Guavas are plants in the myrtle family (Myrtaceae) genus Psidium (meaning "pomegranate" inLatin),[2] which contains about

100 species of tropical shrubs and small trees. They are native toMexico, Central America, and northern South America. Guavas are now cultivated andnaturalized throughout the tropics and subtropics in Africa, Southeast Asia, the Caribbean, subtropical regions of North America, and Australia.

Types
The most frequently encountered species, and the one often simply referred to as "the guava", is the Apple Guava (Psidium guajava) Guavas are typical Myrtoideae, with tough dark leaves that are opposite, simple, elliptic to ovate and 515 centimetres (2.05.9 in) long. The flowers are white, with five petals and numerousstamens. The genera Accara and Feijoa (= Acca, Pineapple Guava) were formerly included inPsidium)

Common names

Bengal guava-flower The term "guava" appears to derive from Arawak guayabo "guava tree", via the Spanish guayaba. It has been adapted in many Europeanlanguages: guava (Romanian, Swedish, Danish and Norwegian, also Greek and Russian ), Guave (Dutch and German),goyave (French), gujawa (Polish), go iaba (Portuguese).

Outside of Europe, the Arabic " "j(a)wafa~gawafa, the Japanese guaba (), the Tamil "koiyaa" ( ), the Tongankuava and probably also the Tagalog bayabas are ultimately derived from the Arawak term. Another term for guavas is pera or variants thereof. It is common around the western Indian Ocean and probably derives from Spanish or Portuguese, which means "pear", or from some language of southern India, though it is so widespread in the region that its origin cannot be clearly discerned any more. Pera itself is used in Malayalam, Sinhala and Swahili. In Marathi it is peru ( ), in Bengali pearah( ), in Assamese "Madhuriam",in Kannada it is pearaley (' ') or seebe kaayi (' ') and in Dhivehi feyru. In Telugu language it is "Jama kaya". It is called pijuli in Oriya language in eastern India. Guava is also called Amrood (' ', ' )'in North India and Pakistan, which is possibly a variant of Armoot meaning "pear" in Arabic and Turkish languages, and possibly linked to the Moghul occupation of this region. Additional terms for guavas from their native range are, for example, sawintu (Quechua) and xlxocotl (Nhuatl) Another term for guavas (Ethiopian, Amharic) is "Zeytuna".

Ecology

Apple Guava (Psidium guajava) flower Psidium species are used as food plants by the caterpillars of some Lepidoptera, mainly moths like the Ello Sphinx (Erinnyis ello),Eupseudosoma aberrans, E. involutum, and Hypercompe icasia. Mites like Pronematus pruni and Tydeus

munsteri are known toparasitize the Apple Guava (P. guajava) and perhaps other species. The bacterium Erwinia psidii causes rot diseases of the Apple Guava. The fruit is not only relished by humans, but by many mammals and birds as well. The spread of introduced guavas owes much to this fact, since animals eat the fruit and disperse the seeds in their droppings. In several tropical regions, including Hawaii, some species (namely Strawberry Guava, P. littorale, and to a lesser extent Apple Guava) have become invasive species. On the other hand, several species have become very rare due to habitat destruction and at least one (Jamaican Guava, P. dumetorum), is already extinct. Guava wood is used for meat smoking in Hawaii and is used at barbecue competitions across the United States. In Cuba and Mexico the leaves are used in barbecues.

A full size guava tree in Oaxaca,Mexico

Fruit

Guavas in Larkana, Pakistan Guava fruit, usually 4 to 12 centimetres (1.6 to 4.7 in) long, are round or oval depending on the species. The outer skin may be rough, often with a bitter taste, or soft and sweet. Varying between species, the skin can be any thickness, is usually green before maturity, but becomes yellow, maroon, or green when ripe.

Guava fruit generally have a pronounced and typical fragrance, similar to lemon rind but less sharp. Guava pulp may be sweet or sour, tasting something between pear and strawberry, off-white ("white" guavas) to deep pink ("red" guavas), with the seeds in the central pulp of variable number and hardness, depending on species.
Range

Guavas are cultivated in many tropical and subtropical countries. Several species are grown commercially; apple guava and its cultivarsare those most commonly traded internationally.

Psidium guajava 1-year seedling Mature trees of most species are fairly cold-hardy and can survive temperatures slightly colder than 25 F (4 C) for short periods of time, but younger plants will likely freeze to the ground.[3]

Strawberry guava, 1 year old seedling Guavas are also of interest to home growers in temperate areas. They are one of the few tropical fruits that can grow to fruiting size in pots indoors. When grown from seed, guavas can bear fruit as soon as two years, or as long as eight years.

Culinary uses

In Hawaii, guava is eaten with soy sauce and vinegar. Occasionally, a pinch of sugar and black pepper are added to the mixture. The fruit is cut up and dipped into the sauce. In Mexico, the Agua fresca beverage is popularly made with Guava. The entire fruit is a key ingredient in punch, and the juice extract is often used in culinary sauces (hot or cold), as well as artisan candies, dried snacks, fruit bars, desserts, or dipped in Chamoy. Pulque de Guava is a popular blend of the native alcoholic beverage. In Pakistan and India, guava is often eaten raw, typically cut into quarters with a pinch of salt and pepper and sometimes cayenne powder/masala. Street vendors often sell guava fruit for a few rupees each. In the Philippines, ripe guava is used in cooking sinigang. Guava juice is very popular in Cuba, Costa Rica, Egypt, Mexico, Colombia, Hawaii, Puerto Rico, Venezuela, and South Africa. The fruit is also often prepared as a dessert, in fruit salads. In Asia, fresh guava slices are often dipped in preserved prune powder or salt. In India it is often sprinkled with red rock salt, which is very tart. Because of its high level of pectin, guavas are extensively used to make candies, preserves, jellies, jams, and marmalades (such as Brazilian goiabada and Colombian bocadillo), and also for juices and aguas frescas. "Red" guavas can be used as the base of salted products such as sauces, substituting for tomatoes, especially for those sensitive to the latter's acidity. In Asia, a drink is made from an infusion of guava fruits and leaves. In Brazil, the infusion made with guava tree leaves (ch-de-goiabeira, i.e. "tea" of guava tree leaves) is considered medicinal.

Ripe apple guavas for sale in Bangalore, India

Nutritional value
Guavas are rich in dietary fiber, vitamins A and C, folic acid, and the dietary minerals, potassium, copper and manganese. Having a generally broad, low-calorie profile of essential nutrients, a single common guava (P. guajava) fruit contains about four times the amount of vitamin C as an orange.[4] However, nutrient content varies across guava cultivars. Although the strawberry guava (P. littorale var. cattleianum), notably containing 90 mg of vitamin C per serving, has about 25% of the amount found in more common varieties, its total vitamin C content in one serving still provides 100% of the Dietary Reference Intake for adult males.[5]

'Thai maroon' guavas, a red apple guava cultivar, rich in carotenoids and polyphenols Guavas contain both carotenoids and polyphenols like (+)gallocatechin,[6] guaijaverin, leucocyanidin and amritoside[7]the major classes of antioxidant pigments giving them relatively high potential antioxidant value among plant foods.[8] As these pigments produce the fruit skin and flesh color, guavas that are red-orange have more pigment content as polyphenol, carotenoid and provitamin A, retinoid sources than yellow-green ones.[9]

Green apple guavas are less rich in pigment antioxidants

Common Guava, per 165 g of individual fruit portion Calories Moisture Dietary Fiber Protein Fat Ash Carbohydrates Calcium Phosphorus Iron Potassium Copper Beta-carotene (Vitamin A) Ascorbic acid (Vitamin C) Thiamin (Vitamin B1) Riboflavin (Vitamin B2) Niacin (Vitamin B3) Folic acid 112 133 g 8.9 g (36%) 4.2 g (8%) 1.6 g (2%) 2.3 g 23.6 g (8%) 30 mg (3%) 66 mg (7%) 0.4 mg (2%) 688 mg (20%) 0.4 mg (19%) 1030 IU (21%) 377 mg (628%) 0.1 mg (7%) 0.1 mg (4%) 1.8 mg (9%) 81 mcg (20%)

% Daily Value in parentheses. Nutrient data source: US Department of Agriculture National Nutrient Database from Nutritiondata.com

Potential medical uses

Since the 1950s, guavas particularly the leaves have been the subject for diverse research on their constituents, pharmacologicalproperties and history in folk medicine.[10] Most research, however, has been conducted on apple guava (P. guajava), with other species remaining unstudied. From preliminary medical research in laboratory models, extracts from apple guava leaves or bark are implicated in therapeutic mechanisms against cancer, bacterial infections, inflammation and pain.[11][12][13] Essential oils from guava leaves display anti-cancer activity in vitro.[14] Guava leaves are used in folk medicine as a remedy for diarrhea[15] and, as well as the bark, for their supposed antimicrobial properties and as an astringent. Guava leaves or

bark are used in traditional treatments against diabetes.[16][17][18] In Trinidad, a tea made from young leaves is used for diarrhea, dysentery and fever.[19]

Selected species

Strawberry Guava, Psidium littorale var. cattleianum

Lemon Guava, Psidium littoralevar. littorale

Psidium amplexicaule Psidium araao Psidium araca Psidium australe Psidium cinereum Psidium dumetorum Psidium firmum Psidium friedrichsthalium Psidium galapageium Galpagos Guava Psidium guajava L. Apple Guava, Common Guava Psidium guineense Sw. Guinea Guava,arado-campo (Brazil) Psidium harrisianum Urb. Psidium havanense Urb.

Psidium incanescens Mart. Psidium littorale Cattley Guava, Peruvian Guava, "araz" (Colombia), "Chinese Guava" (as invasive species) o Psidium littorale var. cattleianum Strawberry Guava o Psidium littorale var. littorale Lemon Guava, waiaw (Hawaii) Psidium montanum Sw. Mountain Guava Psidium pedicellatum Psidium robustum Psidium rostratum Psidium sartorianum Sartre Guava,"arrayn" (Mexico), guyabita del Peru(Panama, Costa Rica), cambu (Brazil) Psidium sintenisii hoja menuda Psidium socorrense Psidium spathulatum[20]

Formerly placed here

Acca macrostema (as P. macrostemum Campomanesia adamantium (as P. adamantium Cambess.) Campomanesia aromatica (as P. aromatica Aubl.) Campomanesia grandiflora (as P. grandiflorum Aubl.) Campomanesia guaviroba (as P. cerasoides Cambess. or P. guaviroba DC.) Campomanesia lineatifolia (as P. rivulare DC.) Campomanesia pubescens (as P. corymbosum Cambess., P. obversum Miq. or P. pubescens Eugenia salamensis var. rensoniana (as P. rensonianum Standl.) Myrciaria dubia (as P. dubium Kunth)[20]

See also

Source-http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Guava

Benefits Of Guava

Guava is a tropical fruit, cultivated mainly in the Asian countries. It is quite similar in shape to pear and has a rind that is green in color and changes to yellow when it becomes over-ripe. Inside the rind, which is consumed along

with the fruit and not peeled, there is flesh that is either white or pinkish/reddish in color. More often than not, you can find lots of small hard seeds enveloping the soft and sweet pulp of the fruit. Guava is quite rich in Vitamin C, maybe even more than orange, apart from a number of other vitamins and minerals. Browse through the article to know about the health and nutrition benefits of eating guavas. Nutritional Value of Guava Given below is the amount of nutrients present in 1 cup (165 gm) of Guava, apart from Iron and Folic Acid:

Calcium - 50 mg Carbohydrates - 19.6 gm Fiber - 8.9 gm Niacin - 2 mg. Phosphorus - 48 mg Protein - 1.35 gm Total Fat - 0.9 gm Vitamin A - 412 IU Vitamin B - 1.15 mg Vitamin C - 498 mg Calories - 84

Health & Nutrition Benefits of Eating Guava

Guava is a very good source of vitamins, fibers as well as minerals. Being rich in Vitamin C; guava is effective in treating male infertility caused by sperm clumping, adhesion and other abnormalities. Guava has been associated with healing of wounds, when applied externally. Guava has general haemostatic properties and can be used for treating bleeding nose, gums and minor internal hemorrhaging. Guava helps cure dysentery, by inhibiting microbial growth and removing extra mucus from the intestines. Guava helps the body in combating free radicals produced during metabolism and aids in preventing age-related chronic diseases, such as Alzheimers, cataract and rheumatoid arthritis. Guava is one of the richest sources of dietary fiber and thus, is good for those suffering from constipation. Guava strengthens and tones up the digestive system and even disinfects the same.

Guava, having high content of roughage, no cholesterol & less digestible carbohydrates, is good for those trying to lose weight. Guavas can improve the texture of skin and help avoid skin problems. For the purpose, you can either eat it raw or make wash your skin with a decoction of its immature fruits and leaves. Juice of raw and immature guavas or decoction of guava-leaves is known to bring relief in cough and cold. Researches have shown that guava is pretty effective in preventing cancer and even heart diseases in people. The presence of complex carbohydrates and dietary fibers in guava makes it effective in lowering cholesterol and blood sugar levels. The presence of Vitamin C and other phytonutrients, such as caretenoids, isoffavonoids and polyphenols, in guava has led to it being an effective antioxidant.

Guava has been found to be beneficial for people suffering from the following ailments:

Acidosis Asthma Bacterial Infections Catarrh Congestion of the Lungs Convulsions Epilepsy High Blood Pressure Obesity Oral Ulcers Poor Circulation Prolonged Menstruation Scurvy Swollen Gums Toothache

Read more: http://www.unp.me/f150/benefits-of-guava-51600/#ixzz1taVRN3gF

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Benefits Of Guava