What is Feijoa?
Feijoa, also known as pineapple guava, is a delicious fruit of South-American origin. it is a small tree or a shrub in the family of Myrtaceae. It is an evergreen shrub that reaches about 8–15 feet in height and spread out into a broad bush. Its oval shaped, thick, fleshy, deep-green leaves feature gray surface underneath. Guava and allspice are other closely related plants in the Myrtaceae family.
The plant bears attractive golden-yellow flowers with white petals and long maroon colour stamen. After about 5 to 6 months of flowering, fruits ready to eat cover all over the bush. It’s fruit is oval in shape and closely resembles unripe medium-size deep-green guava from a distance. It measures about 1/5 to 2.5 inches in length, 2 inches in diameter, and weigh about 50 g. Once ripe, the fruit drops off from the tree which is gathered and eaten immediately. It emanates sweet fruity aroma that reminiscences blend of banana and pineapple. It’s inside is a central, gelly textured seed pulp surrounded by soft, grey-white flesh. Its flesh is sweet, somewhat tart, and strongly aromatic.
Health Benefits of Feijoa
Supports the Digestion: Feijoa owns a considerable amount of fiber. Fiber stimulates peristaltic motion and increased secretion of gastric juices, which eases digestion, prevents conditions like constipation, and protects the body from more serious conditions like colorectal cancer. Fiber can also scrape cholesterol out of the arteries and blood vessels. One cup of feijoa contains 16 grams of dietary fiber.
Spike Blood Sugar Levels: People with type 2 diabetes may like feijoa because of its glycemic index score. The glycemic index (GI) ranks food and drinks based on their blood sugar increase potential. Foods high on the glycemic index (such as white rice and white bread) will break down easily and cause blood sugar and insulin level spikes after meals, which is followed by rapidly dropping blood sugar levels. Feijoa is more slowly absorbed into the bloodstream, which prevents sugar crashes, sugar cravings, and mood swings.
Helps Maintain a Healthy Blood Pressure: Feijoa can contribute to reducing the risk of hypertension by being loaded with potassium and a low content of sodium. They are well known because of its high potassium content. One feijoa contains an amazing 418 milligrams of potassium, compared to just 7 milligrams of sodium. This helps the blood vessels relax and maintains proper blood pressure.
Decrease the Risk for Heart Disease: Fiber, vitamin C, and B6, and potassium have been known to improve the heart’s health.
Also, additional fiber has been known to lower the “bad” low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol and increase the “good” high-density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol in people with type 2 diabetes.
Help Fight off Infections: Vitamin C is a potent natural water-soluble antioxidant that helps the body develop resistance against infectious agents and eliminates cancer-causing free radicals in the body.
Uses of Feijoa
- It can be juiced to a delicious drink.
- Its aromatic slices can be a great addition in salads.
- It can be added in the confectionary in muffins, and cakes.
- It can be used in the preparation of puree, jellies, jams, chutnies, juices, sorbet, etc.
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