Guava is a tree that grows in Central and South America. The fruit is commonly eaten fresh or made into beverages, jams, and other foods. Various parts of the plant, including the leaf and the fruit, are used as medicine. People use guava leaf for stomach and intestinal conditions, pain, diabetes, and wound healing. In this article, we will be talking about this fruit and its health benefits. This is a must read.

What is Guava?

Guava Fruit
Guava Fruit

This is a common tropical fruit that is grown in many tropical and subtropical regions. The common guava is Psidium guajava (lemon guava, apple guava), a small tree in the myrtle family (Myrtaceae). The name guava is also given to some other species in the genus Psidium such as strawberry guava which is Psidium cattleyanum and the pineapple guava Feijoa sellowiana. It was said that in 209 about 50 million tonnes of the fruit, were produced worldwide. Botanically, Guavas are berries.

The most eaten species of this fruit is the apple guava. It is simply referred to as Guava. The flowers of the tree are white having five petals and numerous stamens; the fruits are also many seeded like berries. The leaves of the tree are opposite, simple, elliptic to ovate, and about 5-15 centimeters long.

Origin of Guava

This fruit originated from an area thought to extend from Mexico. Archaeological sites in Peru showed Guava cultivation as early as 2500 BC.  It was adopted as a crop in subtropical and tropical Asia, South Asia, and Oceania.  They are a primary host of the Caribbean fruit fly and must be protected against infestation in areas of Florida where this pest is present.

They are grown in a lot of countries around the World and a lot of species are grown commercially and are commonly traded internationally. They are also grown in Southern  Europe and Greece where they have been commercially grown since the mid-20th century and proliferated as cultivars. 

Mature trees do not fare well and can only survive slightly cold weather up to -4 degrees Celsius for a short period of time. Younger trees will freeze up almost immediately.

They can be grown indoors as a home plant in pots. When grown for fruit, the trees start bearing fruits after two years and can do so for up to forty years.

Is Guava Medicinal?

Although it has a number of medicinal properties, it is the most common and popular traditional remedy for gastrointestinal infections such as diarrhea, dysentery, stomach aches as well as indigestion.

In India, a study from North Sikkim reported that locals recommend drinking hot water with bark powder mixed into it as a remedy for blood-associated dysentery.