The benefits and harms of feijoa

Exotic fruits are a great way to diversify your diet. According to the content of useful substances, feijoa stands out among them, which has a wide scope of use.

Acquaintance with feijoa: photo, description

Feijoa is an evergreen shrub up to 4 m high, growing in the southern regions of Eurasia, North and South America. On the plant, green fruits of an elongated shape ripen. The average length of the fruit is 4 cm, weight – from 15 to 120 g.

The fruits have juicy pulp. The taste of the fruit resembles strawberries, kiwi and pineapple. The pulp contains seeds surrounded by a translucent pulp. The peel is bumpy, has a light or dark green color.

Chemical composition and nutritional value of fruits

Feijoa contains:

• water;
• fructose and sucrose;
• pectins;
• vitamins of groups B, C, PP, E and K;
• iron, iodine, calcium, zinc, potassium, manganese, magnesium, copper, phosphorus;
• folic and malic acid.

Nutritional value per 100 g of product – 0,55 g of proteins; 52,63 g of carbohydrates and 0,22 g of fat.

Calorie Feijoa

The calorie content of the product is 49 kcal per 100 g. The permissible daily allowance is up to 3 fruits per day. The fruit is included in diets and used to cleanse the body.

Features of the selection and storage of feijoa

Fruits are removed from trees unripe for further transportation. Before buying, evaluate the integrity of the peel, the absence of damage and dents.

Only ripe fruits with a thin skin and transparent pulp are eaten. Unripe fruits are kept at room temperature, after ripening they are transferred to the refrigerator.

How to eat feijoa: with or without peel

Feijoa is consumed with or without the skin. The peel contains antioxidants, enzymes, catechins and phenols. Substances contribute to the rejuvenation of the body and inhibit the growth of cancer cells.

The peel has a pronounced bitter taste. Most often it is crushed together with pulp or dried. Dry peel is added to tea.

What is useful feijoa for the body

The benefits of fruit for the human body:

• relieves inflammation;
• improves skin condition;
• compensates for the lack of iodine and normalizes the activity of the pancreas;
• strengthens the immune system;
• reduces pressure;
• cleanses the blood and increases hemoglobin;
• normalizes digestion;
• increases tone;
• improves memory and attentiveness;
• raises inflammation.

Feijoa benefits for women

Useful properties of fruit for women:

• helps to cope with stress;
• rejuvenates the skin;
• relieves pain during menstruation;
• improves metabolism, skin and hair condition.

Can feijoa be taken during pregnancy?

Feijoa contains vitamin PP, iodine and folic acid, which improve the condition of a pregnant woman and an unborn child. Reception of the fruit will help to normalize the work of the stomach.

Feijoa while breastfeeding

In the case of breastfeeding, the fruit is added to the diet when the child reaches the age of 3 months. It is better for nursing mothers to introduce feijoa into the menu gradually. First, take ¼ of the fetus, in the absence of a negative reaction, the rate is increased to ½.

The fruit is consumed without the peel, as it contains substances that can cause indigestion in a child.

Useful properties of feijoa for men

Feijoa helps prevent prostatitis and prostate cancer. The fruit is recommended for men over 40 years of age. As a result, immunity increases and vitality increases.

What are the benefits of feijoa fruit for children

Fruits are not recommended for children under 1 year old. Their reception can cause individual intolerance.

First, check the absence of an allergic reaction to the intake of fruit. The pulp of the fetus is crushed and given to the child in an amount of not more than 1 tsp. For children aged 1 to 3 years, it is enough to eat 1 fruit per day.

Benefits of fruit for children:

• strengthening immunity;
• improved memory and concentration;
• mild laxative effect;
• increase in hemoglobin.

What diseases can be treated with feijoa

The fruit is used for the following diseases:

• hypertension;
• disorders of the cardiovascular system;
• diseases of the stomach and intestines;
• depression and stress;
• diabetes;
• atherosclerosis;
• colds and viral illnesses;
• problems with the pancreas.

If you have serious illnesses, you should consult your doctor before eating the fruit.

Will feijoa help in the treatment of thyroid gland

The most common thyroid disease is endemic goiter. The disease is caused by a lack of iodine, which leads to an enlargement of the thyroid gland.

For the treatment of goiter, the fruits and leaves of the plant are used. The leaves are brewed with boiling water and drunk like green tea 2 times a day.

How to use feijoa for diabetes

The pulp of the fruit contains carbohydrates that are quickly processed by the body. The glycemic index of the fruit is 20 units.

When used by diabetics, the functioning of the thyroid gland improves. If diabetes has caused trophic ulcers, the leaf product will help relieve inflammation.

The recommended norm for diabetics is no more than 2 pcs. in a day. The fruit contains glucose and fructose, so after eating them, you need to check your blood sugar levels.

From stress

In stressful situations, the load on the cardiovascular and nervous systems increases, and immune properties decrease.

Feijoa helps to normalize the functioning of the body in stressful situations. You can eat 3-4 fruits daily. They are consumed fresh or ground in a blender with the addition of sugar, honey and mint.

Recipe for high blood pressure

Feijoa helps lower blood pressure. To do this, it is enough to consume up to 3 fruits daily. Due to ascorbic acid, magnesium and potassium, the vessels have a relaxing effect.

With pancreatitis

The intake of fruits alleviates the condition of a person with various diseases of the gastrointestinal tract, including pancreatitis. When eating the pulp and peel, toxins are removed and the work of the intestines is stabilized.

Useful recipe for pancreatitis:

1. The leaves of the plant (10 pieces) are crushed with a knife and poured into 500 ml of water.
2. The product is put on the stove and brought to a boil.
3. The fire is reduced and the liquid is boiled for 10 minutes.
4. Add 1 tbsp to the decoction. l. salt and leave to cool.
5. The drug is taken daily, 50 ml before meals.

From hypertension

Hypertension is especially dangerous in the elderly. With regular use of feijoa, blood pressure normalizes, blood circulation improves and cholesterol levels decrease.

Useful feijoa recipe for hypertension:

1. Fruit pulp (100 g) is poured with a glass of water.
2. Add 1 tsp to the mixture. honey.
3. The remedy should be drunk during the day.

More Healing Recipes

Health benefits are brought not only by the pulp, but also by the juice of feijoa. Based on the leaves, a useful infusion is obtained.

What diseases is feijoa juice useful for?

Pulp juice is used to prevent colds. For 50 ml of water, add 1 tbsp. l. honey and fresh juice. The drug is drunk every day before meals.

Diluted juice is also used to normalize blood pressure, strengthen immunity and increase vitality. A mixture of orange juice and feijoa is useful for the prevention of atherosclerosis.

Are leaves useful?

An infusion of the leaves is used as an external remedy for healing wounds and abrasions. The tool is used in diseases of the thyroid gland to compensate for iodine deficiency.

Leaf infusion recipe:

1. Crushed leaves (1 tbsp.) Pour 1 cup of boiling water.
2. The product is left for half an hour and filtered through a strainer.

The infusion is consumed 2 times a day, 1 glass half an hour before meals. You can add a little honey to the remedy.

Feijoa in cooking

The fruits go well with fish, chicken and lamb. Pieces of pulp are baked in the oven for cooking hot dishes. The fruit is added to fresh salads with apples, carrots, beets and citrus fruits. The fruits add a spicy flavor to the dishes.

From feijoa, homemade preparations for the winter are obtained: jams, jams, juices, sauces, compotes. The pulp is subjected to heat treatment or crushed with the addition of sugar.

In the manufacture of confectionery, the pulp is added to cream for cakes and filling for pies. Cakes are decorated with fresh fruit.

Useful properties of feijoa jam

During heat treatment, vitamin C, pectin, fiber, antioxidants, sucrose and malic acid are preserved in the pulp. Jam has a number of useful properties:

• normalizes the work of the stomach;
• strengthens the immune system;
• helps fight colds;
• increases tone;
• reduces inflammatory processes.

Contraindications to the use of jam

It is recommended to limit the use of feijoa jam in the following cases:

• increased thyroid function;
• diabetes;
• overweight;
• pregnancy and breastfeeding;
• age less than 1 year.

It is not recommended to take such jam with dairy products. The combination causes indigestion.

The benefits of feijoa in cosmetology

In cosmetology, the antiseptic properties of the fruit are used. On the basis of fruits and leaves, infusions are prepared for healing wounds, relieving bleeding gums.

Revitalizing hand mask

From the pulp, a regenerating hand mask is obtained. The fruit is rubbed an terke and mixed with the yolk of the egg. The mask is applied to the hands and kept for 15-20 minutes. As a result, the skin becomes smoother, scratches and abrasions heal.

Rules for the use of feijoa

Only fresh and ripe fruits are eaten. Unripe fruits are kept at room temperature. When ripe, the pulp acquires a jelly-like texture, and the skin becomes thinner.

Before use, the question often arises of how to clean feijoa. You can remove the peel with a regular kitchen knife. Another way is to cut the fruit in half and remove the pulp from the peel with a spoon.

Harm and contraindications of feijoa

Feijoa is used with caution in the presence of diseases:

• diabetes;
• thyroid hyperthyroidism.

The pulp is not combined with dairy products. Pectins contained in fruits, when interacting with milk, lead to disruption of the gastrointestinal tract.

With excessive use, the pulp causes allergic reactions and indigestion. Therefore, when adding fruit to the diet, its daily intake is taken into account.

Conclusion

Feijoa contains useful substances necessary for the functioning of the body. The fruit is consumed fresh, used in cooking and home canning.