8 recipes with guava and good reasons to include it in your diet

With a striking smell and unique flavor, guava is a much appreciated fruit in Brazil, being easily found on sale, usually at low prices – which makes it even more beloved.

Versatility is also a remarkable factor: the fruit can be used in several recipes. Who has never surrendered, for example, to a good guava paste or, simply, to a guava jelly?! Not to mention the famous “cheese with guava” duo, popular especially among miners!

However, it is worth remembering: the healthiest way to consume guava is in fresh form or in the preparation of juices without added sugar. The fruit can even be added to salads with leaves and vegetables, with success!

Tasty, guava is still “practical”, since all the fruit is edible, including the seeds and peel, just wash it well before consuming!

But flavor, practicality and versatility are not the only advantages of this fruit. Below, you can find delicious recipes made with guava and also all the health benefits it offers (especially when consumed in its fresh form)!

8 recipes with guava to enjoy the best of the fruit

1. Guava juice with passion fruit: a refreshing, tasty and very easy to make juice. You will only use the guava, passion fruit, water and sweeten to taste if necessary. Try it without sweetening, as the guava itself already has a sweet taste and that may be enough for your juice.

2. Goiabada Cascão: a great way to enjoy guavas, especially for candy lovers! In addition to them, you will only use water and sugar. The perfect combination for a good cheese!

3. Creamy guava: a homemade guava that is delicious. You will only need the red guavas, water, sugar and lemon juice. A delicious option to serve with cheese, or simply to spread on bread or crackers.

4. Guava Pie: You will need fresh red guavas, eggs, sugar, wheat flour, fresh cream and caster sugar. A successful dessert, ideal to serve after a family lunch, for example.

5. Goiabada Cuca: a recipe brought to Rio Grande do Sul by German immigrants, cuca is nothing more, nothing less, than a cake. Guava is the star of this recipe, but you can also make the cuca in other flavors, replacing it with grapes, bananas, dulce de leche or whatever you want.

6. Guava ice cream: it is made only with the fruit, water and sugar. Delicious and refreshing! The more he is beaten, the better…. You can use Kibon ice cream pots and beat with a hand processor inside the pot itself. This way it’s practical and doesn’t dirty a lot of dishes.

7. Guava sweet rice: proof that you can always reinvent dishes, change ingredients and discover new flavors! The recipe is simple, and you can use either arborio rice or white rice.

8. Diet Guava Jam: The sugar-free version of this delicious candy. You will only need the red guavas, sweetener and water. The sweet can be consumed with toast, bread, white cheese and even to make sweets and cakes. It also goes great with the skillet cheese bread.

5 health benefits of guava

Not only because of its versatility, guava is a darling in many homes. Did you know that it offers several health benefits?

1. It is rich in vitamin C: Evelin Siqueira, nutritionist at the Dr.Família clinic, explains that, therefore, the fruit helps to strengthen the immune system, being beneficial for health as a whole.
2. Contains Vitamin A: Evelin explains that the fruit is therefore linked to good skin and eye health.
3. It is rich in soluble fibers: the nutritionist explains that such fibers increase the feeling of satiety and help control blood glucose.
4. Red guava is rich in lycopene: Evelin explains that lycopene is an important substance in the prevention of prostate, colon and breast cancer. In addition, lycopene protects the skin against ultraviolet rays.
5. It can be an ally of the diet: the fruit has about 73 calories, and can be a good snack or dessert option on a weight loss diet. Because it has soluble fibers, it increases the feeling of satiety, helping the person to eat less. But, it should always be consumed according to the nutritionist’s guidance.

Evelin points out that there are two types of guava in Brazil: white and red. “The nutritional difference between them is small, however, the white one has more vitamin A and C, sweeter flavor and juicier pulp”, she says. And, it is worth mentioning, only the red one has lycopene.

Guava as an ally of beauty

In addition to being good for health as a whole, guava has been widely used in home treatments related to the beauty of the skin or hair.

Guava leaves, for example, can be used to help fight hair loss. Just put approximately 30g of guava leaf in 500ml of heated water, wait a few minutes and turn off the heat. After the tea has cooled, the leaves can be discarded, and then just apply the liquid to the scalp, massaging well for 5 minutes. After the massage, let the solution act for another 30 minutes and then rinse well with water.

Some even say that guava helps the skin regain its shine and freshness, when used as a homemade exfoliant. To make it, just mash a piece of guava pulp and mix it with the yolk of an egg, then apply it on the face. After 20 minutes with the mixture on your face, just rinse with warm water.

There is no scientific evidence around these recipes, only people who report their personal experiences, but it doesn’t hurt to risk it!

How to choose and store fruit

“Choose guavas with a firm consistency, without stains or insect bites”, guides Evelin.

The nutritionist adds that the fruit can be kept in the fridge for a week and that it should preferably be eaten raw. “The pulp of the guava can be used in the preparation of juices and sweets”, she highlights.

There are plenty of good reasons to consume guava! To enjoy the benefits it offers to health, prefer to consume it as a fruit, even eating the skin.

But, when you feel like eating a sweetie, there’s no harm in preparing a delicious guava paste sometimes, right?! Here’s the tip!