What Does Guava Taste Like – A Nutritious Fruit Snack For All Ages!
If you’ve ever read the back of popular weight loss supplements, you’ve probably noticed that guava extract is on the list. Guava extract is made out of the guava fruit, a tropical fruit that’s popular in South America.
When it’s not whipped into supplements, guava can be eaten as fresh fruit. People around the world enjoy turning it into ice creams, mixing it into juices, and so much more thanks to its sweet and mild flavor.
Guava has a sweet flavor that’s a cross between a pear and a strawberry. It’s almost universally acknowledged as a pleasant summer flavor.
What Is Guava?
Guava is a tropical fruit that’s native to the Caribbean, Central America, and South America. The fruit has a light green or yellow fruit while its flesh is a vibrant pink or deep red. The result is that these fruits look sort of like mini watermelons!
Guava is a member of the myrtle family and grows on the Psidium guajava tree. The fruit originated in southern Mexico, but has been traded between tropical countries for so many years that experts have lost track of when they were first cultivated!
Although guava is native to South America, this fruit arrived in the United States in the 1800s. It first showed up in Hawaii and Florida, where locals began cultivating it for commercial distribution.
Today, India is the top producer of guava. In fact, India produces nearly half of the world’s total guava.
What Does Guava Taste Like?
If you ever get the chance to bite into a guava fruit, you’re in luck. This tasty fruit is almost like a cross between a strawberry and a pear, with very slight citrusy notes and a sweet, honey-like flavor.
While that’s what guava tastes like in general, the flavor changes a little bit depending on what type of guava you eat. Let’s take a look at some of the most common types of guava and their flavors:
Lemon Guava
Lemon Guava, also known as Apple Guava, has a lemony flavor. This type of guava is small and is the most common variety. It has a very noticeable scent and is one of the most flavorful guava varieties.
Tropical Pink
Tropical Pink has bright pink flesh and yellow outer skin. This guava has a strong scent but a mild, sweet flavor.
Tropical White
Tropical white has white skin, hence the name. When you cut the fruit open, it’s yellow. The fruit of this guava is very sweet and is often used in candies and desserts.
Tropical Yellow
Tropical Yellow is sometimes called Mexican Cream. This fruit has orange flesh and creamy white skin. The guava contains a lot of liquid and is fairly sweet.
Red Malaysian
Red Malaysian is a sweet variety of guava with pink flesh and red skin. Red Malaysian is often used as a decoration thanks to its bright colors.
Health Benefits of Guava
Guava has several health benefits, which is just one more reason why you should eat this tasty snack!
For one, some studies show that guava can help lower blood sugar levels. This is important for preventing Type II diabetes.
Another health benefit of guava is that they’re high in potassium and antioxidants. Potassium is important for heart health while antioxidants counteract the damage caused by free radicals and protect your cells.
Guava also contains 12% of our recommended daily dose of fiber. That’s great for keeping your digestive tract working smoothly.
Finally, guavas are high in vitamin C. Eating guavas is a great way to boost your immune system and protect yourself against colds and the flu.
Did you know that Guava leaves have incredible health benefits too?!
Where to Buy Guava
If you’re wanting to buy guava, its availability will depend on where you live. In the United States, it’s easiest to find this fruit in Florida and California thanks to the warmer climates in these areas.
If you live in a more northern state, you can look for guava at specialty food stores. Whole Foods and Mom’s Organic Market are two spots where you can pretty easily find guava!
When you buy guava, just make sure to check if it’s ripe. Guava should be soft and have a bit of give to it when it’s ripe. If the guava is firm, it’s unripe and isn’t ready to eat.
How to Eat Guava
Are you ready to take a bite out of guava? then you’ll love knowing that you can eat every part of this fruit! Just wash it thoroughly before you bite into it.
The easiest way to eat guava is to cut it into slices. Make one long cut down the center of the fruit and then cut it into easy, bite-sized slices.
If you don’t want to eat it fresh, you can also make guava into a number of different recipes. Many people enjoy making guava into juice! To do so, all you need to do is blend the fruit with water and sugar.
Guava has a high sugar content which also makes it ideal for jams, marmalades, and jellies. Or, you can turn it into delicious sugar-coated candies.
Frequently Asked Questions
If you’ve still got questions about guava, you’re not alone. Here are some frequently asked questions about this unique fruit.
What can I do with guava paste?
Guava paste is a super versatile ingredient for cooking numerous recipes. It’s mostly used for making juices or whipping up some guava candies.
Which type of guava is best?
Since there are several varieties of guava, it can be tough to know which to choose. The most common type of guava is Lemon Guava, but the most popular type of guava is Tropical White thanks to its super sweet flesh.
What happens if you eat guava every day?
One guava contains the same as 4-5 of the daily recommended servings of fruit. Although eating lots of guavas won’t kill you or cause any dangers, it does have very high sugar content. Too much sugar can lead to developing diabetes or gaining weight, so it’s a good idea to limit how much you eat.
