5 health benefits of eating guavas
A plateful of crisp juicy guavas in between meals is something we love during the summer. Not only are they tasty and enjoyable to munch onto but guavas are also a powerhouse of nutrients. The lightgreen-skinned fruits with white or pink flesh studded with edible seeds are believed to have their origins in Central America. Here are the health benefits of the fruit.
Guavas have anti-aging properties. Vitamins A and C and antioxidants like carotene and lycopene protect the skin from developing wrinkles. The high astringent properties of guavas also tighten facial muscles. You can also apply extracts of guava and its leaves to the skin to regain radiance. The vitamin K in the fruit helps get rid of skin discoloration, dark circles, redness, and acne irritation.
Like most fruits, guavas are rich in vitamin C. One guava offers about double the Reference Daily Intake for vitamin C, twice the amount provided by an orange. Vitamin C has also been found to reduce the duration of a common cold. It also helps to kill bacteria and viruses that can cause infections, thus protecting you from pathogen attacks.
One guava a day fulfills about 12% of the recommended daily intake of fiber. This richness of fiber makes guava highly beneficial for the digestive tract. The edible guava seeds are also known to work as good laxatives, aiding the formation of healthy bowel movements. Those suffering from constipation may benefit greatly from guavas. Guava leaf extract is antimicrobial and may also prevent diarrhea.
Guava helps in weight loss by regulating your metabolism. As it is a healthy and filling snack, it satiates your stomach quickly, thus reducing hunger pangs. Moreover, guavas contain a high amount of fiber but are low in calories. Raw guavas contain very less sugar as compared to several other fruits. Therefore, they are also diabetic friendly.
Guavas improve the sodium and potassium balance of the body, regulating blood pressure in people suffering from hypertension. These fruits also help lower the levels of bad cholesterol (LDL), which is the root cause of heart diseases. Guavas also up the level of good cholesterol (HDL). The higher amounts of potassium and soluble fiber also contribute to keeping the heart healthy.
