This product has an unusual taste, very rich composition and great benefits. How feijoa is eaten and why the berry is so important for health - we all learned.
This berry (although it is large, and some think that it is a fruit) has an unusual taste, similar to several fruits and berries at once, it is called Pineapple Guava, and also the Fruit of Eternal Youth. It looks very modest, but inside hides a whole vitamin bomb, which is available to us just in the cold seasons. We find out how feijoa is useful for the human body, how to choose it and how to eat and cook it correctly in order to get the maximum effect.
What does feijoa look like
The fruits of the plant are small (up to 5 cm in diameter and 7 cm in length), in shape they resemble kiwi. In color, too, they are green, but their peel is dense and smooth, the flesh is fleshy, and inside are small seeds. The taste is sweet and sour, reminiscent of both strawberries and pineapple .
The plant first appeared in South America and got its name after the Portuguese scientist Joan da Silva Feijo. Today it is considered the most popular in New Zealand, although it is no longer exotic in our country, as feijoa grows in the Caucasus, Krasnodar, and Crimea.
The ripening season is autumn, so you need to eat it in the cold season, it will just give you all the vitamins you need during this period.
Why is feijoa useful?
Composition and calorie content
This is a whole mixture of useful trace elements. We tell you what vitamins are in feijoa:
- vitamins C, K, E, PP, group B;
- zinc;
- magnesium;
- potassium;
- phosphorus;
- iron ;
- iodine;
- amino acids;
- antioxidants;
- unsaturated fats and fatty acids;
- essential oils;
- pectins;
- phenolic compounds;
- cellulose.
Calorie content - 55 kcal per 100 g.
Useful properties and vitamins of feijoa
Due to the variety of vitamins (C, K, E, PP, group B), the berry has very great benefits.
- There is even more iodine in it than in seafood, which has a positive effect on the thyroid gland , hormones.
- Fights free radicals, reduces the risk of cancer, rejuvenates the body. Vitamins C, E, K are antioxidants that support youth both internally and externally.
- Calcium, potassium, phosphorus reduce the risk of osteoporosis.
- Fiber stimulates digestion, regulates peristalsis, and helps to cleanse toxins. At the same time, it gives a long-term feeling of fullness, which helps to maintain normal weight.Nutritionists recommend the product during weight loss, because it is also low in calories
- The use reduces the symptoms of indigestion, food poisoning.
- Folic acid helps reduce the risk of fetal neural tube defects in pregnant women.
For women
This tasty product contains iodine, folic acid , which helps to maintain good condition of the skin, hair, nails, and normalizes hormones. The low calorie content, and also the fiber in the composition, which gives a feeling of fullness, makes it easy to keep the figure in shape - and this is useful for feijoa for women after 30 (and even before that age).
Separately, it is worth finding out how feijoa is useful for women after 50 - she has an anti-aging effect, antioxidants in the composition help to fight the signs of aging, increase skin elasticity, and reduce wrinkles.
For pregnant
While waiting for a child, you need to eat it with caution, you should first consult a doctor. But if used wisely, it will be beneficial.
Folic acid in the composition contributes to the normal formation of the fetal neural tube, which reduces the risk of dangerous diseases. Iodine and iron also help the fetus to form normally, prevent the development of anemia in the expectant mother. A large amount of vitamins helps to avoid their lack (given that the fetus ripens in the cold season, when vitamins are especially needed) - this is what feijoa is useful for pregnant women.
For men
What feijoa is useful for men is that it gives them vigor, activity, strength. It also helps the stronger sex to increase sexual activity, reduce the risk of prostate diseases, and restore the balance of hormones.
For the child's body
It remains to find out how feijoa is useful for the child's body. INit is recommended to take her into the diet no earlier than 1 year and very carefully - the risk of allergies is high. Iodine will help children be more vigorous and more active, it contributes to the proper functioning of the thyroid gland. Also, vitamins in the composition strengthen immunity and increase resistance to viruses and fungal infections.
Slimming
Since the product contains a lot of iodine, it maintains a normal metabolism, which helps to accelerate weight loss. Nutritionists recommend eating 2-3 portions of 100 g per day. Feijoa at night when losing weight is better not to eat, because there is a lot of sugar in the composition.
Application in traditional medicine
The plant is actively used in home remedies. Moreover, there are even more useful substances in its peel than in the pulp, therefore it is also used for treatment.
The rind can be dried and added to tea. Infusions and decoctions are prepared from the pulp. Feijoa is very useful for pyelonephritis, diseases of the oral cavity .Decoctions can be used to rinse your mouth with toothache; it is also used as an antiseptic for treating wounds and cuts.
Dangerous properties of feijoa and contraindications
The fruit is contraindicated for:
- hyperthyroidism (a large amount of iodine in the composition can worsen the condition);
- diabetes (a lot of sugar);
- acute diseases of the gastrointestinal tract;
- allergies to vitamin C;
- being overweight;
- acne;
- under the age of 1 year (the fetus almost does not cause allergies, but there is still a risk).
Eat with caution during pregnancy and lactation.
The maximum daily allowance is 400 g, children can have no more than 1 fetus per day.
Do not combine with milk or dairy products - together they can negatively affect the functioning of the stomach.
How to clean a feijoa
We figured out how feijoa is useful and harmful, now it's time to understand how it is. If you know how to eat kiwi correctly , then do the same here. Recall that, contrary to the general stereotype, kiwi does not need to be peeled at all. If you have a ripe feijoa berry in front of you, then it is not necessary to peel it off. Moreover, it contains a lot of useful substances, and you simply deprive yourself of a supply of vitamins.
And yet, if you really want to, the peel can be cut off or the upper part of the fruit can be cut off and eaten with a teaspoon without touching the skin.
How to eat feijoa: 3 main questions
First of all, it is important to remember that only ripe berries have a pleasant taste. But they often sell it unripe, as it is considered perishable. It can be ripened at home. And then the choice of use becomes much wider.
If the fruit is hard, it is not ripe. Ripe is softer to the touch, its flesh resembles jelly, and the rind is thin.
Fruits are added to desserts, salads, even hot meat dishes, delicious sauces are made from them, tea is brewed from berries.
one. How feijoa is eaten: with or without peel
If you have exactly ripe feijoa in front of you, how to use it depends only on your taste and desire. But stillit is better to eat it with the peel, as it has a lot of benefits(especially full of antioxidants that fight aging and cancer). But you can do without it.
2. How to eat feijoa raw
The fruit, like all berries, can be eaten fresh, and it doesn't matter how the feijoa is eaten, with the peel or not, it will still be beneficial. You can simply cut open and spoon to eat the pulp. Delicious smoothies and cocktails are made from the product. Fresh is perfect for salads, yoghurts, it can be served with ice cream (this is one of the favorite desserts in New Zealand, the pulp is also sprinkled with powdered sugar), its taste is combined with honey or you can simply eat it with sugar.
3. How to cook correctly
The sweet and sour taste of the product suits almost everything. Most often it is, of course, added to desserts - from cocktails to baked goods. But it goes well with meat, fish, and is suitable for salads.
Jams, compotes are made from it, and jam is made . The best part is thatthe beneficial properties of this berry do not disappear after heat treatment.
How to choose a ripe fruit
First of all, evaluate the appearance. The berry should be smooth, firm, free of dents, scratches, damages, uniform dark green color. Ask to cut it right in the store or in the market to see what a ripe feijoa looks like in section.If the flesh is clear and jelly-like, the fruit is fresh. If white, it will take a couple of days to mature(This is common, but the product can ripen at home). Brown flesh is a sign of spoiled fruit that can no longer be consumed.
There are about 80 varieties of this plant. Among the most popular:
- Bumpy - its fruits are large, can be oval or round.
- The firstborn is also quite large, up to 20 cm in diameter, ripens late, at the end of November.
- Early aromatic - about 13 cm in diameter, tastes sour, "iodine" aroma.
- Nikitsky is one of the largest and sweetest, very much like strawberries.
How to ripen feijoa at home
So, you know what a ripe feijoa fruit looks like. But they are often sold slightly unripe, since ripe ones can deteriorate already during transportation or, at least, wrinkle a lot.
You can ripen the berry at home. To do this, place the fruits on paper in a warm (22 degrees or more) and ventilated place. They can ripen from several days to a week - be sure to check the ripeness , otherwise you can miss the moment and they will rot.
Also you can put the feijoa next to the banana (keep at room temperature). It releases ethylene, which accelerates maturation.
How to store feijoa at home
The product is considered perishable and has a short shelf life. It should be kept in the refrigerator, there it can lie no longer than a week, if it was originally a little underripe. Ripe ones are stored for about 3 days only.
Feijoa can be prepared for the winter to preserve vitamins. It is convenient to make puree from it. Grind it in a blender, add sugar and store in the refrigerator. All useful substances are preserved. Over time, it may darken a little, but there is nothing to worry about. You can eat it for about 3 months.
Another option is to make jam or preserves (they are prepared as from any other berries), they can be stored for a whole year.
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