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Tag: fruit juice

  • 3 Delicious Recipes You Can Add Guava Juice to for Better Health

    3 Delicious Recipes You Can Add Guava Juice to for Better Health

    Many wonderful recipes call for fruit juice for a tangy, sweet kick. But substituting guava juice can amp up the dish’s taste even more, while also adding a significant health boost. Here are a few recipes that you can add guava juice to:

    1. Orange Juice Chicken

    Orange juice chicken is a popular baked chicken dish where the chicken is marinated with orange juice, mustard, brown sugar, and onion. In some instances, butter and flour are used for better texture.

    Guava juice has the same sweet, sour, and tangy flavor as orange juice, except with an added strawberry-esque side. Switching orange juice with guava juice makes this chicken dish healthier because it has 500 percent more vitamin C and 200 percent more vitamin E, but only about half the calories.




    2. Juicy Apple Juice Steak

    Kansas City is known for its steaks and barbecue meats. One of their famous recipes involves steak marinated in apple juice. A marinade of apple juice, vinegar, molasses, basil, lemon juice, black pepper, garlic, and other ingredients is prepared and blended with a strip or ribeye raw steak. The steak is then grilled or baked and served juicy.

    Apple juice and guava juice share a similar sweet flavor, but guava juice also has the tangy sour properties of lemon juice. Since the marinade calls for both apple and lemon juice, you can switch out both for guava juice. Guava juice has multiple times more vitamins than apple juice, including 300 percent more vitamins A, C, B3, and B6. It also has a bit more important minerals, like magnesium, iron, and potassium.

    3. Coconut Green Juice

    Green juices are a mainstay for health buffs – but it’s not exactly easy to gulp down a straight drink of blended cruciferous vegetables and water. That’s why green juices are mixed with a sweet, but healthy ingredient – and fruits or their juices are popular choices. Kale and coconut juice is one such combination.

    Organic kale is blended with some choice ingredients and coconut juice for flavor. Coconut juice itself has antioxidants and nutrients, which adds more to the already antioxidant-rich green juice.

    Using guava juice instead of coconut juice makes this green juice a lot more flavorful and easier to drink. Guava juice shares the sweetness of coconut juice, and may be even sweeter. It also adds a rich tangy flavor to the mix.

    Doing so also boosts the drink’s health benefits many fold. Guava juice has only a fifth of coconut juice’s calories, but is far more rich in antioxidants. Guava juice also has multiple times more vitamins C, A, E, B3, B6, K and others. It also has more minerals.

    If one of the recipes you frequently use involves some kind of fruit or fruit juice, use guava juice instead. Chances are good that guava juice is far healthier than your usual ingredient. It’s just that guava juice isn’t as popular, so most recipe makers aren’t aware of its powerful flavor and health benefits. Guava juice is also weight loss-friendly since it usually has half or less of the calories of your usual fruit juice – so that’s something to consider if you’re trying to shed some pounds!

  • Guava Juice Is Becoming More Mainstream

    Guava Juice Is Becoming More Mainstream

    It’s a brisk afternoon and you’re looking for something sweet to quench your thirst and give you a little jolt from the doldrums of paperwork. You might soon be able to grab a bottle of guava juice at the nearest newspaper stand by the office. Guava juice is slowly becoming more mainstream and is a healthier drink compared with other fruit juices.

    Guava Juice Is Getting Popular Worldwide

    You may have never heard of guava juice, but that may soon change. Did you know most juice products already contain some kind of guava juice additive? It’s also being used in more alcoholic beverages, soda products, and a main ingredient in specialty juice mixes.

    In South Africa, the Mos Mag Fruit Juice is starting to spread across the country as a new niche market of fruit and milk blend drinks. One of its three top products is guava juice concentrate infused with milk, creating a unique, juicy beverage.

    Coca-Cola India announced the upcoming release of guava juice sodas under their Minute Maid brand by 2022. They say they’re trying to nurture the economy and resources of the naturally grown guava in the region. Soda isn’t very healthy, but Coca-Cola stated they’re planning on using real guava juice in their upcoming products, which means these sodas should be healthier than regular sodas.

    In America, Clown Shoes Brewery is selling a guava juice beer mix that tastes more like creamy juice than beer. Their Josh the Guava King beer is being sold in 30 states, including New York and California.

    Odd Side Ales has also concocted its own guava juice beer, naming it “Pink Guava Dank Juice.” It’s being sold exclusively around Illinois and Michigan.

    The popular healthy juice mix company, Jamba Juice, has also adopted guava juice into their product family. They created their “Gotta Guava” guava juice smoothie and are marketing it as a refreshing, healthy summer drink for people living active lifestyles.




    Guava Juice and Diabetes

    Guava juice’s mainstream adoption can also help curb the diabetes mellitus epidemic. The World Health Organization states that there are now about 400 percent more people suffering from diabetes mellitus than in 1980. Guava juice has been found to help manage blood sugar levels with similar effectiveness as pharmaceutical diabetes mellitus medications.

    If more people are switching out their regular sugary drinks and fruit juices that don’t offer protection from diabetes mellitus, then this could help lower international incidences of diabetes mellitus. Such an effect has already been evidenced in Papau New Guinea. In its Kalo region, residents consume more guava and researchers have linked this consumption with their markedly lower incidences of diabetes mellitus compared with the other regions.

    This overall movement to adopt guava juice into mainstream beverages is overall healthy. Guava juice is healthier than most fruit juices and can only boost the nutrition and health benefits of the mainstream products it’s being mixed into. One of these health benefits is helping fight the rising diabetes mellitus epidemic.

    Sources:

    http://www.who.int/mediacentre/factsheets/fs312/en/
    https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/19114402

  • How Guava Juice Is More Nutritious for You Than These 7 Popular Fruit Juices

    How Guava Juice Is More Nutritious for You Than These 7 Popular Fruit Juices

    Guava juice is healthier than most fruit juices, including apple and orange juice! But sadly, this exotic fruit juice is less known, leading many people to choose less nutritious, more sugary fruit juices over it. Here are a few fruit juices that aren’t as healthy as guava juice.

    Most people have a glass of fruit juice in the morning – usually orange juice. They think they’re doing their health a favor, which is true. But they don’t realize there are healthier fruit juices out there – like guava juice. Guava juice is actually healthier than many popular fruit juices.

    If you’re one of those who enjoy a glass of fruit juice once a day, here are some that you should switch for guava juice and why:

    1. Guava Juice Has More Vitamin C Than Orange Juice But With Fewer Calories

    Orange juice is known for its vitamin C content. When you need vitamin C to fight off a cold or scurvy, you’re quick to go for the OJ. But did you know that guava juice would have five times more vitamin C than orange juice (if you assume they use the same amount of guava as oranges in one glass of fruit juice)?

    And if the same number of guavas are used as the number of oranges in one glass of fruit juice, then a glass of guava juice would also have about half the calories of a glass of orange juice!

    Guava juice also has more vitamin A than orange juice, and twice the amount of vitamin E. Guava juice has vitamin K, while orange juice does not. But orange juice does have more B vitamins than guava juice.

    Choose guava juice if your reason for drinking orange juice is primarily to get vitamin C.

    2. Guava Juice Has More Vitamin A Than Apple Juice With Half the Calories

    If apple juice is your thing, you should know guava juice is better. One glass of guava juice has over three times the amount of vitamins A, B3, B6, and C as one glass of apple juice. It also has about 20 percent more magnesium, potassium, phosphorous, and vitamin E than one glass of apple juice.

    If you’re anemic, one glass of guava juice has twice more iron than one glass of apple juice.

    But if you’re looking for vitamin K, guava juice falls behind because one glass of apple juice has about four times more vitamin K than one glass of guava juice.

    3. Guava Juice Has More Vitamin E Than Pineapple Juice With Less Than Half the Calories

    If you make your own pineapple juice and use the same amount of fruit as you would to make guava juice, then guava juice would come out nutritionally on top. One glass of guava juice would have 400 percent more vitamin E than one glass of pineapple juice. But that one glass of guava juice would have only about 45 percent of the calories of the glass of pineapple juice.

    One glass of pineapple juice would also have less than a third of the vitamin A in one glass of guava juice. One glass of guava juice would also have almost twice more vitamin C than one glass of pineapple juice. One glass of guava juice would also have more rare, but essential nutrients that your body needs, like zinc, copper, and selenium. Your body uses these three elements to bolster your immunity, protect you from toxins, and other important daily biological processes.

    One glass of guava juice would also have a bit more vitamin K, phosphorous, and potassium than one glass of pineapple juice.

    But one glass of pineapple juice would surpass guava juice when it comes to select key nutrients. It would have up to about 200 percent more B vitamins. It would also have 10 times the manganese content and over three times more calcium and iron.

    Depending on which nutrients you’re going for, you’d probably be getting more from one glass of fruit juice by choosing guava juice over pineapple juice – and you won’t take in as many calories too!




    4. Guava Juice Blows Cranberry Juice Nutritionally Out of the Water

    Cranberry juice is a favorite among all ages – it’s probably one of the most popular fruit juices. But did you know guava juice is many times more nutritious? If you use the same amount of fruit to make a glass of cranberry juice as you would guava juice, that glass of guava juice would have about 26 percent less calories and almost five times as much vitamin A and about 10 times as much vitamin C.

    One glass of guava juice would also have six times more vitamin B3 and over 25 times more folate than one glass of cranberry juice. It also would have more calcium and about twice more magnesium and potassium. It would also have more phosphorous.

    But cranberry juice would have four times more manganese, three times more iron and vitamins E and K than guava juice. Except these select nutrients, one glass of guava juice would have more nutrients in multiples compared to one glass of cranberry juice.

    5. Guava Juice Is on Par With Pomegranate Juice

    Pomegranate juice is another household favorite – mostly enjoyed by older generations. This fruit juice actually holds its ground to guava juice in terms of nutrition. It’s actually richer than guava juice when it comes to protein because it has almost 300 percent more if the same amount of fruit is used. Pomegranate juice also has about 40 times more vitamin K, and more than three times more vitamin E than guava juice.

    But guava juice has vitamin A, while pomegranate juice does not. It also has about five times more vitamin C than pomegranate juice.

    On the other hand, pomegranate juice is far richer in B vitamins than guava juice. It also has about twice more calcium and magnesium. It also has eight times more iron and a lot more phosphorous, potassium, and the rare nutrients copper, manganese, and selenium.

    Both guava juice and pomegranate juice are top options for your daily glass of fruit juice. Depending on which nutrients you want more of on the particular day, you can switch between the two!

    6. Guava Juice Has Over 10 Times the Amount of Folate Than Grape Juice

    Grape juice is a cult favorite of children and many adults. But it too is nutritionally blown away by guava juice. If the same amount of fruit is used in one glass of grape juice as one glass of guava juice, the glass of guava juice would have about 30 percent more protein and over four times the amount of vitamin A, all while still having less than half the calories. It would also have about 10 times more vitamin C and folate.

    That one glass of guava juice would also have about three times more vitamin B3 and selenium than the glass of grape juice. It would also have about 25 percent more magnesium.

    But one glass of grape juice would have almost 18 times more vitamin K than guava juice and a lot more B vitamins (except B3 and folate). It would also have about 30 percent more calcium and five times more iron. It would also have a bit more phosphorous and potassium.

    If your usual is grape juice, switch to guava juice to take in more nutrients — unless you’re looking for the specific nutrients that grape juice has more of.




    7. Guava Juice Has More Nutrients Than Coconut Juice

    Everyone enjoys coconut juice once in a while. It has a clean, sweet taste. But did you know guava juice tastes sweeter and has a ton more nutrients, but far less calories? If the same fruit is used in one glass of guava juice as in one glass of coconut juice, the glass of guava juice would have more than 500 percent less calories and over 300 percent more vitamin A.

    That one glass of guava juice would also have over 100 times more vitamin C, about 14 times more vitamin K, and four times more vitamin E. It would also have more vitamin B6, three times more vitamin B3, and over 200 percent more folate.

    When it comes to minerals, the glass of guava juice would have 10 times more iron and about 30 percent more calcium, potassium, and magnesium.

    But coconut juice still has some redeeming qualities over guava juice when it comes to some rare nutrients. That glass of coconut juice would have five times more zinc, 200 percent more copper, seven times more manganese, and over 10 times more selenium. It also would have about twice more phosphorous.

    Based on these nutritional comparisons, guava juice is the winner and should be your choice of fruit juice if you usually enjoy coconut juice. If you’re trying to get more essential rare nutrients, like selenium, eat two Brazil nuts instead with your guava juice. They certainly have fewer calories than a glass of coconut juice, but with a wealth of copper, selenium, zinc, and manganese.

    If you drink any of these fruit juices, switch to guava juice today! But if you’re looking for specific nutrients that are lacking in guava juice, then stick to your regular fruit juice. But if you’re looking to slim down, one glass of guava juice always has fewer calories than a glass of any of these fruit juices (if the same amount of fruit is used).

  • Can Drinking Guava Juice Help Treat Diabetes Mellitus?

    Can Drinking Guava Juice Help Treat Diabetes Mellitus?

    Guava juice is a lesser known healthy food that’s seen as exotic or foreign. But did you know that it grows naturally in the United States? Researchers have also found evidence that adding guava juice to your diabetes mellitus diet can have beneficial effects on your blood sugar levels.

    How Can You Make Guava Juice?

    Despite its exotic-sounding name, you can make guava juice the same way as any other fruit juice – by juicing the fruit it comes from. Guava you can buy is usually a green fruit with apple-like characteristics. It has an edible peel that protects the red meat of the fruit. But unlike an apple, the inner part of the guava has multiple seed-filled chambers which take up the majority of the fruit’s inner area. You can juice guava just like you would juice an apple!

    If you’re wondering if the fruit is hard to find, you’ll be happy to know you can buy guava from your local health food store or whole foods market. Guava has been growing in the tropical areas of the Americas for centuries – even in Florida, where it grows both wild and cultivated. The fruit also matures during all seasons (but is harvested best in summer), which makes it readily available. (This also makes it cheaper to buy guava or guava juice during the summer because it’s more plentiful.)

    Guava Juice Can Lower Your Blood Sugar Levels and Other Diabetes Mellitus-sensitive Parameters

    Guava juice has been used as a remedy in traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) since ancient times. Researchers explored its blood sugar-lowering effects on mice and found that it has the same, but weaker effect as metformin and chlorpropamide. Both normal and diabetes mellitus-induced mice experienced lower blood sugar levels after they were administered 1 gram of guava juice per 1 kilogram of body weight.

    When tested in clinical trials, researchers found that guava juice lowered blood sugar levels in non-diabetic and diabetes mellitus patients.

    If you decide to eat guava rather than drink guava juice to help treat diabetes mellitus, researchers caution that the effects can be different. They found that eating guava without the peel lowers blood pressure and blood sugar, total cholesterol, and triglyceride levels. But if you eat guava with the peel, it still lowers your blood pressure and blood sugar levels, but it also raises your total cholesterol and triglyceride levels. From these results they recommend eating guava without the peel if you choose to eat the fruit instead of simply drinking the guava juice.




    Guava Juice Is Also a Healthy Drink Overall

    Whether or not you have diabetes mellitus, drinking guava juice daily can benefit your health. A single averaged-sized guava gives you 0.8 grams of protein and 792 IU of vitamin A. That’s about three times more protein of a single apple. It also has only 51 calories, whereas one apple has 95! It’s also superior to an orange when it comes to vitamin C because it gives you 183.5 milligrams, which is 500 percent more than what’s in one average orange. It also has more than half the potassium content of a banana – 284 milligrams.

    Guava Juice Is More Popular Than You Think – And You’ve Probably Already Had It!

    According to the University of Florida, guava juice is one of the major ingredients that manufacturers often use in their juice blends as part of the processing process. Chances are – if you’ve ever enjoyed a commercial juice blend, you’ve had some guava juice.

    Don’t be scared to add guava juice to your diabetes mellitus diet. Doing so has been proven to help you manage your blood sugar levels. But if you prefer to eat the fruit, remember to eat it without the peel to help prevent any increase in your cholesterol and related levels. And if you don’t have time to make guava juice, you can also buy 100 percent natural guava juice at the store.

    References:

    ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/6660217

    ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/27790420

    sarasota.ifas.ufl.edu/fcs/FlaFoodFare/Guava.pdf