I was grateful to select an easy and fun Inspiration Starter today. I am always open to trying something new. I drew out the slip of paper with the words, Try a new fruit.
During the summer months, my local farmer’s market carries a huge assortment of amazing fruits and veggies. This time of year, I shop at the neighborhood grocery store. I hoped there would be a fruit in the produce section that I had not eaten before.
At the supermarket, I found one…one…fruit I had not tried before. There were cartons of small yellow fruits called guavas. Perfect! I bought a box containing 10 of the tropical fruits.
I had to look this fruit up, to learn more about it.
Guavas are indeed a tropical fruit, found in Mexico and Central and South America, and also in countries such as Pakistan, China and India. There are many varieties. The skin, which is edible, can be green, yellow or maroon when the fruit is ripe. The flesh inside can vary from off white in color to dark pink.
The fruit I bought for the first time was soft, with a fruity aroma. When I sliced one in two, the flesh inside was off white. The tiny seeds are very difficult to remove. Everything I read suggested the seeds, like the rind, were edible.
I chose to use my guavas to make a refreshing drink called agua de guayaba, or guava water.
The recipe was easy:
• 6 or 7 guavas
• 1/4 – 1/2 cup raw, unrefined coconut sugar
• 6 cups water, approximately
Wash guavas and slice each one in half. Drop into blender, rind, seeds and all. Add 4 cups of water and 1/4 cup of coconut sugar. Blend for one minute, or until fruit is thoroughly liquified. Pour into a pitcher. Add up to 2 more cups of water. Taste and add up to 1/4 cup more of coconut sugar.
I added more water. The taste was just right for me, sweetness wise, so I didn’t add additional sugar. The drink was very light and refreshing. I did not, however, like the seeds. Blending didn’t break down the tiny seeds and my body instinctively reacted to them, which is my way of knowing whether to consume something or not. It was a “not” for me.
It was a simple task to pour the guava water through a fine mesh strainer and remove the seeds. After that, I enjoyed drinking this special treat.
Guava has many health benefits, including being extremely high in vitamin C and vitamins B3 and B6. This small fruit reduces the risk of prostate and breast cancers, promotes a healthy digestive system, supports the thyroid, aids in weight loss, increases brain function, improves eyesight, prevents colds, slows the aging process, reduces cholesterol levels and blood pressure, and regulates blood sugar.
That is one power-packed little fruit!
Now that I am familiar with guavas, I will include them occasionally in my diet. This is their season, late fall and early winter. I have never noticed cartons of guavas in the produce section before. With an increased awareness of them, and their benefits, I will not be able to help but spot them now!
And that’s what I love about these creative games that I play. They expand my knowledge and my awareness, teach me trust and introduce me to new things. I always win, in so many ways, when I play!
