GUAVA (sand fruit)

Botanical name: Psidium Guajaba Common name: Guava Local names: Yoruba – guaba, gilofa, Hausa – goba, Ibo – ugwoba Description/Distribution A tree of the botanical family myrtacea that reaches 6 meters in height. Grows in tropical regions throughout the world. It is an aromatic tree which is native to tropical areas of America, Mexico to […]

Botanical name: Psidium Guajaba
Common name: Guava
Local names: Yoruba – guaba, gilofa, Hausa – goba, Ibo – ugwoba

Description/Distribution
A tree of the botanical family myrtacea that reaches 6 meters in height. Grows in tropical regions throughout the world. It is an aromatic tree which is native to tropical areas of America, Mexico to Brazil. Cultivated widely now in hot climates zones of Africa and Asia. Has smooth coloured bark, elliptical, opposite leaves, white flowers producing fleshy round fruits with white or pinkish flesh. Grows widely in Nigeria, the fruit is sweet, astringent, sour, cooling and tonic.
Parts used: fruits, leaves, stems bark and flower
Constituents
Leaves, stem bark – tannins, resins, eugenol
Fruits – mucilage, pectin, some protein, fat, minerals (potassium, calcium, Iron, phosphorus) Vitamin A, B and C – it’s one of the richest fruits with vitamin C, citric acid, malic acid, vitamin A richness is in the pinkish pulp, and hycopene.
Medicinal/Health Benefits
· Anti – hypertensive (due to lower sodium, high potassium and fibre)
·  Reduces cholesterol (due to fibre-pectin)
· Reduces Arteriosclerosis due to its vitamin C rich content
· Reduces Nicotine addiction
· Invigorating effect that reduces physical fatigue
· Good for skeletal and lymphatic system
· Decoction of leaves and roots bark is used for diarrhea and dysentery-with blood
·  Used for abdominal pains.
· The leave sap has anthelminthic properties.
· Management of jaundice
· Antimalarial
· Used in excessive thirst and general dibility.
· The leaves are anodyne (pain relief).
· Flowers are cooling, laxative and useful in bronchitis.
· Roots are useful in bleeding, diarrhea and dysentery.
· Bark is antiseptic.
Health tips
1. Take 5 leaves or dried for infusion in 250ml teacup and take for abdominal pains
2. Diarrhea: take 5 fresh leaves and blend in 250ml water, sieve and take filterate 2-3 times daily until diarrhea stops
3. Chew young leaves and swallow sap for diarrhea
4. Boil 20 leaves in 1 ½ litres of water, add honey or lemon for extra benefit; take 2-3 times daily for jaundice, the leaves are boiled in combination of neem, lemon and pawpaw leaves for steaming and drink for malaria
5. Leaf pulp is mixed with kaolin and applied to the body for measles
6. Guava is used to produce jellies and jams