Useful properties of feijoa and contraindications to its use

Not all of us have feijoa as a frequent guest on the table. And all because little is known about this berry and for many it is an overseas wonder. But it turns out that these wonderful fruits have long been grown in Russia. Therefore, you should not deny yourself the pleasure of getting to know an unusual taste. Moreover, the fruits are simply overflowing with vitamins and minerals that will help to put in order the immunity. Let's talk about the beneficial properties and contraindications to the use of this green guest from America in more detail.

What is feijoa

In our country, feijoa is still an exotic berry. Many customers do not even look to the side where small nondescript green fruits are laid out on the counter. But if you knew what benefits are hidden in this little guest from another country, you would never pass by.

The discreet appearance of the feijoa does not attract attention at all

Where it grows

Let's start getting acquainted with an exotic plant from afar. In nature, feijoa is found mainly in the highlands of South America - these are the regions of Brazil, Uruguay, Colombia and northern Argentina.

• the first European country where seedlings were delivered in 1890 - France;
• in 1900, unusual representatives of the flora were planted in Yalta and on the Black Sea coast of the Caucasus;
• at the beginning of the 20th century, the plant was brought and safely bred in the Mediterranean countries, which are famous for their warm mild climate.

An evergreen and beautifully flowering bush is often used in landscape design.

A subtropical plant in the tropics feels very bad. High temperatures significantly reduce overall yield.

What does it look like

Feijoa belongs to the Akka genus and the Myrtle family. It is a spreading evergreen shrub, although woody forms are also found in nature. Its height does not exceed 4 meters. The trunk is covered with a rough green-brown bark.

Sometimes feijoa can be found in the form of a tree, but its height will never exceed 4 meters

Since feijoa lives in rocky mountainous terrain, its roots are superficial. A characteristic feature of moisture-loving plants is a densely branched but compact root system, which helps the tree to receive moisture directly from the soil surface, and not from depth.

Feijoa leaves are oval or elliptical in shape.The edges are smooth, the surface is slightly pubescent, leathery, and has feathery or reticulate venation. Above the leaf is dark green, below it is light green-gray. The plant, densely covered with foliage, looks beautiful throughout the year.

Leathery leaves look elegant all year round

The tree looks especially charming during flowering. From May to June, and in the Southern Hemisphere from November to December, feijoa is covered with unusually beautiful flowers. White-pink petals surround a bunch of red stamens (there can be from 50 to 80 pieces). Bisexual flowers can be arranged singly, in pairs, or form a corymbose inflorescence. The flowering process is long, you can admire the lush and bright bush for almost a month.

Feijoa bloom is an unusually beautiful sight

Despite the fact that the plant is densely covered with flowers, the percentage of useful ovary is only 17%. The rest just crumbles.

Feijoa fruits look inconspicuous. These are small, from 2 to 5, less often up to 7 cm, berries of an elongated oval or wide-round shape. Less often, there are kubarevidny, like a children's top, fruits. The top is crowned with the remains of sepals. The berry is covered with a skin with a slight waxy coating. The skin color can be bright green, like young grass, or dark green. A ripe fruit weighs from 15 to 60 g, but sometimes large specimens are found - 105-120 g.

An interesting fact is that a seemingly nondescript-looking fruit has a flesh of extraordinary taste. The juicy part of the fruit at the same time resembles strawberries, pineapple and kiwi in aroma and sweet-sour taste.

Ripe pulp should be almost transparent, jelly-like and have a light creamy shade. If it is brown, the fruit is clearly stale and unusable. The white color of the flesh indicates that the feijoa has not yet ripened and there is nothing useful in it.

Ripe fruit has a transparent flesh with a creamy shade

Beneficial features

Outwardly uninteresting fruits have not only a bright taste, they are also incredibly useful. Berries easily challenge seafood in terms of iodine content, so doctors often recommend this product for the prevention of iodine deficiency. The natural vitamin complex contained in the fruits normalizes the body's metabolism. Easily soluble fiber reduces appetite and improves digestive processes.

Feijoa is the only berry that can compete with seafood in iodine content

If you decide to buy feijoa to increase the iodine content in the body, be sure to ask in which region the fruits were grown. The fact is that berries grown by the sea contain the maximum indicator of the useful element, and in plants cultivated in areas that are more than 50 km from the sea, the iodine content in the fruits begins to decrease.

Protein, fat and carbohydrate content - table

The calorie content of feijoa is low, 100 g of berries contain only 49 kcal.

Composition of nutrients - table

In addition, the berries contain pectin, tannins, essential oils and enzymes.

Feijoa is a real vitamin bomb

Benefits for women

For women seeking to keep their figure in shape, feijoa will become a valuable food product, as it is low in calories and fat. By eating just one berry a day, you can increase the effectiveness of any diet by speeding up your metabolism, which contributes to weight loss.

The berry helps to stabilize and normalize the state of the following body systems:

• nervous;
• endocrine;
• urogenital;
• gastrointestinal.

Thanks to the use of this berry, water-alkaline metabolism returns to normal and immunity is strengthened. Fruits are an excellent prevention of osteoporosis, which affects older women.

Regular consumption of feijoa helps:

• slow down the aging process;
• improve memory;
• restore fat metabolism;
• lower cholesterol;
• relieve nervous tension;
• normalize the thyroid gland;
• improve skin condition.

During pregnancy, feijoa is recommended by many doctors, as it allows you to equalize pressure, eliminates hormonal imbalances and regulates the production of hormones. But you need to eat it carefully. First, you should make sure that the expectant mother is not allergic to the product.

Due to iodine deficiency in the body of the expectant mother, the fetus may suffer

When breastfeeding, mothers can include berries in the diet if the child is already 3 months old. To find out whether or not your baby has a reaction to a product, first try to eat a quarter of the fruit. The next day, if the child does not have a rash, you can try half the berry already. If your toddler does not show signs of allergies or indigestion, eat feijoa in moderation.

What is useful for men

Men also benefit from these fruits, and not at all because of the general strengthening of the immune system. Several exotic berries a day can prevent a common urological disease - prostatitis, especially among older men. Feijoa helps maintain the reproductive function, therefore it is recommended by urologists as a prophylactic agent or as an addition to drug treatment of an existing problem.

Can I give to children

Acquaintance with an exotic berry for a baby should begin after a year. Vitamins and trace elements contained in feijoa are able to adjust the child's immune system and ensure the normal development of a healthy body. In order not to harm, it is worth starting with a very small amount of pulp. Pick a small ripe fruit, wash it well and cut it in half. To get started, try treating your baby to half a teaspoon of pulp. Be attentive to the possible reaction of the child's body to a new product: it can weaken or strengthen, an allergic reaction in the form of a rash is possible.

If the acquaintance with the vitamin product was successful, introduce it into the baby's diet. But remember, excessive passion for the berry can be harmful. Too much iodine will lead to excess iodine and health problems!

If not overused, feijoa, the fruits will only benefit

What diseases is indicated, what conditions does it help to alleviate

The use of feijoa as a prophylactic agent or in addition to drug treatment has a cumulative effect. In order for the medicinal properties of the product to be fully revealed, it should be eaten for at least a month. During this period, the accumulated beneficial substances will begin to act, and you will only have to maintain the balance of nutrients, periodically eating feijoa. So what are the indications for use of this vitamin fruit?

1. Feijoa is an irreplaceable product for thyroid diseases, as it contains a lot of iodine. With hypothyroidism (decreased function of the gland), toxic goiter (nodes in the thyroid gland) and euthyroidism (malfunction of the gland), you need to eat 2-3 berries a day. This amount is enough to normalize the thyroid gland. In addition, metabolism will return to normal and mental activity will be activated. But if you have been diagnosed with hyperthyroidism (increased activity of the thyroid gland), then you should refuse to take feijoa.
2. Due to its rich vitamin composition, especially vitamin C, it increases immunity, therefore it perfectly facilitates the general condition in case of colds and pneumonia.
3. Due to the mild diuretic and disinfectant effect, feijoa berries are recommended for existing inflammatory diseases of the kidneys and urinary tract (urolithiasis, renal failure, cystitis, pyelonephritis).
4. Shown is a product with high cholesterol. Pectin and amino acids help cleanse the blood vessels, which will restore flexibility and elasticity to them. This will help keep blood pressure under control, which means that with hypotension and high blood pressure, feijoa will be useful. As well as with atherosclerosis and cardiovascular diseases.
5. Feijoa is high in antioxidants that help cleanse the blood and inhibit the spread of cancer cells. Eating the fruit reduces the risk of oncology (cancer).
6. The natural combination of essential oils, antiseptics, tannins and other beneficial elements have a positive effect on the functioning of the gastrointestinal tract. Taking berries facilitates gastritis, liver cirrhosis, pancreatitis (but not during an exacerbation), mononucleosis. Helps with constipation, gallstones, colitis, cholecystitis.
7. Wanga advised women to include berries in the diet with fibroids, and men with adenomas.
8. With hepatitis and hepatitis C, feijoa is included in a special diet, which facilitates the patient's condition during the rehabilitation process. A decoction of ground peel (boil 1 part of the peel and 4 parts of water for 5-7 minutes) cleanses the liver and normalizes its work.
9. Doctors advise including this useful product in the diet for psoriasis. The berry acts as an antioxidant, purifying the blood, removing poisons and toxins. Iodine helps to establish the thyroid gland and regulate metabolic processes in the body, which has a positive effect in the treatment of the disease.
10. Fruits are irreplaceable in case of anemia, as they have a beneficial effect on blood cells due to the iron present in the composition.
11. The antiseptic effect of feijoa helps to relieve gout, osteochondrosis and arthrosis.

It will be useful to remind you that you cannot engage in self-medication. If you have health problems, berries alone will not help. A visit to the doctor will clarify the situation. If everything is in order, eat berries for health, but when problems already exist, then feijoa will become an addition to the prescribed treatment and will help alleviate the condition during treatment and rehabilitation.

Feijoa as a source of iodine - video

As is: with or without skin

Remember what you used to do with the skins of fruits or vegetables? That's right, they clean it off and throw it away. Many people are used to cutting off the skin even from an apple. But few people thought that it is in this protective layer that sometimes more useful substances are contained than in the fruit itself. Feijoa peel is incredibly healthy, so it is advisable to eat the fruit along with the peel. It contains many catechins and leukoanthocyanins, which act as antioxidants. But since these beneficial substances give the top layer of the berry a tart taste (it is especially manifested in unripe fruits), few of us decide to consume it for food, especially since it is also harsh.

Even if you don't like the peel, you shouldn't throw it away, as it contains antioxidants.

So that useful substances are not wasted, but benefit, do not throw away the feijoa peel. Dry it, and then prepare decoctions or teas from it. For the future, harvest the peel that does not show signs of damage or rot.

To feel the unique taste of the overseas fruit, you need to eat it without the skin. From the washed and cut in half feijoa, the pulp is extracted using a teaspoon or dessert spoon.

To feel all the shades of feijoa taste, it is recommended to eat only the middle of the fruit

How to choose and store

The ripening time for feijoa in Russia is November. The fruits enter the trading network in November-December. This is the most favorable time for buying valuable berries.

Before purchasing, carefully assess the condition of the fruits:

• if you saw a green stalk, it means that the fruits were harvested unripe, there is little use in them;
• a slightly wrinkled peel with a bluish bloom and an even green color are signs of a quality fruit. Brown spots on the skin indicate signs of spoilage, and light green color indicates immature fruit;
• try to choose larger fruits, they are considered the most useful;
• you can press on the fruit - if it is firm, it means that it has not yet ripened and it can be left for several days at room temperature. Moderately soft - ripe, ready to eat;

When buying, do not hesitate to ask the seller to cut the fruit, this is the only way to assess its degree of ripeness.

Quality fruits can be stored for no more than 3 weeks in a special fruit compartment in the refrigerator. At room temperature, feijoa can lie for several days, provided that they are not yet ripe. Longer storage is possible due to recycling. Another way to extend the life of a product is to freeze it. Moreover, you can freeze both whole fruits and mashed potatoes from them.

If you defrost the feijoa, then it should not be subjected to reverse freezing, so defrost it as much as necessary.

Useful properties of feijoa - video

What can you cook from feijoa

If you want to diversify your diet and fill it with vitamins, then feijoa will help in solving this problem. After all, fruits are eaten not only raw, but also canned. So what can be made from berries and what dishes to include:

• vitamin salads;
• compotes;
• jam;
• fresh fruits, ground with sugar or honey;
• filling for desserts.

Excellent flavor combinations are obtained by mixing feijoa with apples, citrus fruits, carrots and beets. Salad dressing is best made with yogurt or sour cream.

Feijoa is incredibly good in salads

Popular recipes for preserving vitamins

Since the season for eating feijoa is short, it is worth preparing several jars with healthy and tasty treats that will please not only adults, but also children.

Feijoa with honey and walnuts (raw jam)

The ingredients you need can be purchased at the supermarket or market. You will need:

• 750 g feijoa;
• half a lemon;
• 450 g honey;
• 150 g of nuts;
• 50 g dried apricots.

It is very easy to make a delicious mixture

1. Fry the nuts in a dry frying pan, cool and peel off the husks. Then grind with a rolling pin.
2. Pour dried apricots with boiled water for 5 minutes, then fold them onto a sieve. After the water drains, finely chop the dried fruit.
3. Wash and dry feijoa and lemon thoroughly. Trim the sepals off the feijoa. Without peeling the rind, grind them with a blender.
4. Combine with nuts, dried apricots and honey. Mix thoroughly and place in airtight containers.
5. Store in the refrigerator.

Basis of the recipe - feijoa, nuts and honey

The recipe can have cooking options. Dried apricots can be skipped, but instead of walnuts, try hazelnuts.

Raw jam with honey and lemon

The combination of healthy products will come in handy during the period of colds, when only strong immunity is able to cope with diseases. For this vitamin bomb, you will need:

• 500 g feijoa;
• 1 lemon;
• 100 g of honey.

Cooking a healthy and tasty product will not take much time.

1. Wash feijoa and lemon thoroughly.
2. Remove the peel from the lemon, and remove the sepals from the feijoa.
3. Pass the feijoa cut in half through a meat grinder or chop in a blender.
4. Do the same with the lemon.
5. Combine all the ingredients together and mix thoroughly.
6. Store in a refrigerator in an airtight container.

Vitamin charge in every spoon - feijoa with honey and lemon

If someone doesn't like the taste of lemon, it can be replaced with an orange. The benefits will remain the same, but the taste will change. And lovers of spicy taste should try the combination of feijoa with ginger.

Compote

An unusually tasty drink that invigorates and cheers up, is prepared from the following components:

• 500 g feijoa;
• 200 g sugar;
• 2 liters of water;
• citric acid on the tip of a knife.

This is the simplest recipe that even novice housewives can handle.

1. Pour water into a saucepan and put on fire.
2. In sterilized jars, pour berries thoroughly washed under running water, from which the sepals have been removed.
3. As soon as the water boils, add sugar and citric acid to it.
4. After the water has boiled, lower the heat and wait for the sugar to completely dissolve.
5. Pour the boiling syrup over the berries, cover with lids and leave for a day to infuse the fruits.
6. The next day, pour the infused liquid into a saucepan and turn on the heat.
7. Boil for half an hour, then pour the liquid back into the jars and roll up with sterilized lids.
8. Place the jars upside down and cover with a blanket.
9. After the contents of the cans have cooled, we put the compote in a cool, dark place.

A wonderful invigorating drink is obtained from medicinal berries

Feijoa in compote can go well with apples and quince. Citrus peels, rose petals, or mint can be added to enrich the flavor and aroma.

Feijoa and beetroot salad with nuts

Vitamin salads are a valuable source of nutrients, which is why they are so popular with adherents of a healthy lifestyle. We advise you to include such salads in the daily menu to keep your figure in shape, stay healthy and vigorous. And for those who live far from the sea - to maintain the level of iodine in the body at the required level. In addition, the preparation of such a delicacy is a real creative process, which will allow you to enjoy the bright colors and raise your mood before eating.

For the salad, you only need quality products. Feijoa should be ripe, try to choose small beets (it will cook faster and taste sweeter). You can use any nuts: walnuts, almonds, cashews, pine nuts. Beets can be boiled in advance, and the salad itself is prepared immediately before eating.

1. Remove the skin from the beets and grate on a coarse grater or cut into strips (personally, I really love manual cutting).
2. Peel the well-washed feijoa, slice it, then sprinkle it lightly with lemon juice.
3. Chop the nuts, previously fried in a dry frying pan (except pine nuts).
4. Combine all the ingredients of the salad, lightly salt, season with vegetable oil (preferably olive oil).

Excellent combination of taste and vitamins - feijoa and beetroot salad

A salad in which feijoa will be the main component can be prepared from various vegetables and fruits. The above are the most popular combinations. By changing the ingredients and dressing, you can enjoy unusual, refreshing and healthy salads every day. Use raisins, feta cheese, sesame seeds as flavoring accents.

Feijoa, grated with sugar (honey)

The easiest, but no less effective way to keep the vitamin set for several months. All you need is feijoa and sugar (or honey). We select the most healthy and ripe fruits. Wash it well, remove the sepals and dry. Twist in a meat grinder and add granulated sugar (honey). The ratio of ingredients is 1: 1. Stir until sugar is completely dissolved, transfer to dry sterilized containers and send to a cool place.

An excellent recipe for maintaining immunity - feijoa with sugar

This delicious medicine is taken 1 teaspoon 2-3 times a day. The course of treatment will be 10 days, and then you need to take a break for the same time.

Jam "Caramel"

Another unusual recipe is presented by a healthy berry to all lovers of delicious jam. First, we go to the store, choose the ripe fruits and other components:

• 500 g feijoa;
• 1 cup of sugar;
• 500 ml of water;
• spoon of brandy.

Preparing this amazingly tasty and beautiful jam is simple:

1. Wash the fruit, peel the skin. To prevent the peeled berry from darkening, put it in water.
2. Pour half of the sugar into the pan and put on fire.
3. While stirring the sugar with a wooden spatula, wait until it caramelises.
4. When the caramel has a pleasant reddish hue, gently pour in the water and add the rind.
5. Simmer over low heat with vigorous stirring for at least 7 minutes.
6. Strain the prepared syrup through a sieve into a saucepan for cooking jam. Add chopped berries and remaining sugar.
7. After boiling, stirring continuously, simmer over low heat for about 40 minutes.
8. Add cognac, stir and pack into jars.

Perfect combination of taste and color - feijoa jam "Caramel"

This is not a complete list of useful preparations from a wonderful berry. If you're a Mexican food lover, be sure to include feijoa on your salsa ingredient list - it won't disappoint. Lovers of sweets can make a delicate dessert from the fruit - jelly or mousse.

Traditional medicine recipes

Feijoa is used not only in pharmacology, where fruits are included in many dietary supplements, and essential oils are used as an anti-inflammatory and antimicrobial agent. Traditional medicine actively uses magic fruits and other parts of the plant to treat many serious diseases:

• for hepatitis and urological diseases, tea made from feijoa flowers and leaves is useful. 1 tbsp. l. the dried mixture is poured with 200 ml of boiling water. Insist for half an hour and drink with honey;
• with atherosclerosis, jam will be an excellent addition to medicines. It is prepared from 600 g of fruits, 1 kg of sugar and 1 orange;
• with Parkinson's disease, taking fresh fruits gives a significant and lasting improvement in the patient's condition;
• the thyroid gland is treated with feijoa rubbed with sugar. In the morning, half an hour before meals, you need to take 2 tbsp. l. a useful mixture;
• for wound healing, compresses with a decoction of the bark and leaves of the plant are used;
• a decoction of leaves helps from bleeding gums.

Traditional medicine actively uses feijoa to treat various diseases

How is it used in cosmetology

Taken internally, feijoa works wonders for the female body, slowing down the aging process and helping to maintain the figure in the desired proportions. The product will bring no less benefit if it is used as the basis for face masks. The vitamins and microelements acting on the outside will improve the complexion, rejuvenate, moisturize and protect from external influences.

The basis for any mask is feijoa puree, and various components are already added to it, depending on what effect you want to achieve:

• composition for rejuvenation: to 2 tbsp. l. puree add 1 tsp. honey and 1 tbsp. l. vegetable oil;
• for moisturizing, cottage cheese and cream serve as additional components. We take everything in equal proportions;
• for oily skin, mix 1 tbsp. l mashed potatoes, 1 chicken protein and 1 tsp. honey;
• you can also wipe your face, neck, chest and hands with a piece of feijoa pulp. The effect will be excellent.

In cosmetology, feijoa shows an incredible anti-aging effect

Contraindications to the use of feijoa

This incredibly healthy fruit still has contraindications. It is recommended to completely refuse or limit consumption when:

• diabetes;
• allergies;
• hyperthyroidism;
• obesity.

Everything ingenious is simple. Once again, you are convinced of this, looking at the outwardly nondescript feijoa fruit. But what a valuable treasure is hidden inside. But remember, everything is fine in moderation. The desire to quickly saturate the body with vitamins will not lead to anything good, on the contrary, it can harm.

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