Guava

About guava

Originating from the tropical region of Central America, guava gradually became more familiar in Asia in the 17th century thanks to the good taste and lots of benefits for health. In Vietnam, you can see guava in different colors like green or purple and different sizes up to 13 cm in diameter and can enjoy it in different ways. Depending on each type and season, guava may have a sour-sweet to very sweet taste.

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Guava (or “Oi” in Vietnamese) is varied in kind. There are mainly 9 popular kinds you can buy and try in Viet Nam:

• Oi bo: Big size (around 8-13cm in diameter), crispy, sweet and originates from Thai Binh, Vietnam.
• Oi xa li nghe: Imported variation from America, now mainly planted in Mekong Delta region, big size, no seeds.
• Oi nu hoang: spherical shape, average weight 350-400g/guava, few seeds, crispy, white flesh
• Oi tim: Purple and soft flesh, no seed, giving fruits all year round.
• Oi ruot hong: Pink-red color in the center and gradually become white towards the shell, average weight of 250-500g/guava, sweet and crunchy even when it is completely ripe.
• Oi gang: Small size (around 4-5cm in diameter), very crispy and sweet
• Oi dao: Small size, soft flesh, pink in the middle
• Oi mo: Small size, soft flesh, white in the middle

How to eat guava

Guava in Vietnam could be enjoyed when it is young (not ripe yet) until it is ripe. Some prefer the young ones as they are fresher and more crunchy. After washing the dirt, you just need to peel the thin skin outside and eat the flesh inside together with lots of tiny seeds in the middle of the guava.

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Vietnamese has some unique ways to make guava tastier. You may try to eat guava with a mixture of salt and ground chili powder or a dipping sauce made from fish sauce, sugar, salt and chili. It definitely blows your mind!

Benefits from guava are undeniable but eating too much leads to indigestion and constipation due to the hard seeds and the rich sugar content. To avoid this, you should eat only 1-2 small guavas per day or remove a part of the seed in the center.

Where are guava grown in Vietnam

Thanks to the tropical climate and the uncomplicated cultivation techniques, guava is grown all around Vietnam. Each area focuses on some specific kinds of guavas. You can find Oi Xa li nghe mostly in the Mekong Delta areas, Oi Bo in Thai Binh or Hai Duong, Oi Gang guava in Gia Lam, Hanoi. Besides, many other places like Bac Giang, Hung Yen, Lai Chau also increasingly plant this kind of fruit for using and selling in a small volume.

What are the benefits of guava

Guava provides many nutrients for the body and is also an effective natural healing food. In spite of the sweet taste, the Vitamin C content in guava is even higher than orange, tangerine, or apple. Guava has low calories but is loaded with dietary fiber, calcium, antioxidants, magnesium, vitamin A, etc. As a result, not just yummy snacks, guava works well in boosting the immune system, regulating digestion, maintain blood sugar level, strengthening vision, supporting weight loss, and promoting healthy skin.

Food made from guava

Besides eating raw guava as a normal fruit, you can try a bunch of different dishes from guava like guava juice, guava smoothie, or guava tea. Besides, you may learn to make guava salad or sweet and sour pickled guava which helps in losing weight effectively.

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Guava is also used to make guava jam or sauce to cook with other ingredients like fish with guava juice sauce, deep-fried guava, or even guava wine.