Manna 

Feijoa - useful properties and contraindications. Composition and medicinal properties of feijoa jam or juice

Hello friends!

Do you know what a feijoa is? What kind of fruit is this overseas? How is feijoa good for our health?

It turns out that this is such a plant, originally from the tropics, from South America. And the fruits of this plant are usually called berries, not fruits!

In this article, you will learn:

How is feijoa useful for human health?

There is an unusual legend among the people, according to which a beautiful young man was in love with a sea princess.

But the homesickness overcame him, and the young man decided to escape from the sea kingdom.

For this, the king of the deep sea turned him into a beautiful feijoa tree, the fruits of which resemble the azure of the sea in color and smell like a light breeze.

What is Feijoa?

Feijoa or Akka Sellova is a species of evergreen trees (up to 4 meters in height) of the genus Akka (Latin Acca), which belong to the Myrtaceae family (Latin Myrtaceae). The genus includes only three species, of which the most common in the Feijoa culture (Latin Feijoa sellowiana).

Botanical characteristics of the plant

Feijoa is an evergreen large spreading shrub, or a tree reaching a height of 5 meters.

The fruit is a fleshy, large, juicy berry weighing up to 50 g, dark green in color with an unusual strawberry-pineapple flavor with an admixture of kiwi.

Feijoa is considered the homeland of the highlands in southern Brazil, Colombia, Uruguay and northern Argentina.

Feijoa photo

What does feijoa taste like?

These fruits have a sweet and sour taste, with a pineapple and strawberry aroma. This is due to the special essential oil contained in feijoa.

But such a taste and aroma appears only in sufficiently ripe ripe fruits, in which the pulp already resembles jelly.

But, unfortunately, such ripe berries cannot be transported at all, so they are picked when they are still completely green and hard.

But it is believed that even such unripe fruits, when they artificially ripen, are also very useful for the body.

Feijoa - health benefits

The chemical composition of the fruit

Feijoa fruits contain sucrose and fructose, organic acids, essential oil, water, pectin substances, vitamins B1, C, A, catechin and tannin, trace elements (strontium, calcium, chromium, selenium, zinc and iron).

The main advantage of feijoa is the high content of iodine salts - 1 kg of fresh berries contains about 10 mg of water-soluble iodine, which is equal to the amount of this element in seafood.

Amino acids are represented by arginine, asparagine, glutamine, tyrosine, alanine.

Useful properties of overseas feijoa berries

So, what is feijoa useful for:

  • High content, which is very necessary for strong immunity.
  • Sufficient soluble and insoluble fiber.
  • Feijoa fruits contain a decent amount of protein, including essential amino acids.
  • A significant content of various biologically active substances from the category of antioxidants, which help to maintain Youth and Health at a good level for a long time.
  • Excellent prevention of cancer. Ideally cleanses the blood, removes toxins, poisons, toxins from the cells of the body.
  • Helps to lose weight, quickly and easily get rid of a couple of kilograms. Especially when combined with exercise ☺
  • The peel of this fruit is considered edible, and it contains the maximum amount of nutrients (including cancer-protective). Therefore, eat it whole with the peel, just rinse it very thoroughly beforehand! But the peel does not have a very pleasant, tart taste. Although, I think, those who really need it will eat with the peel too ☺
  • An excellent therapeutic and prophylactic agent for gastritis, hepatitis, pancreatitis, atherosclerosis, pyelonephritis.
  • An ideal remedy for vitamin deficiency, inflammation in the gastrointestinal tract.
  • Perfectly removes excess fluid, prevents the appearance of edema.
  • Improves complexion, oxygenates the blood.
  • Helps with rheumatism, has antibacterial, antifungal properties, heals acne, acne on the skin.
  • Soothes, relieves high, removes headaches, lowers blood sugar and cholesterol levels.
  • Helps with painful, heavy menstruation.
  • An excellent remedy for diseases of the heart, blood vessels.
  • It helps well those who suffer from joint diseases, salt deposition.

How is feijoa eaten?

Let's consider the main ways how you can eat feijoa:

  • It can (and should ☺) be eaten fresh more often.
  • You can add to various dishes, desserts, cook jam, jam, compote.
  • Often the fruits are ground with sugar or honey, and stored in the refrigerator. A great tool for strengthening the immune system instead of the usual jam.
  • Sometimes feijoa is served along with meat and fish dishes.
  • The most great benefit for health will bring freshly squeezed juice from this fruit.
  • To do this, you need to choose sweet and juicy fruits. Without peeling the skin, squeeze the juice with a press. An auger juicer works well.
  • The juice can be mixed with juices from other fruits and berries.
  • You can make smoothies in which you can also mix feijoa with different fruits, berries, herbs, honey.
  • Excellent and delicious drink- fruit infusion with the addition of honey. To do this, pure feijoa fruits are crushed with water, honey in a blender.
  • Very often, thoroughly washed, dried and ground fruit peels are used as a therapeutic and prophylactic natural supplement.
  • The dried peel is used to brew medicinal teas.

Can you eat feijoa with peel?

Phenolic compounds of catherine and leukoanthocyanins, found in the peel of feijoa fruits, are considered to be the strongest antioxidants, they also help prevent cancer and delay the aging of the body.

Therefore, the fruit can be eaten with the peel, although the latter has a tart, astringent taste.

Who should not eat feijoa - contraindications to use

Despite the benefits of feijoa, there are many contraindications to the use of its fruits and medicinal extracts:

  • Not for people with diabetes and overweight.
  • As a result of eating unripe fruits, digestive upset is also observed, possibly poisoning.
  • It should not be for people with hyperthyroidism, since an overdose of iodine is dangerous to health.
  • You cannot combine feijoa berries with milk due to the presence of pectin in the fruits.
  • Not recommended for pregnant and lactating women
  • Fruits are not recommended for children, as allergic reactions are possible.

Here is some information about what feijoa is useful for today. I really hope that you will find it useful.

50

My dear readers, today we will have a slightly exotic topic. To start, I just want to ask you: Have you heard of feijoa? Have you tried it? If not, then I strongly advise you to pay attention to it. I would like to just humor a little: if someone still did not know feijoa, life has passed or is passing by. Today I invite you to talk about this berry, we will talk about the useful and medicinal properties of feijoa and about contraindications.

I first heard about feijoa when my daughter and I were undergoing treatment in onco-hematology. The diagnosis was very serious. I have already written our history. And now I remember so often the head nurse. She advised us to buy berries in the season of selling berries and give them to our children. They delay the growth of cancer cells and are good for the blood, strengthen the body. Since then I have always started to buy feijoa during the season. You can buy feijoa in a large supermarket, but I like buying them more in the market, there you can find fresher berries, and there is always more choice.

Feijoa smell and taste

To me, this berry tastes like a mixture of kiwi, strawberry and pineapple aromas. Believe me, very delicious berry, although it seems not very attractive, perhaps at first glance. The pulp is very juicy. Feel free to ask the seller to cut open the fruit and reveal the pulp. There are so many subtleties here. If you see white pulp then the fruit is unripe. There is nothing good in it. If the pulp is brown, it means that the fruit is already unfit for eating. The most ripe feijoa fruit with completely transparent flesh.

It is best eaten by scraping the flesh out with a spoon. I personally do not like the skin. This is not for everybody. You can buy a little unripe fruit and let it lie at home for just a couple of days.

Feijoa. Composition. Calorie content

The unusual appearance of tropical fruits hides a fragrant, delicate taste and many useful substances. Tropical pods include:

  • micro and macroelements: iodine, iron, manganese, zinc, silicon, magnesium, phosphorus, potassium and calcium and others;
  • vitamins - B3, B5, C, A, B1, B6, PP;
  • acids - folic and malic;
  • amino acids - arginine, asparagine, glutamine, tyrosine, alanine;
  • pectin;
  • tannins;
  • essential oils;
  • biologically active substances - tannin, leukoanthocin and kakhetin;
  • enzymes;

The nutritional value of the fruits of 100 g of feijoa is 1.24 g of protein, 0.78 g of fat, 10.63 g of carbohydrates.

Feijoa calories

The calorie content of 100 g of exotic fruits is 49 kcal per 100 grams of berries.

Feijoa. Photo

This is what this berry looks like:

Feijoa. Useful and medicinal properties. Benefit and harm

The fruits have gained great popularity due to the content of a highly concentrated organic compound of iodine. Therefore, feijoa is considered an ideal remedy for the prevention of iodine deficiency. Doctors recommend tropical fruits for thyroid patients and knowledge workers. Together with the vitamin complex, iodine improves the functioning of the endocrine system and normalizes metabolism.

The significant content of pectins makes it possible to use feijoa fruits for the manufacture of marmalade and jelly. Pectin is soluble fiber, helps to reduce appetite and improve digestive processes.

Reduces cholesterol levels.

This berry is very useful for the heart.

Natural medicine for all hypertensive patients.

It cleanses the blood, very useful for anemia.

The peel of exotic fruits contains tannins, which give a tart taste, and the biologically active substances leukoanthocin and kakhetin are considered powerful antioxidants. The peel is almost never used for food, it can be easily separated from the pulp, then dried and added to tea.

Due to its vitamin composition, the fruit has an immunomodulatory effect, therefore it is recommended to eat feijoa with an exacerbation of colds, in the postoperative period and after serious illnesses.

Many nutritionists advise including feijoa in your diet with unstable gastrointestinal tract, constipation, various diseases of the intestines, pancreas, liver, and stomach.

If it becomes possible to get feijoa leaves, I advise you to dry them and cook in winter. tasty tea... The leaves contain a lot of essential oils with a myrtle scent.

The prepared infusion and decoction of the fruits, bark and leaves of feijoa has an antiseptic and disinfectant effect. It can be used in the treatment of kidney inflammation, treat wounds, abrasions, cuts, rinse your mouth with periodontal disease,

Thanks to antioxidants, essential oils and other beneficial substances, feijoa actively affects pathogenic microorganisms and has a strong antibacterial and antifungal effect.

I want to draw your attention to the fact that the iodine content in fruits depends on the area where feijoa grows. In those areas where the soil contains little iodine or in indoor conditions, the fruits are ineffective for the prevention of iodine deficiency.

Feijoa. Harm. Contraindications

We learned the beneficial properties of feijoa, but I want to warn you that you should be careful about your health and take into account all contraindications before eating feijoa.

If you come across unripe feijoa in the market, it is better to let them lie down next to the bananas for a few days. room temperature... This will speed up the ripening of the fruit and save you from digestive disorders, because an unripe tropical fruit can cause poisoning.

Feijoa should not be mixed with dairy products or washed down with milk, so that there is no disruption of the gastrointestinal tract. The reason is that the pectins contained in the fruit are not compatible with milk.

In advance, you should consult a doctor in case of diabetes mellitus. Large amounts of sugars can do significant harm.

Feijoa berries can be consumed in small quantities for lactating and pregnant women. Consider whether iodine preparations were previously prescribed by doctors in order to exclude iodine overdose and feeling unwell.

To prevent all the consequences, we can say to everyone once again one wise thing: never "lean" on any products. And if this is your first time trying something, always try a little at a time. We are all different. And your reaction to even the simplest, most common and useful products for many can be individual.

The use of feijoa for medicinal purposes

Most healthy recipe, in my opinion, which I myself prepare and I strongly advise you to apply. This recipe, in my opinion, is universal, suitable for both adults and children. I gave it to my daughter, and I always used it myself.

The universal recipe for feijoa health benefits

It is very simple to prepare it. Wash and dry the fruits. Cut off the tails of the berries. I never peel off the peel. And then use either a meat grinder or a blender. It turns out such a mass of pleasant emerald color. Add granulated sugar to it. The nurse advised us to keep the proportions 1: 1. But I often put less granulated sugar. For 1 kg of berries, 600 grams of granulated sugar. You can add an orange, nuts here (it is especially good to add walnuts). Mix everything thoroughly. Fold into glass jar... Put in the refrigerator. Take a teaspoon 3 times a day.

If you are preparing such a recipe with an orange, it must be peeled and chopped either in a meat grinder or in a blender.

I will talk in more detail about recipes with feijoa in a separate article. Here I will give only the basic and short recipes how feijoa can be used for health.

With stress, depression eat 5-6 fruits a day. Cheers up, tasty and healthy.

For prevention diseases of the cardiovascular system squeeze out 1 tablespoon of juice and mix with ¼ glass of water. Drink once a day, anytime.

For treatment and prevention atherosclerosis make feijoa and orange jam.

Very good at problems with blood vessels use my universal recipe. And here's another recipe. Blanch with 0.5 kg. feijoa. Do not remove the peel from the fruit, then grind with a blender and add 1 kg. sugar until juice appears. Boil for 5-10 minutes, add juice from one orange and cook until tender. But when cooking jam, many useful substances are still destroyed. But it turns out very tasty.

For the prevention and treatment of diseases thyroid gland with iodine deficiency, half an hour before meals, take 1 tablespoon of feijoa puree.

At hypertension grind the feijoa fruits in a blender, mix with sugar in a 1: 1 ratio and take one tablespoon twice a day.

At hepatitis A(jaundice) drink tea from a mixture of feijoa flowers and leaves (in equal proportions). Pour one tablespoon of the mixture with a glass of boiling water and leave for half an hour. Drink twice a day. Tea from the leaves also helps with goiter.

Several fruits in your diet will help you in the following situations:

  • rheumatic pains;
  • anemia;
  • malaria and scurvy;
  • painful periods;
  • bronchitis;
  • high cholesterol;
  • gout;
  • Graves' disease;
  • acne;
  • atonic constipation;
  • reduced immunity.

I suggest you watch an interesting video about the beneficial properties of feijoa. I strongly advise you to watch the video. The market where these berries are sold is shown, advice is given on how to choose feijoa, how it is useful.

And if you did buy a feijoa on the market, I strongly advise you to pamper yourself. Let's prepare something tasty and don't forget about the face with the décolleté area.

The use of feijoa in cosmetology

Due to its medicinal composition, the pulp from the feijoa fruit is used in cosmetic purposes... She provides:

  • anti-inflammatory;
  • anti-aging;
  • nutritious;
  • improving blood circulation
  • softening
  • refreshing action.

Masks based on tropical fruits will help get rid of rosacea, acne, age spots on the face, give elasticity to the skin and improve the appearance of the face. For the same purposes, you can also use a decoction of feijoa leaves.

Feijoa face mask recipe:

  • yolk from one egg;
  • a tablespoon of olive oil;
  • 2 tbsp. spoons of cottage cheese;
  • pulp from half of the feijoa fruit.

Grind feijoa in a blender and mix with other ingredients. Apply the prepared mixture to the skin of the face and neck. Wash up warm water in 20 minutes. Lubricate your face with moisturizer.

You can also use just the pulp of the berry for a mask. Also a very good effect. I like it myself. Especially when there is no time to mix something there, there is simply no time, but you want a mood and freshness of your face. Just remember to test on your wrist if this mask is right for you.

The use of feijoa in cooking

Tropical fruits go well with a variety of foods. You can add oily and citrus fruits, fresh or boiled beets, carrots, apples to salads. Refuel better yogurt or low-fat sour cream.

Feijoa with beets. Salad

Boil 400 gr. beets, grate. Wash and chop 200 gr. feijoa pods, mix with beets and add crushed kernels walnuts... For such a quantity of products, take about 5-7 pieces of walnuts. Salt to taste and season vegetable oil... You can add feta cheese and sesame seeds.

To get rid of the deficiency of substances necessary for vital activity, it is enough to include foods saturated with them in your diet. Feijoa fruits are especially valuable for women's health. Their benefits lie not only in the content of large amounts of iodine: the mineral composition of the fruit is much richer.

What is contained in feijoa

Due to the presence of numerous trace elements and vitamins in the composition of the fruit, its benefits are beyond doubt:

  • It contains a record high concentration of rapidly assimilated iodine necessary to stay in good shape;
  • Contains significant volumes zinc- an important trace element for the normal implementation of reproductive function;
  • The fruit also contains potassium, magnesium, phosphorus, iron, sodium;
  • A large number of group vitaminsB,CC, P.
To forget about the negative consequences of iodine deficiency, it is enough to eat 3-5 feijoa fruits weekly

Benefits are not only fruits: the skin contains the predominant amount of useful phenolic compounds.

Why women need to eat feijoa

The above-mentioned rich mineral and vitamin composition definitely has a positive effect on the body. More specifically, the benefits of feijoa for women consist in the following functions:

  • Provides treatment and prevention of almost all diseases of the endocrine system, with the exception of cases of contraindication of feijoa;
  • Promotes the rapid treatment of vitamin deficiency;
  • Strengthens the body's immunity and resistance to viruses and infections. Due to this property, feijoa is recommended for women in the postoperative period or after a serious illness;
  • The fiber contained in the fruit normalizes the functioning of the gastrointestinal tract. Their regular use in food relieves symptoms during exacerbation of gastritis, pancreatitis, liver diseases;
  • Due to a sufficiently high concentration of iron, the fruit is able to normalize a low level of hemoglobin;
  • Fights successfully against fungal, pathogenic cells;
  • The ability of fetuses to fight cancer cells was revealed. They are also very effective as a means of preventing cancer;
  • Malic acid in the composition helps to establish blood circulation, improves metabolism;
  • With the help of nicotinic acid, the berry improves the functioning of the nervous system, normalizes blood pressure;
  • Promotes rapid healing of wounds, abrasions, in particular, removes inflammation and wounds on the gums, if you use a decoction from the peel as a lotion;
  • Improves the work of the reproductive system in women;
  • Feijoa masks have a beneficial effect on the condition of the skin, treat acne, rosacea, reduce stars from blood vessels and traces of pigmentation.

Feijoa during pregnancy

A woman during gestation is very careful and thoughtful about her diet - it depends on how actively the baby will grow and develop, as well as how the pregnant woman herself will feel.

Usually, doctors recommend eating vegetables and fruits grown in the climatic zone in which the woman predominantly lives. But with this approach, it is extremely difficult to provide a balanced diet during the winter season. Adding feijoa fruits to the diet can help out well in such a situation.

Their benefits during pregnancy due to such features:

  • Composition exotic fruit simultaneously turns on vitamins PP and C... it a good combination for a woman, since the second vitamin, in the presence of the first, is absorbed many times faster;
  • Fruit saturation plays an important role. iodine and iron... In the first trimester of pregnancy, at about 12 weeks, the fetus begins to develop a thyroid gland, therefore, during this period, feijoa is especially recommended. Moreover, its trace elements are easily absorbed;
  • It contains enough folic acid- an obligatory substance that contributes to the normal course of pregnancy.
If a pregnant woman is taking iodine-containing preparations, the use of feijoa should be treated with caution: it is worth consulting in advance with the observing doctor

Who should refrain from feijoa

There are several groups of people who should be extra careful about eating the fruit.

  • Though ripe fruit extremely rarely provokes an allergic reaction, nevertheless, at the first meeting, it is better to test the fruit by taking a small piece and waiting for a while. At the slightest sign of allergy, it is worth abandoning further use;
  • Do not take feijoa and dairy products at the same time, especially for women with a weakened gastrointestinal tract: this combination will provide an upset stomach;
  • Due to the high concentration of iodine, the fruits are contraindicated in hypertyrosis;
  • There is a rather controversial opinion as to whether feijoa can or should not be taken if diabetes has developed. There is no direct contraindication of fetuses in diabetes mellitus. Depending on the patient's indicators, the doctor's advice may be different: if there is vitamin deficiency, depression, arterial diseases along with diabetes, the fruit is allowed in small quantities, and in case of obesity, it is better to refuse it.

Today, many of us have access to exotic berries and fruits - they come from different parts of the world.

Juicy and fleshy berries with sepals of dark green color, taste and aroma reminiscent of a combination of kiwi, strawberry, strawberry and pineapple, pleases us with a fruit crop common in regions with a subtropical climate, under the extravagant name of feijoa. Beneficial features and contraindications of fruits, we will consider today.

The benefits of feijoa for the body lie in the biochemical composition of juicy green fruits. The tender green pulp contains natural sugars, organic acids, dietary fiber, phytosterols, antioxidants, pectins, bioflavonoids, unsaturated (oleic, linoleic, linolenic) and saturated (palmitic, stearic) fatty acid, a whole complex of vitamins, macro- and microelements.

Berries are the leader among plant foods in terms of iodine content (0.2–0.39 mg per 100 g). Even seafood can compete with them. Only 3-4 ripe fruits satisfy daily requirement an adult healthy person in a given chemical element.

Feijoa is also prized for its high content of ascorbic acid. The amount of vitamin C is about the same as in citrus fruits... The berries also contain other vitamins that are no less important for the body - groups B and PP (in small doses), as well as rare elements - silicon, potassium, molybdenum, chromium, cobalt, boron, rubidium.

Due to the iodine present in the fruits, which is in a bioavailable form for the body and is completely absorbed in the intestines, feijoa must be included in the diet of people with thyroid problems, for example, with Graves' disease.

According to experienced nutritionists, feijoa is recommended for inclusion in a therapeutic and prophylactic diet, it is useful for the prevention and treatment of kidney and gastrointestinal diseases. Gastroenterologists advise everyone who suffers from chronic constipation to regularly feast on feijoa.

  • The product has a beneficial effect on the immune system and protects us from viruses and bacteria, stress and depression, vitamin deficiency and mineral imbalances.

Regular inclusion of aromatic berries in the menu is beneficial for the nervous system, as well as for everyone experiencing mental and emotional overload, for example, students during a session, decision-makers, businessmen or people engaged in intellectual work.

In some countries, the beneficial properties of feijoa for men are very much appreciated - the daily inclusion of feijoa in the diet helps to prevent inflammation in the prostate. Also, the product normalizes hormones and enhances the sexual activity of men.

The benefits of exotics for women are invaluable. Replacing traditional desserts with delicious sweet and sour berries, you not only minimize the use of sugar, which negatively affects your body condition, but also activate your metabolism.

Feijoa has been used for centuries in home cosmetology to improve the condition of the facial skin. Systematic procedures (masks with fruit pulp) are a proven method of slowing down the aging process and reducing the depth of age wrinkles.

The use of feijoa in cooking

The product is low in calories (50 kcal / 100 g) and can be used in different diets... Since the berry itself has an exceptional taste, it is replaced by traditional dishes with sugar. Most often, feijoa is added to desserts: fruit salads with whipped cream and ice cream, preserves, jams, confitures, compotes, lemonades are made from the product.

  • Very often, confectioners use green pulp for fillings of cakes, pastries, sweets.

V dietary nutrition the beneficial properties of feijoa are actively used. How to cook and properly consume delicious fruits? Cut the ripe fruit in half and select the pulp with a teaspoon, leaving the skin intact.

The high concentration of organic acids allows you to harvest the product without further preservation, for example, simply rubbing the berries with sugar or honey. Such a delicacy will help eliminate iodine deficiency in the body.

Traditional medicine recipes with feijoa

The pulp, grated with sugar, is an excellent tool for lowering blood pressure, cleaning blood vessels, and improving blood composition. Pass the peeled berries with granulated sugar (2: 1) through a meat grinder or puree in a blender, transfer the tasty mixture to a clean glass jar and take a tablespoon three times a day as healthy dessert... Store the medicine in the refrigerator.

Fresh fruit juice diluted with water (15 ml per glass of drinking water) helps to improve the condition of the myocardium and blood vessels, eliminate iodine deficiency, and say goodbye to constipation. Take one glass at a time healing drink per day. To enhance the effect, you can add to the elixir natural honey(tea spoon).

Fresh feijoa fruits are an ideal remedy for gout, constipation, colds, diseases of the bronchopulmonary system and hypovitaminosis. Maximum benefit from exotics can be obtained by consuming 3-5 medium fruits per day (the weight of berries varies from 30 to 120 grams).

Healing jam will help in the treatment and prevention of atherosclerosis. Also, the composition is recommended in the winter-autumn period to enhance immunity and prevent spring beriberi. 1/2 kg of unpeeled fruits are blanched, crushed and covered with 1 kg of sugar.

After the juice is released, the mass is boiled over low heat for 10 minutes, freshly squeezed juice of 1 large orange is added to it and simmer on the stove until tender (about 5-7 minutes). The jam is rolled up in sterile jars or stored under a plastic lid in the refrigerator.

Can feijoa harm your health? Like any fruit, this exotic has a number of limitations.

At first, the product is contraindicated for everyone with individual intolerance, which is often observed in people with overseas fruits.

Be wary of adding berries to your menu if you've never tasted them before. Do not feed small children with fruit.

Secondly, do not exceed the dosage recommended by nutritionists (5 pcs per day for an adult or about 0.3 kg), as you can get an allergic reaction to the product and an overdose of iodine, which is expressed in increased nervous excitability, anxiety, causeless irritability, arrhythmias, surges in body temperature.

Absolutely forbidden the use of fruits for people suffering from hyperthyroidism (hyperthyroidism), due to the high concentration of easily digestible forms of iodine. If you have endocrine diseases, then you should definitely consult with a supervising specialist.

  • Treat feijoa with caution if you have diabetes mellitus, obesity, pancreatitis, gastritis with high acidity.

Avoid the combination of feijoa and whole milk as it can lead to an upset stomach. The exotic is best combined with fermented milk drinks and products - natural yoghurt, kefir, sour cream, cottage cheese.

Do not eat berries with signs of rotting. Purchased fruits can be stored in the refrigerator for no longer than 1 week. Failure to follow this advice can lead to food poisoning by the waste products of pathogens.

Having carefully studied the composition of feijoa, its benefits and harms to health, you can consciously improve the condition of the body by including this product to your daily menu. Appreciate the therapeutic effect exotic berries it is possible only if its use is systematic. A single dose will not bring the desired result.

Be healthy!

There are fruits that have a pronounced seasonal demand. These include the fruits of feijoa, about the benefits and dangers of which today's story. They begin to appear on store shelves from the beginning of autumn. Although they say that nature does not have bad weather, the autumn slush and winter frosts make one think about getting as many nutrients as possible into the body. And everyone who is on guard of their health revises the menu, trying to include more vitamins in it.

According to one of the legends, people received a wonderful fruit as a gift from the gods for their obedience. But the history of the conquest of Europe in the fruit began quite late, in comparison with other exotic fruits, in the 19th century. It was then that the Brazilian naturalist João da Silva Feijo discovered it to the inhabitants of the Old World. We owe it to him for the inconveniently pronounced name of the fruit.

In its homeland, South America, the feijoa fruit is better known as akka. It grows on a tree of the myrtle family, sometimes reaching 4 meters in height. In our country, fruits ripen in the South of Russia, the Caucasus, in the Crimea.

Feijoa - benefit and harm

Some people seriously consider feijoa a hybrid of strawberries, pineapple and kiwi (I wrote about it recently, you can follow the link and read). Ripe feijoa tastes like them. The impression can be spoiled by the dense peel of the fruit, but I will tell you about the correct eating of the fruit below.

Although ... feijoa peel itself is also beneficial, it contains health-promoting substances. Therefore, it is unwise to throw it away, it is better to dry it and then add it while brewing tea.

If we talk about the benefits and harms of feijoa to our body, then, first of all, it is worth starting with the natural substances that make up its composition.

  • First, feijoa is among the fruits that are deservedly considered champions in iodine content. The compounds of the most important element are easily absorbed, since they are rapidly dissolving, which is especially important for those living in areas that are unfavorable in terms of iodine content.
  • The list of substances can be supplemented with potassium, zinc, magnesium, manganese, iron, phosphorus, sodium, copper and calcium.
  • The vitamin range is also very impressive: these are vitamins C, PP, group B - 9, 6, 5, 2, 1. The fruit contains fats, proteins, carbohydrates, unsaturated fats, unsaturated acids, dietary fiber, and sugars. Add amino acids, there are only 5 of them, and among them are alanine, asparagine, tyrosine, arginine, glutamine, the proportion of which increases as the fetus ripens.

It is important to know - most of the phenolic compounds are found in the skin of the fruit, thanks to which the fruits have an astringent taste.

Why feijoa is useful

Let's answer the question why you should eat feijoa and how is it useful?

  1. For the treatment and prevention of almost all endocrine diseases, except for hypothyroidism (more details in contraindications to the use of the fruit).
  2. Useful for vitamin deficiency.
  3. Strengthens the immune system, helps to treat colds and viral diseases. Helps to quickly recover from surgery and serious illness.
  4. They are extremely beneficial to the intestines, due to the presence of a large amount of fiber. Recommended for patients with gastritis, diseases of the pancreas, liver.
  5. Hypertension, diseases of the heart and blood vessels.
  6. Berries are an excellent source of iron; it is recommended to take them with a low hemoglobin.
  7. Possesses antifungal and antibacterial action, negatively affects pathogenic organisms.
  8. There is an opinion: the plant has an anti-cancer effect. Whether this is so is unknown, but for prevention and with this disease, it is useful to take berries as a tasty medicine.
  9. Wound, ulcers, abrasions. Prepare a decoction from the bark, leaves and apply lotions to the sore spot.
  10. Inflammation of the gums, toothache - a decoction from the leaves and bark of the tree will help.

Feijoa for diabetes

There is no categorical prohibition on the use of feijoa for patients with diabetes. Worth noting: Some diets targeted at people with high blood sugar levels healthy fruit is present.

But doctors strictly warn: you should not change your sense of proportion. Overeating of the fruit is strictly prohibited, since there are quite a few different sugars in the composition of the fruit, which, to varying degrees, affect the level of indicators.

  • The fruit is useful for patients, in addition to diabetes, suffering from depression, vitamin deficiency, an inflammatory process in the digestive tract, and arterial disease.
  • With obesity and hyperthyroidism (the thyroid gland produces too many hormones), feijoa fruits are harmful.

Important! Avoid other sources of simple sugars at the same time as feijoa. Make sure the fruit is ripe, or even slightly overripe.

The benefits and harms of feijoa for pregnant women

Women are very responsible for nutrition during pregnancy. The main condition is balance, diversity and its benefits, since now there is an active growth, development of the baby, the laying of all organs.

But ... unfortunately, it is at this time that it is unimaginably drawn to various harmfulness. Usually, doctors recommend eating more fruits and vegetables to support the body, and preferably those grown in the climatic zone where you live. In winter, you must admit, this is unlikely to be done.

Feijoa is great for pregnant women, despite the exoticism. Why is feijoa useful during pregnancy?

  • Vitamins. The most important women are PP, in the company with which vitamin C is absorbed much better.
  • Iron and iodine will become invaluable natural substances during this period. The latter is easily absorbed and quickly goes to the fetus. Pay attention to the feijoa at the 12th week of pregnancy - the thyroid gland begins to form in the child.

Important! If you are prescribed preparations with the addition of iodine, which doctors often do when carrying a child, the use of the fruit should be limited, since an excess of iodine is as harmful as a deficiency.

Feijoa benefits for women

We women are most interested in whether feijoa can be adapted for personal care. The benefits of natural cosmetics are undeniable, and fruits meet all the requirements. Fruit masks perfectly rejuvenate the skin, give elasticity, and improve the complexion.

Beneficial for inflamed, acne-covered skin. It will help with, reducing the appearance of spider veins, relieve pigmentation.

Preparation of a rejuvenating mask:

  • Mix the curd, olive oil, yolk and chopped feijoa berries. Apply for 20 minutes and be beautiful!

The use of feijoa in the treatment of diseases - recipes

In the treatment of various ailments, feijoa berries are used, and if you live in the place where a tree grows, then leaves, flowers and bark.

  1. Jaundice. Brew tea from the leaves of the plant by adding dried flowers.
  2. For the prevention and treatment of thyroid disease. Use tree leaves. Prepared from them medicinal tea: a tablespoon is brewed with a glass of boiling water and infused for half an hour.
  3. Nephritis. Tea with the addition of a spoonful of honey will help.
  4. Atherosclerosis. Make raw jam from the fruit and spoon it for treatment, prevention and pleasure.
  5. Thyroid. Do not miss the feijoa season, friends, and you will forget about thyroid problems. Raw berry jam will help, in which, to enhance the effect, add honey instead of sugar.

Feijoa jam:

Everyone will love raw fruit jam: chop the feijoa in a meat grinder and add sugar. Take the same amount of berries and sweetness.

Feijoa - photo

Feijoa calories

In dietary nutrition, the feijoa fruit is respected for its low nutritional value- it is not high. If you are concerned about being overweight and striving to lose weight, feel free to include healthy fruit in the menu.

Calorie content of feijoa per 100 gr. - 52 - kcal.

How to choose and eat feijoa correctly

For timely delivery to the buyer, fruit picking begins in advance, not yet ripe enough. The fruits do not lose their benefits during long-term transportation. But if you have chosen an already ripe specimen, then eat it right away, it spoils quite quickly.

The ripe fruit has a thin skin of a dark green color, the pulp is jelly-like, light pink with a slight yellowish tinge. The unripe fruit should lie down a little so that it ripens faster, put a ripe banana next to it.

How to eat fruit? Cut into small pieces and eat without the peel by cutting it off with a knife. As soon as it contains the lion's share of useful properties, it would be more expedient to eat the fruit completely. Most people cut the akk in half and then spoon out the pulp with a spoon.

Add fruits to salad, use in the preparation of snacks, sauce, sandwiches, desserts, smoothies. Read the recipe for making feijoa jam just above.

Harm and contraindications to use

If you want to get the maximum benefit and minimum harm from the fruit, read carefully about the contraindications to the use of feijoa.

Ripe fruit rarely causes an allergic reaction, but when trying for the first time, try a small piece first and follow the reaction of the body. This must be done without fail, especially for those who know about allergies firsthand.

  • Among the recommendations, there is one caveat: do not mix feijoa with milk and products from it - intestinal upset is guaranteed.
  • Do not offer fruits to children under one year old, as their body lacks enzymes that absorb the fruits.
  • The fruit contains almost a record amount of iodine. Refuse to use it in case of hyperthyroidism, it will have a detrimental effect on the body.
  • With diabetes, you should not completely abandon feijoa, but since it has a high sugar content, do not get carried away, and use the fruit only with the permission of your doctor.

Impressive, isn't it? In addition to the information, I have compiled a video about the benefits and dangers of feijoa to the health of the body. Be healthy! With love ... Galina Nekrasova.