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 Guavas
A small tropical fruit that originated in southern Mexico and central
America, the guava now is native to the Caribbean and South America and is
grown in Florida, California, Hawaii, southern Asia, and parts of Africa.
The fruit can be round, ovoid, or pear-shaped and ranges in size from 1 to 4
in. (2.5-10 cm) in diameter. The thin skins, which vary in color from pale
yellow to yellow-green, have a slightly bitter taste, so the fruit is
usually served peeled. Most varieties have meaty deep-pink flesh, although
some are yellow, red, or white. Ripe guavas have a fragrant, musky aroma and
a sweet flavor, with hints of pineapple or banana. By weight, guavas have
almost twice as much vitamin C as an orange: One medium guava provides 165
mg, compared to only 75 mg in a fresh orange. One guava also contains 256 mg
of potassium and 5 g of fiber; much of it is in the form of pectin, a
soluble fiber that lowers high blood cholesterol as well as promoting good
digestive function. Folate, phosphorus, and carotene are also present.
About half of the guava fruit is filled with small, hard seeds. Actual seed
counts have ranged from 112 to 535. Although in good varieties the seeds are
fully edible, most people discard them. If the seeds are eaten, they
contribute extra fiber and lesser amounts of the same nutrients found in the
flesh. A VERSATILE FRUIT With only about 60 calories per fresh
guava, the fruit makes an easy, interesting, nonfattening dessert. Simply
cut the fruit in half, scoop out the seeds, then spoon out the flesh. A dash
of lime juice or lemon juice contrasts nicely with the sweet flavor.
Alternatively, you can peel, seed, and chop or slice guavas to add to a
fruit salad. Pureed guava flesh in combination with orange or other citrus
juice makes a refreshing drink or cold summer soup. Unripe guavas, which are
a little too tart and astringent to be eaten raw, can be blended and cooked
with defatted meat juice to make a low-calorie sauce for roasts and poultry
dishes. Look for fresh guavas during the late fall and early winter. When
selecting guavas, choose fruits that are firm but not hard. A guava is ripe
when the skin yields slightly when pressed. As with almost any fruit, flavor
is best when the guava is allowed to ripen on the tree, but green mature
fruit will ripen at room temperature. Placing the fruit in a brown paper bag
with a banana or apple will hasten ripening. Gourmet sections in
supermarkets carry increasing numbers of guava products -- jams, jellies,
dried sheets, nectar, and a type of fruit paste called guava cheese. Canned
guava is also available, but it is usually processed with large amounts of
sugar, Dried guavas are often treated with sulfites, which may provoke
asthma attacks or allergic reactions in susceptible persons. Dehydrated
guavas are powered and added to ice cream, candies, and fruit juices for
extra flavor. |
