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Talk about Vitamin C and you will
probably think of the orange. How many people actually give a second
thought about guava. Did you know that this humble fruit is a mine of
Vitamin C, out classing even the orange? Its contains almost four
times the Vitamin c present in the orange and about five times that of
another Vitamin C rich fruit, the lemon! A 100 g portion of guava
gives 152 mg Vitamin c compared to the same portion of orange which
gives 39.6 mg and the lemon, 32.6 mg.
It also contains ample amounts of other
vitamins like Vitamin A and the B-vitamins. Each 100 g guava gives 10
mcg Vitamin A. Though not as much as that present in the orange, this
amount is about 10 times that in the lemon. Vitamin a is essential for
good eyesight. Apart from Vitamin A, the guava also gives more of the
B-vitamins than both the orange and lemon combined.
The guava is also a rich source of fiber
and contains 6.8 g fiber per 100 g. That is 68 times the amount found
in the orange and 17 times that of the lemon. Fiber assists in our
digestive process and hence prevents constipation. Besides vitamins
and fiber the fruit also gives considerable amounts of minerals like
calcium, phosphorus, iron and a little protein.
Guava is good for people suffering from
diabetes, hemorrhoids and helps in diarrhea. Guava can be eaten fresh
or made into a juice to drink before meals. Fresh guavas can also be
boiled and the liquid can be used to wash the affected areas of
hemorrhoids, itching and heat rash. |