Feijoa - beneficial properties and contraindications of the autumn berry. Useful properties and contraindications of feijoa Feijoa fruits beneficial properties

Hello friends!

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

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

From this article you will learn:

How is feijoa beneficial 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 homesickness overcame him, and the young man decided to escape from the sea kingdom.

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

What is feijoa?

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

Botanical characteristics of the plant

Feijoa is an evergreen large spreading shrub or tree, reaching a height of up to 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 mixed with kiwi.

The homeland of feijoa is considered to be the mountainous areas of southern Brazil, Colombia, Uruguay and northern Argentina.

Feijoa photo

What does feijoa taste like?

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

But this taste and aroma appears only in fairly 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 are artificially ripened, are also very beneficial for the body.

Feijoa - health benefits

Chemical composition of fruits

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

The main advantage of feijoa is its 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.

Beneficial properties of overseas feijoa berries

So, what are the benefits of feijoa:

• High content, which is very necessary for strong immunity.
• Adequate soluble and insoluble fiber content.
• 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 maintain youth and health at a good level for a long time.
• Excellent prevention of cancer. Ideally cleanses the blood, removes toxins, poisons, waste from body cells.
• Helps you lose weight, quickly and easily get rid of a couple of kilograms. Especially if combined with exercise ☺
• The peel of this fruit is considered edible, and it contains the maximum amount of useful substances (including cancer-protective ones). Therefore, eat it whole with the peel, just rinse it very thoroughly first! But the peel does not have a very pleasant, tart taste. Although, I think those who really need it will eat it with the peel ☺
• An excellent therapeutic and prophylactic remedy for gastritis, hepatitis, pancreatitis, atherosclerosis, pyelonephritis.
• An ideal remedy for vitamin deficiency and inflammation in the gastrointestinal tract.
• It perfectly removes excess fluid and prevents the appearance of edema.
• Improves complexion, saturates blood with oxygen.
• Helps with rheumatism, has antibacterial, antifungal properties, treats acne, acne on the skin.
• Calms, relieves high blood pressure, relieves headaches, lowers blood sugar and cholesterol levels.
• Helps with painful, heavy menstruation.
• An excellent remedy for diseases of the heart and blood vessels.
• It helps those who suffer from joint diseases and salt deposits.

How to eat feijoa?

Let's look at the main ways you can eat feijoa:

• It can (and should ☺) be eaten fresh more often.
• You can add it to various dishes, desserts, make jam, jam, compote.
• Often the fruits are ground with sugar or honey and stored in the refrigerator. A wonderful remedy for strengthening the immune system instead of regular jam.
• Sometimes feijoa is served along with meat and fish dishes.
• Freshly squeezed juice from this fruit will bring the greatest health benefits.
• To do this, you need to choose sweet and juicy fruits. Without peeling the skin, squeeze out the juice with a press. An auger juicer is perfect.
• The juice can be mixed with juices from other fruits and berries.
• You can make smoothies in which you can also mix feijoa with various fruits, berries, herbs, and honey.
• An excellent and tasty drink is fruit juice with the addition of honey. To do this, pure feijoa fruits are crushed with water and honey in a blender.
• Very often, thoroughly washed, dried and ground fruit peel is used as a therapeutic and preventive natural supplement.
• The dried peel is used to brew medicinal teas.

Is it possible to eat feijoa with the peel?

Phenolic compounds of katerina and leucoanthocyanins, found in the peel of feijoa fruits, are considered 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 for consumption

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

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

Here is some information about the benefits of feijoa today. I really hope you find it useful.

Alexander Gushchin

I can’t vouch for the taste, but it will be hot :)

Amazing taste with a slight sourness, a bizarre shape, an attractive green color - all this pleasantly characterizes the feijoa fruit. Its beneficial properties have a positive effect on our body, so it is necessary to include an exotic product in your diet (in the absence of contraindications) throughout the season.

What does feijoa contain?

The taste of this fruit is similar to strawberries, pineapple and gooseberries. However, its medicinal properties and usefulness more than exceed those of other gifts of nature. The fruits contain large quantities of vitamins and all kinds of micro- and macroelements:

• alanine;
• arginine;
• asparagine;
• glutamine;
• calcium;
• potassium;
• silicon;
• tannin;
• tyrosine;
• iron;
• magnesium;
• manganese;
• phosphorus;
• folic acid;
• zinc;
• enzymes.

In addition, feijoa peel contains microelements: cahetin and leucoanthocyanin, which are powerful antioxidants. They are used to prevent cancer, maintain the vitality of the immune system, and completely cleanse blood vessels. Vitamin C and essential oils have a wide range of beneficial properties and are actively used in the treatment of colds.

Feijoa – vitamin composition

The ripe eastern guest is a real storehouse of vitamins of different groups. Vitamin A is responsible for the condition of the skin and nails, vitamin B1 oversees the growth and development of the body, improves metabolic processes, and vitamin B3 and its “colleague” vitamin B6 are responsible for the normal course of metabolic processes. Vitamin PP performs similar functions. Without them, the development of the human body would be impossible. The vitamin composition of feijoa helps provide us with all the useful substances during the winter season.

Feijoa – iodine content

Compared to other fruits, the iodine content in feijoa is 2.5 to 10 times higher. Thus, 100 grams of fruit contains from 8 to 35 mg of iodine. This indicator varies depending on the variety and the degree of ripeness of the fruit. In addition, this microelement is very well absorbed, therefore it is recommended for use by children, adults, pregnant and lactating women.

What are the benefits of feijoa?

A bizarre fruit with useful properties is a universal fighter, under the onslaught of which they will retreat:

• oncology;
• problems of the gastrointestinal tract (gastrointestinal tract);
• anemia;
• avitaminosis;
• atherosclerosis.

The benefits of feijoa have been scientifically proven and confirmed many times by experts, but it should not be used as an alternative to medications (it contains allergens). A comprehensive medical examination must be carried out, appropriate treatment prescribed and carried out. The fruit can serve as an aid to maintain the body's performance, helping to speed up the healing process.

Feijoa jam - benefits

An alternative to eating the fruit fresh is canning it. The benefits of feijoa jam are not inferior to the fresh version, but it is important to ensure proper preparation. For these purposes, during the season it is worth purchasing 1 - 2 kg of fresh fruit, sugar and cooking in the following sequence:

• wash the fruits, remove the remains of flowers, which the plant throws out in large quantities;
• cut each fruit into pieces;
• grind using a blender or meat grinder;
• grind with sugar in a 1:1 ratio;
• put into sterilized jars, close tightly with a lid;
• store in a cool place.

Feijoa berry - benefits

The benefits of feijoa berries are known throughout the world and the number of their fans is constantly growing. Meanwhile, this fruit, like any other product, has a number of contraindications, neglecting which can cause significant harm to the body:

• the presence of individual intolerance, allergies;
• diabetes;
• excess weight.

If a child tries the fruit for the first time, it is better to start with small portions, for example, adding this healthy exotic fruit to a pureed salad. This way you can determine how well the body responds to a new product, even one rich in microelements and beneficial properties. Contraindications manifest themselves unexpectedly, because the child’s body is still too vulnerable to external irritants. Further, the daily norm can be gradually increased.

Feijoa juice

It won’t be difficult to find juice on the market, but a drink prepared with your own hands is much healthier. For these purposes, the ripest fruits are purchased, which must be peeled and passed through a press or juicer. Mineral or apple water and sugar are traditionally added to the resulting fruit mass. The benefits of feijoa juice are the same as those of fresh fruit. However, it is stored for no more than a few days - this property must be taken into account.

Feijoa - beneficial properties for men

The key beneficial properties of feijoa for men are to maintain reproductive function and prevent the development of diseases such as prostatitis. Urologists strongly recommend that representatives of the stronger sex consume this fruit daily - both prophylactically and in addition to drug treatment of inflammatory processes. The exception and reason to refuse the product is individual contraindications.

How is feijoa beneficial for women?

The healthy oriental fruit belongs to a number of dietary products that are excellent for the diet of those who want to lose weight. The fat content and calorie content are minimal. Biologically active substances actively help speed up metabolism. The benefits of feijoa for a woman’s body are multifaceted. Just one fruit daily and your diet will become much more effective. In addition, the fruit is often used by cosmetologists: its active ingredients slow down aging and help remove minor age-related wrinkles.

Feijoa for children

The key components are vitamin B5 (pantothenic product) and its brothers with indices A and C. They can be obtained from synthetic medicines, but daily consumption of natural fruit will be more effective, because its nutritional value is much higher. The benefits of feijoa for children include correcting the functioning of the immune system and ensuring normal cell development. The main thing is to first find out whether the child has any prerequisites for developing allergies. In addition, the fetus has the ability to strengthen or weaken, so you need to carefully monitor the body’s reaction.

Medicinal properties of feijoa

Eating overseas fruit has a cumulative effect. In order for the healing properties of feijoa to be fully revealed and the tannins to begin to act actively, it must be consumed for at least a month. During this time, the condition of the skin will improve, the immune system will strengthen, and the body will begin to better resist infections. Then all that remains is to maintain the condition.

Feijoa for pressure

The integrated use of traditional medicines and feijoa for blood pressure has been practiced for a long time. It contains amino acids and very useful pectin, which is responsible for “cleaning” blood vessels and removing harmful cholesterol from the body before it settles on the walls. However, it will not be possible to simply maintain the achieved result. Eating a fruit with such beneficial properties should be done as often as possible.

Video: how feijoa is useful for the body

Today you can buy all kinds of fruits on store shelves. Among the wide variety of domestic varieties, there are also overseas fruits, the existence of which not a single average resident of our country had any idea about ten years ago.

One of these miracles is feijoa. Dark green, soft fruits with transparent, sweet and sour pulp are valued for their aroma and taste, but few know that they have a lot of useful properties.

Today feijoa is a fairly common plant. This evergreen bush with a spreading crown is native to the tropics. It was discovered by a botanist from Brazil, Joao da Silva Feijo. In honor of whom the plant was named. It came from South America to France in 1890, from where it spread to Transcaucasia, Azerbaijan, Turkmenistan, Crimea, and Georgia.

The bush blooms in late June and early July, and the berries are picked in October or November. The fruits grow quite densely; up to 30 kg of crop can be harvested from one bush. They have a greenish-yellowish color, multi-seeded, about 7 cm in size.

When ripe, their pulp is transparent with small oval-shaped seeds and has a sweet and sour taste. Fruits are picked green. They ripen during transportation, but do not lose their beneficial properties.

Most of these berries contain organic acids, iodine and sugars. In addition, more than 90 types of various substances were found in fruits.

In particular, feijoa contains (per 100 grams):

• Vitamin B1 - 0.01 mg;
• Vitamin B2 - 0.02 mg;
• Vitamin B3 - 0.23 mg;
• Vitamin B6 - 0.07 mg;
• Vitamin B9 - 23.0 mcg;
• Vitamin C - 32.9 mg;
• Vitamin E - 0.16 mg;
• Gamma tocopherol - 0.03 mg;
• Vitamin PP - 0.46 mg;
• Vitamin K - 3.5 mcg;
• Biotin - 0.4 mcg;
• Beta-carotene - 2.0 mcg;
• Lutein + zeaxanthin - 27.0 mcg;
• Beta-cryptoxanthin - 3.0 mcg;
• Lycopene - 5.0 mcg;
• Potassium - 172.0 mg;
• Calcium - 17.0 mg;
• Silicon - 13.0-22.0 mg;
• Magnesium - 9.0 mg;
• Sodium - 3.0 mg;
• Sulfur - 5.0 mg;
• Phosphorus - 19.0 mg;
• Chlorine - 8.0 mg;
• Aluminum - 384.4 mcg;
• Boron - 32.9 mcg;
• Vanadium - 2.0 mcg;
• Iron −0.14 mg;
• Iodine - 20.0-35.0 mcg;
• Cobalt - 1.4 mcg;
• Lithium - 5.0 mcg;
• Manganese - 80 mcg;
• Copper - 40.0 mcg;
• Molybdenum - 6.0 mcg;

Calorie content: 55 kcal per 100 g.

Medicinal properties of tropical berries

The healing qualities of feijoa are valued not only in folk medicine, but also in scientific medicine. Since it contains iodine, it is very useful for diseases of the thyroid gland.

Thanks to pectin, vitamin C, fiber and sucrose, these fruits, as a dietary product, are recommended for those people who suffer from atherosclerosis, pyelonephritis, and gastrointestinal pathologies.

Due to the presence of many essential oils, this berry is used to prevent various types of viral infections.

In addition, regular consumption of such fruits improves blood chemical parameters, reduces cholesterol, makes memory more reliable, strengthens the immune system, and fights cancer.

But not only the pulp has beneficial properties. Feijoa peel also deserves special attention. It is very rich in antioxidants. The seeds of this berry also have healing qualities. They are used for arterial diseases and depressive disorders.

In folk medicine, feijoa is used to lower blood pressure, cure bronchitis, diarrhea, and poisoning. In addition to the berries, the leaves and bark of the bush are used for medicinal purposes.

These parts of the plant have an antiseptic and disinfectant effect, so they are used to heal various kinds of wounds and ulcers. A decoction of feijoa leaves is used to rinse the mouth for toothache and bleeding gums.

In dermatology, feijoa essential oil is used as an anti-inflammatory and antifungal agent.

Is it possible to eat feijoa during pregnancy? And other benefits for women

While waiting for your baby, you should monitor your diet very carefully. The main condition of the daily menu should be a balanced, varied, healthy diet.

It is very useful during pregnancy. The fruit should be consumed only when it is fully ripe, becomes soft, and the pulp acquires a transparent structure. It is best for expectant mothers to eat fresh berries.

The benefits of this fruit for pregnant women are that it contains:

• Folates.

These substances are very important in the formation of blood cells. Its deficiency in a pregnant woman's body can cause anemia and various congenital pathologies of the fetus.

• Fiber.

Feijoa is rich in plant fiber. This point is especially important for pregnant women, since for 9 months and some time after childbirth, women often suffer from constipation.

This element plays a very significant role in the formation of the fetus in all living beings. Expectant mothers should definitely consume products containing this substance. Regarding feijoa, it is very important to introduce this berry into the diet no later than the 12th week, since it is at this time that the thyroid gland of the fetus begins to form.

• Ascorbic acid.

Necessary for both the unborn baby and the pregnant woman. It strengthens and forms the immune system, thereby preventing the occurrence of diseases.

Although not everyone likes feijoa, it is still worth adding a couple of fruits to your diet during pregnancy. This will allow the unborn baby to develop normally, and will also have a good effect on the general condition of the mother.

But in this version there is one significant taboo. If a pregnant woman uses drugs containing iodine, feijoa should not be consumed. Since too much concentration in the body of this element is as dangerous as a deficiency.

The emerald fruit is recommended for women at any age to eat, since regular use of it in the diet helps slow down aging. Men should use the berry as a prophylactic against urological diseases.

Daily consumption of these fruits can prevent inflammation of the prostate, that is, prevent impotence.

Is it good for children?

Children should also be given feijoa. It is especially worth adding to the diet during seasonal diseases. Due to the presence of a large amount of vitamins and microelements, the fruit helps increase the body's resistance.

The berry helps cope with food poisoning and disorders that occur quite often in children. Thanks to feijoa, the mucous membrane of the stomach and intestines “calms down,” which helps normalize the child’s condition.

Contraindications and harm

Ripe feijoa does not harm the human body. But in our latitudes, the fruits can most often be purchased unripe. It is better not to eat such fruit, but to let it sit for several days.

Eating unripe berries may not have a good effect on the digestive tract. Since this product contains a large amount of iodine, it is not recommended to be included in the diet for hyperthyroidism.

Due to the high sugar content, feijoa is not recommended for those who suffer from diabetes. In addition, when consumed, this berry should not be combined with dairy products. This is explained by the fact that the fruit contains a lot of pectin. And mixing these elements with milk negatively affects the functioning of the digestive tract.

Although feijoa rarely causes allergies, it is not recommended to be added to the diet of infants under one year of age. Small children do not have enough enzymes in their bodies to digest such fruits.

Healing recipes from feijoa

It is always a pleasure to be treated with this plant. Even children enjoy using such recipes. For example, tea made from the flowers and leaves of a bush is good for jaundice, but it is also very aromatic and has an unusual taste.

Feijoa with sugar

For the recipe you will need:

• 1 kg of feijoa fruits;
• 1 kg sugar.

The berries should be washed, roots and inflorescences removed and ground. The peel does not need to be removed, since it contains no less useful substances than the pulp itself. The finished gruel is mixed with sugar, placed in jars and stored in the refrigerator. This jam retains all the vitamins and microelements of fresh fruits for a long time.

Feijoa juice

The drink is prepared from fresh, ripe, fleshy fruits. It has a stronger healing effect than the berry.

Feijoa juice is consumed in the following cases:

• For problems with the gastrointestinal system;
• For chronic gastritis with low acidity;
• For enteritis and colitis;
• As a general tonic for older people;
• As a preventive drug against gout, sclerosis, atherosclerosis, hearing and memory loss;
• For Graves' disease and thyroid pathology;
• With hormonal imbalance in the body;
• For kidney diseases;
• For vitamin deficiency and mental stress.

Feijoa leaf infusion

To prepare you will need:

• 250 grams of boiling water;
• 1 tbsp. l. chopped green leaves.

The leaves are poured with hot water and infused for about half an hour. This infusion should be consumed morning and evening. It helps to cope with goiter. And if you add honey to the drink, you will get a good remedy for jade.

How to select and store?

You cannot buy ripe berries from us. This is explained by the properties of the product itself and the method of its transportation.

When purchasing this exotic fruit, you should pay attention to the following factors:

• If they sell ripe fruit, it may already be spoiled in the middle.
• A damaged or spoiled peel indicates a low-quality fruit.
• The skin of feijoa should be smooth and have a rich green color.

Since emerald fruits come to us unripe, if you buy a hard berry, you need to put it in a dark place to ripen. It should become soft to the touch, with the flesh somewhat reminiscent of jelly.

It should be stored in the refrigerator. But not for long, as it quickly deteriorates. The maximum period is 2 weeks. Therefore, for long-term storage, it is better to process the fruits into fresh jam.

How to eat?

For fresh consumption, it is necessary to take a ripe fruit, which has a sweetish aroma and is not hard when pressed.

In a good berry, after cutting it, the flesh will be light, translucent, gelatinous. A white center indicates an unripe fruit, a brown center indicates an overripe one.

Many people eat feijoa with its peel. But those who don’t like the shell of the berry prefer to cut it in half and scoop out the contents with a spoon.

Feijoa is not a very popular berry in our country. This is explained equally by the high price, rarity, and lack of awareness about its properties. This fruit is mainly consumed fresh; sometimes it is made into healthy jam. In any case, this fruit is worth trying. After all, feijoa is always tasty and healthy.

Feijoa is not often found in our country. This exotic guest comes from the Brazilian subtropics. In Europe, where the overseas plant arrived at the beginning of the last century, it was used as an ornamental shrub. But soon they also tasted the taste of feijoa fruits. The benefits and harms of this fruit lie in its composition. And although feijoa is low in calories (only about 50 kcal per 100 grams), frequent consumption can lead to an overdose of iodine. Therefore, it is better to study the properties of this product so as not to cause harm to the body. Our article will help you with this.

Source of vigor and good memory

Compound

Feijoa is the richest natural source of iodine. This element has a beneficial effect on the functioning of the thyroid gland in case of its dysfunction. Moreover, the water-soluble iodine in feijoa is perfectly absorbed by the human body.

The mineral composition of feijoa is also very rich. Potassium, magnesium, phosphorus, iron, zinc - this plant is simply a piggy bank of substances necessary for the body.

Feijoa fruits contain almost all the vitamins so necessary for the human body, pectin and essential oils. Their content is high, so the fruits are an excellent helper during periods of influenza and acute respiratory infections. Eat feijoa - strengthen your immune system.

This exotic product also contains amino acids.

Beneficial properties of feijoa for men

It cannot be said that this is some kind of miracle cure for men’s health, like, for example, or, but it can be used to prevent prostatitis and strengthen male power. In addition, feijoa helps fight depression and fatigue, which is very important for modern representatives of the stronger sex, tortured by work and stress.

Benefits of feijoa for women

What can women do that men will never be able to do? One of the correct and not the most witty answers is to give birth. And here the green guest from the subtropics also comes to the rescue: during pregnancy, it can provide the body of the expectant mother with folic acid (about why it is necessary during this period), calcium, magnesium and iron, and the body of the unborn child with iodine, which is necessary for normal functioning of the thyroid gland and the formation of the nervous system. And the low calorie content will please mothers who are worried about how to lose weight after giving birth - the less they gain, the easier it will be to lose it later.

Medicinal use

We list the main areas of use of feijoa to improve our health:

• The most obvious thing is improvement of thyroid function due to the large amount of iodine. To treat the thyroid gland, you can use feijoa jam, the recipe for which we will share below. For such sweet therapy, a tablespoon of jam 30 minutes before meals 2-3 times a day for a month is enough. If you don’t like sweets, you can treat yourself with an infusion: in the evening, pour 3 tablespoons of dried feijoa fruits into 2 cups of boiling water, leave overnight, and drink in 3 doses during the day.
• Antioxidants in the peel help rejuvenate the body and are a good remedy prevention of tumor neoplasms. So, sometimes it will be useful to eat the whole feijoa without peeling it.
• Feijoa is also useful for the digestive system. The rich pulp has a mild laxative effect. The peel, on the contrary, contains tannins. It can be dried and crushed. At upset stomach drink half a glass of this decoction before meals: steam a tablespoon of crushed peel with a glass of boiling water.
• The fiber in the composition also helps digestive system And cleanses the body.
• The fruits contain a sufficient amount of essential oil, vitamins (primarily B vitamins) and iodine, making feijoa a wonderful remedy for depression, lethargy and loss of strength. Eat it regularly and the autumn blues will go away.
• Along with depression will go away sleep problems.
• The presence of essential oils makes feijoa a good component for inhalation. After eating the pulp, steam the peel with boiling water. You can add a spoonful of soda. And breathe over this solution for several minutes under a towel. This is a good way fight and prevent runny nose.
• Feijoa will also help with gastritis.
• Strengthens the immune system.
• It will be useful for those who suffer from atherosclerosis, anemia, and vitamin deficiency. For these purposes, you can use feijoa juice: 1 tablespoon of pure juice is diluted with 50 ml of water, drunk once a day.
• Feijoa is also an excellent antiseptic that can be used for inflammation of the mucous membranes, periodontal disease, cuts, kidney inflammation. For this, a decoction of tree bark, leaves and fruit peel is used. Considering that it’s easiest to find the peel here, make a decoction from it.

Note to weight watchers! Feijoa contains only 49 kcal per 100 grams. It is actively used in dietetics. There are express diets, when instead of dinner you need to eat 300-400 grams of peeled feijoa, naturally, without sugar.

Have you already wanted to try this magical fruit, but are you unsure whether feijoa is right for you? Discuss the beneficial properties and contraindications with a good nutritionist. He will tell you exactly in what quantities and in what combination you can eat the exotic fruit. Below are general warnings regarding the use of an exotic guest.

Recipes with feijoa

Salads, sauces, side dishes with feijoa

Ripe fruits can be eaten raw - just cut off the peel. But feijoa is eaten not only in its pure form. It is included in a wide variety of dishes. Moreover, not only desserts, but also savory treats can be easily prepared from feijoa. Recipes are very often found on the Internet on culinary sites and forums.

The simplest thing is to make a fruit salad. Cut your favorite fruits at random, including feijoa. You can season this fruit mix with yogurt. Feijoa is also added to unsweetened salads and snacks. The recipes are very varied. It’s not at all difficult, but very tasty: mix finely chopped feijoa, boiled feijoa and your favorite nuts. Experiment, appetizers with feijoa will definitely not leave your guests indifferent.

Feijoa is also used to make sauces. The easiest way is to grind the peeled fruit in a blender and add sour cream to taste. Feijoa complements any meat well. You can add feijoa to mixed vegetable side dishes, for example, in combination with boiled or.

Feijoa is simply irreplaceable for homemade lemonades, vitamin drinks, juices and compotes. You can add feijoa pulp pulp to your proven pancake dough, use it as a filling for puff pastries and pies, and place it as a layer in cakes. Love this exquisite exotic taste - experiment for your health!

If you don’t want to mess around in the kitchen, feijoa can simply be served as a fresh fruit dessert without any additions or lightly sprinkled with powdered sugar. Before serving, peel the fruits and cut into medium-thick slices to make it easier to eat. Alternatively, cut the washed and dried fruit in half and use a dessert spoon.

Healthy dessert - feijoa jam

Those who love sweets will love feijoa jam. The recipe is extremely simple. Take a kilogram of feijoa pulp, the same amount of sugar, a medium lemon and a glass of water. The most convenient way is to cut the fruit into two parts and scoop out the pulp with a spoon. Let's start cooking:

• Cover the prepared fruit pulp with sugar and let stand for 20–25 minutes.
• Then add water and lemon juice. If desired, you can rub lemon zest into the future jam - it will add a light citrus aroma.
• We put the finished mixture on the fire and cook at maximum heat until it boils actively, do not forget to stir constantly. The process will take approximately 10 minutes. The signal will be thick foam, which means the sugar has dissolved well. That's it, the jam is ready.
• All that remains is to pour it into sterile jars and roll it up.

It is best to store such jam in a cool, ventilated place - in a pantry or cellar. The amount of sugar can be varied, but it will need at least a third of the weight of the fruit.

Alternatively, you can cut the feijoa into circles after cleaning it first. Pour sugar syrup over the prepared fruit and boil. In this way, you can preserve pieces of exotic fruit for later use in baking.

There is another interesting option - feijoa jam without cooking. This recipe will allow you to preserve as much as possible all the useful things contained in feijoa. In addition, such jam is often made from whole, unpeeled fruits, which means the concentration of vitamins will be even greater. It can be done – it couldn’t be easier. We twist the washed and trimmed fruits at both ends in a meat grinder and add sugar in a one-to-one ratio. Let the sugar dissolve - and the workpiece is ready. Alternatively, feijoa pulp can be ground in a blender into a homogeneous mass. This jam will quickly thicken and acquire a fairly dense consistency, like jelly.

Just don’t make such live, uncooked jam in large quantities. It doesn't keep very well. Therefore, you need to keep it in the refrigerator, preferably no longer than 2–2.5 months.

Add candied fruits or your favorite nuts (chopped with a knife) to any of the recipes and you will get a wonderful dessert. In addition, feijoa jam can be used to decorate cakes and pastries. But even if you just spread it on cookies or slices of bread, you can get gastronomic pleasure.

Beauty with an exotic taste: application in cosmetology

Feijoa is also used for many cosmetic procedures. It is included in many face masks, since the antioxidants in the fruit have a powerful rejuvenating effect. Try this mask: pulp crushed into porridge plus a little sour cream. Apply the paste on your face for 20–30 minutes, then rinse thoroughly.

To give the skin around the eyes freshness and radiance, as well as smooth the area and reduce eye bags, simply apply fresh feijoa peel for 15-20 minutes.

You can add ground feijoa to the coffee and honey peeling. This product is well suited for combating cellulite, it will sufficiently soften and moisturize the skin of the body.

Warm baths for hands and feet with the addition of a decoction of dried feijoa skin have a softening, soothing and restorative effect.

We eat with caution! Contraindications

Fans of this fruit need to remember that they should not overeat feijoa. Both beneficial properties and contraindications are associated precisely with the high iodine content in fruits. This is especially true for those who suffer from hyperthyroidism – increased function of the thyroid gland. It is better for such patients to refrain from eating fruit altogether, so as not to provoke an exacerbation of thyroid hyperfunction.

Symptoms of an iodine overdose: increased nervous excitability, restlessness, sometimes turning into a nervous breakdown, increased heart rate and “jumping” temperature. A general depressed state, decreased performance, memory deterioration - if this condition lasts for weeks, be sure to go for an ultrasound examination of the thyroid gland.

Choose your feijoas carefully when purchasing. If an exotic fruit is damaged or has other visible damage, do not take it, you may be poisoned by bacterial waste products. Also, if the feijoa that has been lying around your home begins to rot, do not risk your health and the well-being of your loved ones; throw away the spoiled product.

Stomach upset can also be caused by eating feijoa along with cow's milk. It is better to combine this fruit with sour milk. For example, it is tasty and healthy to season a fruit salad with fresh natural yogurt, and make a sauce based on sour cream and feijoa.

Feijoa is also contraindicated for those diagnosed with diabetes, since the fruit contains a lot of sucrose. But there is an opinion that the high content of pectin neutralizes this property. Better consult your doctor. And if he allows, you can sometimes include feijoa in your diet, for example, as a side dish or as part of sauces for meat, seafood and fish.

Do not forget that many people have an allergic reaction to overseas fruits. If you are trying feijoa for the first time, start with small pieces to see if your body will accept such food without consequences. Be especially careful when serving feijoa to children.

Where can I buy?

This fruit is gaining popularity in our country. Not everyone can pamper themselves with exotic fruit all the time - it will be a bit expensive. But take a closer look at feijoas in the fall - in the middle of winter. This period is considered the season of exotic feijoa. At this time, you can often find it in the store, and at a very affordable price.

How to store?

Just keep in mind that if you buy feijoa, think immediately about how to store it. When fresh, it can sit in the refrigerator for 7–10 days, then it will begin to flabby and lose its aroma. Therefore, after eating your fill of seasonal feijoa, it is better to make jam in reserve.

But this applies to ripe fruits. Unripe feijoa can live significantly longer - up to six months in the refrigerator, at the right temperature and ventilation. But it’s still better to make jam.

How to choose?

Remember, when choosing feijoa, the benefits and harms will depend primarily on the freshness and ripeness of the fruit. Here are some tips to help you avoid mistakes:

• When choosing a fruit, carefully check it for damage and dents - such fruits will not suit us. There is less benefit in them, and doubts arise: it is unlikely that those who did not pay attention to the normal transportation of the product paid attention to its quality when purchasing in bulk.
• Feijoa should not be too hard - this indicates that it is not yet ripe. If you bought these fruits, leave them at room temperature for a couple of days. They will “reach” a soft, mature state literally before our eyes, but the beneficial properties will not decrease with this method.
• You should not buy overripe fruits - the fermentation process will begin and you will no longer be able to eat such fruits or make jam.
• Please note that the skin should be uniform and green, closer to a dark color. Dark brownish spots are unacceptable on high-quality feijoa that has been transported correctly. Shape and size vary - fruits can be round or oval, 3–8 cm in diameter.
• Although this is not the most important parameter, if possible, take larger fruits.
• A good ripe feijoa has white, aromatic, dense jelly-like flesh. A yellowish tint to the flesh is acceptable, but a brown color indicates that the fruit is unacceptably overripe.
• Feijoas should not have stalks. Their presence indicates that the fruits were cut too early.
• Feijoa can not only be touched, but also smelled. If the smell is similar to the smell of pineapples, then everything is fine - the product is ripe.

In general, exotic feijoa tastes like strawberries combined. But you understand - it’s better to try once than to read a hundred times!

Growing feijoa at home

You don't have to live in Brazil to grow feijoas. You can do this here in Russia in our beautiful gardens, next to the apple and cherry trees. Moreover, these exotic trees bloom very beautifully. There are 2 ways to grow feijoa at home:

• Growing from seeds: you need to take ripe fruits, cut them and extract the seeds with pulp. To separate the seeds, wash it all in a weak solution of potassium permanganate, dry the seeds and plant them in the soil (first in a small pot, and then in the garden).
• Growing from cuttings: small cuttings (up to 10 cm) with one pair of upper leaves are stuck into the soil two-thirds of their length at an angle. It is better to water the soil with a weak solution of potassium permanganate and cover with film. Remember that feijoas love moisture and intense diffused light. The roots of the cuttings will appear in 1.5-2 months, after which they can be planted in the ground.

Some more useful information about this wonderful product:

• Feijoa fruits, strictly speaking, like the fruits of our beloved watermelon, are berries.
• Feijoa skin is a good source of antioxidants, but due to its specific taste, it is often peeled before use. You can dry the skins and use them as a flavoring for homemade tea.
• The flower petals of the feijoa bush are also edible and have a delicate apple flavor. They can be deep fried to create sweet chips. You can season your salad with them.
• The jam made from this fruit is called FeichOevoye (emphasis on the second syllable). Although, after all, “feijoa jam” sounds more familiar to our ears.

Today we will talk about the benefits of feijoa. Feijoa is native to America. Feijoa is grown in regions with tropical and subtropical climates, including Crimea. I mainly buy feijoa at the market; they sell it here in October-November. Feijoa fruits are collected when they are not yet ripe; they ripen during transportation, without losing their beneficial properties. But, you should know that ripe fruits spoil very quickly. The peel of the ripe fruit is dark green, the pulp inside is jelly-like, the taste of feijoa, for me, is a mixture of flavors: pineapple, kiwi, green strawberry.

The calorie content of feijoa is 52 kcal per 100 grams.

Feijoa composition: fats, carbohydrates, fiber, essential oils, glucose, iodine, potassium, zinc, sodium, iron, manganese, phosphorus, magnesium, calcium. Vitamin: C, B1, B2, B3, B5, B6, B9.

How to choose, store and eat feijoa correctly

In our country, you can buy feijoa only at the beginning of winter; I try to buy feijoa at the market, and not in a supermarket or store. When buying feijoa, ask the seller to cut the fruit for you; the flesh should be transparent.

If the flesh is white, it means that the fruit is not yet ripe, but you can buy feijoa. The fruits will ripen in a couple of days. If the feijoa pulp is brown, it means the fruit has spoiled.

I learned from feijoa sellers that it is better to take larger feijoa fruits. The fruits should have a uniform dark green color.

Choose fruits carefully, buy feijoas without visible damage. And if one of the fruits is rotten at home, then it is better to throw it away. Use only quality products. After all, the beneficial properties of feijoa will depend on the freshness and quality of the product.

Feijoa fruits are stored in the refrigerator for about one week. During the feijoa season, you can buy it in 0.5-1 kg quantities. and eat fresh. And for the winter, prepare raw feijoa jam. This is an excellent “medicine” for strengthening health and immunity.

You can eat feijoa pulp with a teaspoon, cutting the fruit in half. You can eat it directly with the skin, but personally, I don’t like it, although it is rich in amino acids and biologically active substances. Feijoa fruits are used to prepare desserts, used for baking, and prepare sauces, compote and jam.

What are the benefits of feijoa?

Feijoa fruits are very tasty, aromatic, and good for our health. The fruits are very useful for weakness and seasonal vitamin deficiency. Plus, it is a source of vivacity, as well as good memory.

• Feijoa is very useful for vitamin deficiency.
• It is useful to eat feijoa for colds, as the fruit contains vitamin C.
• Good for the intestines as it contains a lot of fiber.
• Feijoa contains 36 mg of iodine per 100 grams. It is simply irreplaceable for iodine deficiency in the body.
• Feijoa helps lower blood cholesterol levels.
• Improves blood composition.
• It is useful to eat feijoa with low hemoglobin in the blood. What other foods help increase hemoglobin in the blood can be read in my article ““.
• It is useful to eat feijoa for people suffering from atherosclerosis.
• Feijoa fruits strengthen the immune system.
• Feijoa helps improve memory and attention.
• Fruits prevent the development of cancer.

Feijoa contraindications

As a rule, allergic reactions to fruits occur extremely rarely. But if you have serious illnesses, consult your doctor before consuming feijoa. To take into account all the beneficial properties and contraindications of feijoa for you.

• Feijoa is contraindicated in case of individual intolerance to the fruit.
• If you are allergic to feijoa fruits.
• Do not overuse fruits if you are obese.
• For diabetes mellitus.

You can also eat one fruit and see the body’s reaction; if no unpleasant symptoms arise, then you can safely eat the fruit. But you must agree that everything is good in moderation.

Feijoa treatment

Feijoa is very useful for constipation, due to the fact that the fruit contains a lot of fiber. They need to be included in your diet, and you need to eat them for a long time.

Feijoa is very useful for diseases of the thyroid gland that are associated with a lack of iodine in the body. It is useful to eat 2-3 fruits a day. In terms of iodine content, feijoa fruits can only be compared with seafood.

To prevent cardiovascular diseases, you need to add 1 tablespoon of feijoa juice to 50 grams of water and drink. Drink once a day.

Feijoa fruits are useful for atherosclerosis. For hypertension, they need to be ground in a meat grinder and mixed with sugar (2:1). Store the mixture in the refrigerator and take a tablespoon 2 times a day.

Feijoa fruits are very useful for depression and stress.

Eat 3-4 fruits a day. The fruits improve memory and attention. They are a good vitamin supplement. Strengthen the immune system.

Feijoa flowers, like the fruits, have medicinal properties. They are dried and then added to tea or jam. And you can make tasty and aromatic jam from the fruits.

Feijoa is a seasonal fruit, so it can only be preserved by making jam from it. Since the shelf life of feijoa is one week in the refrigerator. But raw feijoa jam is very tasty and healthy.

It’s very tasty for tea, plus this jam preserves all the beneficial properties of feijoa. I only make raw jam, because there is no arguing about its benefits and taste. I don't make a lot of jam. I take 1-2 kg. feijoa. Since I also have raw raspberry and blackcurrant jam in the refrigerator. But if you haven’t tried this jam before, I highly recommend making it. I think you won't regret it.

First you need to choose beautiful and ripe feijoa fruits. We sell them at the market in the fall. I approach the choice of fruits responsibly. I only take quality ones.

At home I wash them under running water. I remove the remaining flowers. The peel does not need to be peeled. I tried to prepare the jam by peeling and without peeling. When you peel off the peel, raw feijoa jam turns out more tender and tastier. But that's my taste. In general, it is very useful to twist feijoa with its skin, as it contains many vitamins.

I cut the fruits in half, if large, then into four parts. Next they need to be crushed. You can do this using a meat grinder, I grind using a blender. I grind the feijoa in parts in a blender and put it in a bowl.

The finished crushed mixture must be mixed with sugar. The proportions are 1:1 (that is, for 1 kg of feijoa I add 1 kg of sugar). Therefore, if there are 2-3 kg of feijoa, then you will need more sugar.

Having mixed crushed feijoa and sugar, I put the raw jam into sterile jars. I usually take jars with a twist. You can leave the jam on the table in jars until the sugar dissolves. I store raw feijoa jam in the refrigerator.

Now you know how feijoa is useful, its beneficial properties, use in treatment and contraindications.