Guavas are on my personal top 10 list of favourite fruits ever. I remember visiting my aunts house in Calabar – Nigeria as a child and reveling in the guava that came off the tree in her home. Their tough outer skin protects a lush pulp. Found in the tropical and sub-tropical regions of the world, it’s pulp ranges from a creamy white to a deep pink. Now about the colour. In the last 3-4 years in Nigeria either Guavas have not made it to Lagos or their season has been like a flash in the pan. Literally! In August I discovered some white guavas in a local market and though thrilled they missed deep flavour I was looking for. Fortunately late September I discovered Fresh Farm Organic, a farm in Jos, Nigeria and quickly bought a few kilos of the most amazing pink guavas I have had in years. Needless to say my deep freezer is full of vacuum sealed bags of them.
Guava are known to be excellent sources of energy, dietary fiber, vitamin C, vitamin A, potassium, phosphorus, magnesium, and calcium, to name a few. Their fruit, leaves and bark have also been found to offer a long list of health benefits, including weight-loss, reducing oxidative stress, improving thyroid health (as they are a good source of copper), controlling diabetes and addressing cancer. That’s just a few benefits I’ve come across while researching. I certainly encourage you to research and gather your own facts.
As for their Culinary note, guavas are sweet/sour, with floral and fruity notes (apple, pear, pineapple and strawberry). Guavas are mostly consumed alone and raw (the absolute best and most simple indulgence) in Nigeria and other parts of West Africa, they are also made into drinks in countries across South America. They are paired well with bananas, vegan cheese, coconut, lime, as well as, strawberries, vanilla and sugar.
Though when my guavas arrived, I scoffed down a good number raw, but I also took things up a notch and made this very simple, but gorgeous guava smoothie. I have a freezer full so stay tuned for many more recipes. In the meantime, enjoy!