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Consuming guava and the tea from its leaves can help prevent cancer, is good for the bowel and reduces menstrual cramps

Guava is the fruit of a tropical tree native to Central America, whose scientific name is Psidium guajava.

It is a sweet fruit with a slightly sour flavor, and the flesh can be pink, reddish and white, with many seeds, which ripen during the summer. In Brazil, guava is widely consumed in the form of fruit and juice, but tea from the leaves of the plant can also be ingested. Some studies even show that the extract of guava leaves has benefits that, by similarity, can be found in tea, such as relief from menstrual cramps, control of blood sugar and cholesterol levels. Check out:

• Antioxidants: what are they and in what foods to find them

Benefits of Guava and Guava Leaf Tea

1. Helps control blood sugar levels

Some evidence suggests that guava may improve blood sugar control.

Several animal studies have found that guava leaf extract improved long-term blood sugar levels and insulin resistance (see the related studies here: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5).

Some studies involving humans have also shown promising results.

A study of 19 people found that drinking guava leaf tea lowers blood sugar levels after a meal. The effects lasted up to two hours (see study here: 3).

Another study of 20 people with type 2 diabetes showed that drinking guava leaf tea reduced blood sugar levels after a meal by more than 10% (see study here: 3).

2. It can be a natural preservative option

A study that analyzed the effects of extracts from guava leaves grown in Brazil showed that the substance has good antimicrobial activity against the Staphylococcus aureus, a bacterium that, if overpopulated in the body, can be very harmful.

These results indicate that guava leaf extract can be a natural choice of food preservative and a new source of an antimicrobial agent against S. aureus.

To know the dangers of some preservatives, take a look at the article: "Conservatives: what they are, what types and dangers".

3. Good for the heart

Guava can help improve heart health in a number of ways. Researchers believe that this is due to the amount of antioxidants and vitamins present in guava leaves, which protect the body from free radicals (see study about it here: 6).

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The amounts of potassium and fiber in guava also contribute to heart health. In addition, guava leaf extract has been associated with a decrease in blood pressure, "bad" LDL cholesterol and an increase in "good" HDL cholesterol (see study about it here: 7).

Since high blood pressure and high LDL cholesterol levels are associated with higher risks of heart disease and stroke, consuming guava leaf extract can be beneficial.

Fruit is also beneficial for the heart. A 12-week study of 120 people found that eating ripe guava before meals caused an overall decrease in blood pressure by 8–9 points, a reduction in total cholesterol by 9.9%, and an increase in “good” HDL cholesterol by 8 % (see study about it here: 8). Similar results were found in other studies (check them here: 9, 10).

4. It can help relieve menstrual cramps

Guava. Edited and resized image by Sakurai Midori is available on Wikimedia Commons

Many women experience dysmenorrhea - painful symptoms during menstruation, such as cramps.

• What is menstruation?

There is some evidence that guava leaf extract can reduce the intensity of these pains.

A study of 197 women who had painful symptoms during menstruation found that taking 6 mg of guava leaf extract daily resulted in reduced pain intensity, with more powerful effects than some pain relievers (see the study here: 11).

Guava leaf extract also helps relieve uterine contractions (see study on this: 12).

5. Good for the bowel

Guavas are foods rich in fiber. A guava provides 12% of the recommended daily intake (RDI) of fiber, which can improve bowel movements and prevent constipation.

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In addition, guava leaf extract helps to reduce the intensity and duration of diarrhea (see studies about it here: 14, 15, 16). Its effects against harmful microorganisms may be related to its property to fight diarrhea (see studies about it here: 14, 17).

6. Helps you lose weight

In addition to containing 12% of the RDI of fiber, a guava has only 37 calories (see study about it: 13) and is full of vitamins and minerals - characteristics that make it an excellent substitute for snacks that do not bring satiety, are caloric and poor in minerals and vitamins.

7. Prevents cancer

Test tube and animal studies have shown that guava extract can prevent and even prevent the growth of cancer cells (see studies about it here: 18, 19).

This is likely due to the high levels of powerful antioxidants that prevent free radicals from damaging cells, a major cause of cancer (see study on this: 19).

A test-tube study found that guava leaf oil was four times more effective in stopping the growth of cancer cells than cancer drugs (see here: 20).

While the results of the test tube experiments are promising, this does not mean that guava leaf extract helps to treat cancer in people. More studies are needed to prove whether these effects can be observed in humans.

8. It has more vitamin C than orange

Low levels of vitamin C are linked to an increased risk of infections and illness.

• Vitamins: types, needs and times of intake

Guava is an excellent source of vitamin C. Just a guava provides twice the IDR of vitamin C - twice as much as an orange (see study on this: 13).

• Benefits of whole orange and orange juice

Vitamin C plays a key role in maintaining the immune system by helping to fight viruses and bacteria (see study about it here: 21). In addition, although it has not been proven to prevent a cold, there are studies that show that it can reduce its duration (see study about it here: 22).

9. Good for the skin

In addition to preventing cancer, the antioxidants present in guava protect the skin from oxidative damage, which helps to prevent premature old age (see study about it here: 23).

In addition, guava leaf extract can help treat acne when applied directly to the skin.

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A test-tube study found that guava leaf extract was effective in fighting acne-causing bacteria - probably due to its antimicrobial and anti-inflammatory properties (see study about it here: 24).