This is a period where people try to find the bioactive compounds in fruits which have the potential of preventing most of non-communicable diseases. Well guava is on of those fruits. Guava (Psidium guajava Linn.) is a  commonly utilized tropical fruit. You will be surprised to hear that It is  a fruit full of nutritional benefits and functional importance. The most common guava types that most people consume include yellow-fruited cherry guava ,apple guava,  strawberry guava, and red apple guava. They show many health benefits in the human body. Many late researches conducted on different guava varieties scientifically prove that guava has ,many health related effects. Let’s find out what those benefits are.

02. Let’s look into   phytochemical profile of guava

Have  you ever thought  that guava is a fruit with  an excellent phytochemical composition?

May be not. Well, It is rich in vitamin like vitamin A, vitamin C and minerals like iron ,calcium and phosphorus. And also it contains high amounts of secondary metabolite compounds such as,

• Guaijaverin
• Quercetin
• Gallic acid
• Catechin
• Epicathechins
• Naringenin
• Specific lecithins [1]

These are some essential chemical compounds responsible for many functional effects on body. They play an important role in preventing diseases in the body.  Those effects include

• Antioxidants effects
• Anti-viral effects
• Cough sedative  effects
• Anti-diarrheic effects
• Anti-inflammatory effects

Different parts of the plant like leaf, bark, seed, pulp, skin, roots and fruits have different functional properties. Extracts of plant parts with different concentrations are helpful in reducing the risk of cancer, regulating blood pressure, reducing total cholesterol levels and treating diarrhea.  

What parts of the guava plant has health benefits?

It’s amazing that all parts of the guava plant like leaf, bark , seed, pulp, skin ,roots and fruits  have functional properties. Besides extracts of these plant parts with  different concentrations are helpful in  reducing risk of  cancer, regulating blood pressure, reducing total cholesterol levels and treating diarrhea.  There are much more traditional uses that have been identified through the scientific researches. Moreover Pulp of the plant has anti-diabetic and anti- cancer properties, while the leaves are seeds have antimicrobial and anti-allergic properties. [2]

Do you know? According to some research experts there major components of guava have pharmacological activities that result in antifungal, antioxidant, antimicrobial, anti-diabetic, and antipyretic effects. Furthermore above parts can also be used for treating stomachache, gastrointestinal and respiratory disorders. Now let’s find out the functional benefits of guava in detail !!

What about the antioxidant activity of Guava??

You’ll be surprised to hear that guava have many of antioxidant compounds which have potential health benefits. The responsible antioxidant compounds are

• Vitamins like vitamin A,C and E
• lycopene   
• lecithin etc.

Oxidative reactions, drugs and environmental changes in the body generate free radicals which are harmful to your body. These effects include cancer, diabetes, neural disorders, inflammation etc. What antioxidants do is that, they scavenge the free radicals and minimize their effect. [3]

Aqueous and organic extracts of guava have a high quantity of antioxidants that can prevent the oxidation reactions. If the concentration of the extracts is increased the effects are higher. Furthermore, these antioxidants decrease the risk of other degenerative diseases such as cardiovascular diseases, arthritis, and arteriosclerosis.

What are the health benefits of guava??

01. Guava for infections

Guava leaf extract has antimicrobial effects which is why we can use it against many pathogenic microorganisms. You can use both the aqueous and organic extracts for this.  Inhibitory effects  vary depending the extraction methods. According to certain experiments some says that methanol extracts have more potential antibacterial effects. This methanol extract can inhibit the bacterial strains such as

• Escherichia coli,
• Shigella,
• Psedomonas
• staphylococcus etc.

However the compounds responsible for this antimicrobial effect are flavonoids, tannins, gallic acid and catechins.

Besides the extracts of  leaf can be used against malaria and the acetone extracts of guava leaf can be used against certain insects such as Hippobosca maculate. [4]

Apart from that, If you want you can use  leaf extracts as a valuable  treatment for diarrhea. This is because it can inhibit  microbes responsible for diarrhea such as V. parahemolyticus, Vibrio cholerae V. parahemolyticus and, Aeromonas hydrophila Salmonella spp  and  Shigella spp.

02. Guava for Immune system

Do you know guava has immune boosting effects?? As mentioned earlier Guava contain vitamin C ,A lot of Vitamin C which helps to improve your immunity. Antimicrobial effects of guava in the body has a direct effect on your immunity health because guava extracts can destroy pathogenic microbes which cause infections. Guava is a cheap  and available fruit, that you can easily buy from the market. So Make your body healthy with a guava!! [5]

03.Guava for a healthy blood circulatory system

As you know Problems in circulatory system are usually associated with cardiovascular diseases. In this case the extracts of guava can reduce the damage to endothelial cells which lead to the atherosclerosis. Furthermore these extracts can suppress the low density lipid oxidation which can also help in reducing risk of cardiovascular diseases. [5]

Apart from that the phenolics and flavonoid  content in guava aid the regulation of blood pressure. If you are a patient suffering from hypertension, intaking of guava and  its leaf extracts can help you.

 04. Guava for digestive health

Guava is good for digestive health because it contains lots of dietary fiber which fulfills 12 % of dietary requirement. This dietary fiber content can ease of the digestion process and  prevents constipation too. The Reason is that dietary fiber content helps to  prevent Blocking of  intestines with digested material in your digestive system. Moreover guava leaves have bioactive compounds which can prevent microbes causing diarrhea as mentioned earlier. This may promote you gut health which will lead to overall healthy wellbeing. [6]

05.Guava for preventing cancer in your body

Have you ever thought that Guava has anticancer effects?? Probably not. Well extracts of guava including leaf extracts can suppress the proliferation of cancer cell lines . This leads to retard the growth of cancers in your body [7]

Free radical scavenging property of antioxidants present this fruit also has a good effect on anticancer effects. Furthermore the immune boosting Vitamin C also helps in fighting against cancer cells in the body

According to some experts essential oils extracted from guava have more powerful anticancer effects. May be in the future these extracts could be developed to better treatments on cancer!!

06. Anti-aging properties of guava for skin

As guava is very  rich in antioxidants like lycopene, carotene and vitamins like vitamin C, A and E, it can protect your skin from damage especially from wrinkles. This will help your skin to look more younger. Particularly you will look more better with you healthy skin. [8]

Apart from that the leaf  extract can be used to  treat  skin acnes.Because the extracts have the ability to destroy bacteria responsible for acnes. Since these properties of guava are not yet scientifically   investigated  Commercial products may not be available .So you can derive the benefits of guava by eating them fresh!!

07.Increase sperm quality and quantity

In addition to the above effects according to the latest research studies, Guava organic (acetone) extracts have shown antimicrobial effects against bacteria species like  E.coli and  S.typhimurium and inhibiting activity against fungi like Cryptococcus neoformans ,Candida parapsilosis and candida albicans. In addition to above effects, infertile males can be treated with Ethanolic extract of guava to increase sperm quality and quantity.

This way Guava helps you in many ways to improve your health. If there any question please ask in the comment section.