Pronunciation:: gwah-vuh
Other Names:: Guyava, Kuawa, Psidium Guajava
Season:: June through August and November through March
Selection Do's and Don'ts::
- Do pick tender fruits that give to gentle pressure.
- Do pick fruits with some yellow and few or no spots.
- Don't pick spotted, mushy, or very green fruits.
Storage:: Keep at room temperature until the fruit is soft. Once ripe, guavas should last for 2 days in the refrigerator when stored in a paper or plastic bag.
Preparation:: Either
- Cut in half crosswise and eat innards with a spoon, or
- Eat whole, once skin is soft enough.
Why Should You Eat Guavas?: Guavas:
- have more than 3 times as much Vitamin C as an orange
- are also rich in Vitamins A and B
- have a high level of licopene (which helps prevent cancers)
- may reduce LDL (bad cholesterol)
- are high in fiber, but are low in fat and calories.
Varieties: :
- Blitch: are tart, have light pink flesh, and lots of seeds.
- Patillo: are slightly acidic, have pink flesh and are best for cooking.
- Red Indian: have red flesh and lots of seeds.
- Ruby: are the sweetest guavas, have red flesh and relatively few seeds.
- Supreme: have white flesh and relatively few seeds.
- Guavas have been described as tasting like a hybrid of pears and strawberries.
Created 02/06/06
