grow in these tropical climates in late Summer and early Fall and can be frozen to be enjoyed all year long. Guavas are not only tasty mixed into a meal or solo, they have been shown to provide many benefits for the gut and for the body.
Guavas are fantastic for immune health as well as the gut: they are rich in vitamin C, and contain lesser but still significant amounts of folate, and magnesium. Guavas are also rich in dietary fiber: one guava contains 3 grams of fiber, which can help alleviate the symptoms of IBS such as constipation and irregular bowel movements. Some studies show guavas can be anti-diarrheal by potentially inhibiting acetylcholine release or the transport of electrolytes in the gut. In some cases, these little fruits can even reduce painful menstrual cramps in women that suffer from dysmenorrhea.
There is growing evidence that many fruits have compounds widely known as “eubiotics”, which include dietary fiber, bioactive plant metabolites, as well as prebiotics, polyphenols and isoflavones. This growing body of research suggests that many fruits contain a variety of these compounds, and this includes guava: they specifically have polyphenols that are associated with improving survival of L.plantarum (a type of #goodgut bacteria that colonizes the gut). Polyphenols are also associated with decreasing inflammation in the gut. Next time you are looking for a sweet treat, think of grabbing a raw guava and give it a try if you haven’t yet!
Ways to eat it
*if you have gut sensitivity, try freezing the guava before consumption*
Cut it up and eat it raw for breakfast, a quick afternoon snack, or even a different desert after dinner!
Add them to the top of an avocado and spinach salad to add an extra zing!
Try them out in your very own #greengut smoothie from Married to Health’s repertoire:
Recipe: Green Gut Smoothie
Ingredients: (Makes 4 Servings):
1 handful spinach
1 handful dinosaur kale
1 tsp ginger powder
2 Tbsp pumpkin seeds, soaked
1 cup pineapple
2 guavas, peeled and chopped
1 cup strawberries, frozen
3 Tbsp hemp seeds
5 dates, pitted
8 fl oz preferred unsweetened plant milk (non-fortified)
Directions:
Place all the ingredients in a blender, mix, and enjoy!
Heal with Each Meal!
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References
Jeni. (1 January 2018). Spinach orange and avocado salad with guava dressing. Thyme
And Love.
G. M. Masud Parvez et al. (2018). A short review on a nutritional fruit: Guava.
Open Access: Toxicology and Research.
Lutterodt, G. D., Ismail, A., Basheer, R. H., & Baharudin, H. M. (1999). Antimicrobial
effects of psidium guajava extract as one mechanism of its antidiarrhoeal action.
The Malaysian journal of medical sciences : MJMS, 6(2), 17–20.
Health benefits of guava. (N.D.). WebMD,
Fruit and vegetable phytochemicals: Chemistry and human health. (2018). Wiley &
Sons, Volume 1.
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