Feijoa leaves are useful. How useful is feijoa? Beneficial features. Treatment. Contraindications. Has an antiseptic effect

Feijoa is an amazing fruit, it grows in countries with a hot climate, and in Russia it is found in the Krasnodar Territory. Its fruits are unusually tasty, somewhat reminiscent of strawberries, kiwi and pineapple combined. The benefits of feijoa for the human body are truly great, “Popularly about Health” will tell you in detail about the beneficial properties of the fruit. We will also discuss the harm of feijoa, and you will also learn how to cook these fruits.

Feijoa Composition

In the pulp of an exotic fruit, many substances valuable for health were found:

1. Pectin.
2. Organic acids.
3. Antioxidants.
4. Flavonoids.
5. Fatty acids.
6. Iodine.
7. Vitamins - C, groups B and PP and others.

Benefit and harm

Feijoa benefits for humans

Feijoa is especially valued for the presence of iodine in it. There is so much of this substance in the fruits that they could well compete with seafood, moreover, iodine is presented here in a form in which it is easily absorbed in the body. If you eat only 3-4 fruits a day, then you will never suffer from iodine deficiency. That is why people who have thyroid problems are advised to eat these fruits every day.

The fruits of an exotic tree have a lot of pectin. It is needed for the formation of beneficial intestinal microflora and its cleansing. Nutritionists recommend eating fruits for chronic constipation. According to the content of vitamin C, this fruit is on the same level as citrus fruits.

The fruit is of interest to men, as it contains substances that improve the state of hormonal levels in the strong half of humanity and protect the prostate from the development of inflammatory processes. Men who regularly eat these fruits note improvements in the genital area. Feijoa improves blood composition and has a beneficial effect on the state of the cardiovascular system. And women appreciated the cosmetic effect after the external use of the fruit in the form of masks and applications. The exotic fruit rejuvenates the skin, making it much fresher, softer and smoother.

Harm from feijoa to the human body

Indeed, the fruit we are discussing is of value to health, but in some cases it can be harmful. Let's look at the contraindications to it:

1. Hyperfunction of the thyroid gland (in general, for any disorders in the endocrine system, it is better to talk with your doctor about whether you can eat feijoa in your case).

2. Ulcer, gastritis (with high acidity).

3. With allergies.

Attention! Feijoa can also cause harm if you eat it in large quantities. Adults are not recommended to eat more than 3 fruits per day in order to avoid the development of allergies or excess iodine in the body. Children can be given no more than one fetus per day.

How is the fruit used in cooking??

Feijoa is most often eaten fresh. Its skin is cut off, and the pulp is eaten with a spoon. Fruits are often ground with sugar to keep them for a long time. Feijoa pulp is used to prepare various desserts - fruit salads, snacks. And they also make creams for the cake from it and add it to the dough, for example, when they cook muffins and pies. Exot pulp is often used to make marinades and sauces. Jams and preserves are made from overseas fruits. However, they are more useful, of course, fresh.
How to cook feijoa?

Fruit cocktail

If you start the day with such a cocktail, then cheerfulness and good mood are guaranteed. Take 3 feijoa fruits, 1 apple, half a banana, 1 kiwi. Peel all fruits from the skin, cut into cubes and beat into a homogeneous mass with a blender. You can bring a fresh touch to the taste of a vitamin drink by putting a mint leaf in it. You can sweeten the drink with honey, although it is already moderately sweet.

Baked fish

It turns out that you can bake fish using overseas fruit. You will need 4 feijoa fruits, 1 orange, 150 g of heavy cream, a spoonful of honey, salt (to your liking). From fish, cod, pollock or hake, flounder (1 kg) are suitable. Cut the fish, cut it into large pieces, salt. Prepare a sauce of honey, cream, orange juice and exotic fruit pulp. Pour this sauce over the fish and let it marinate for 2 hours. Then place the fish in a greased pan and bake for 50 minutes at 190 degrees.

Fruit salad

To prepare a delicious dessert, you will need products: an apple, kiwi, banana, pear, 200 g of creamy yogurt, a spoonful of honey, 2 feijoa fruits, a handful of chopped walnuts. Preparing the dish is easy. We clean all the fruits, cut them into small slices. We extract the pulp from feijoa, mix it with yogurt and honey. Dress the salad with the resulting sauce and sprinkle with nuts. You can also decorate the dish with shavings of coconut and chocolate, it will not only be beautiful, but also very tasty.

Feijoa is an unusual fruit, it is a real storehouse of vitamins, organic and fatty acids, microelements. It is useful for people with low immunity, as well as for those who suffer from a lack of iodine in the body. Men should also include it in their diet in order to have good sexual health. Women can improve skin condition with this fruit. However, use it only if you have no contraindications.

Feijoa is native to South America - Brazil (where it was first discovered), Uruguay. And its distribution around the world began only in the twentieth century. Attempts to study the properties of Akka Sellova were made back in the USSR. However, due to the specific growing conditions, neither the plant itself nor its fruits have become widespread in these latitudes. Therefore, the contraindications of feijoa, along with its beneficial properties, have so far been derived only theoretically, based on the fact that medicine already knows about its composition.

What is in the composition of fruits, peel and leaves

The feijoa fruit is a tough, bitter-sour rind that encloses a very sweet, jelly-like pulp with seeds. From the point of view of biological classification, this is not even a fruit, but a berry, which is why it is so juicy. In the homeland of feijoa, eating its peel is not accepted - only the contents, with an ordinary spoon. For some, the taste of feijoa resembles strawberries, for others - kiwi with pineapple. Since feijoa has not received wide distribution in the national cuisine, the following should be remembered when choosing its berries.

• Peel. It should be green in feijoa (the whole range of shades - from the color of young grass to olive), elastic and shiny, without spots. But inside there should be a soft “filling”.
• Consistency. Firm flesh is a sign that the berry is still green.
• White pulp. This is a 100% sign that this is an unripe (2/3 ripe) fruit. This happens often in the modern world - because of the peculiarities of modern logistics and sales tactics. Because of them, fruits, especially exotic ones, we almost always eat semi-green or ripe in stock.
• translucent pulp. This is how a ripe feijoa should look like.
• brownish flesh. The appearance of a strong yellow or brown hue in the pulp of a feijoa indicates that it is already overripe and ready to ferment.

In any case, feijoa berries are a delicious, but also a truly sweet dessert, dangerous for diabetics, because their glucose content is very high - comparable to mangoes. Feijoa berries grown on the sea coast are saturated with iodine, although their "land" "relatives" may contain three times less than "seaside" ones.

So, from a medical point of view, this tall shrub (or stunted tree - whichever suits you) is most valuable for its ability to accumulate iodine from the soil and help with its deficiency. At the same time, the benefits of feijoa in preventing diseases of the thyroid gland (thyroid gland) directly depend on the place of its growth, which must be checked with the seller each time when buying berries. The rest of the chemical composition of feijoa is similar to most berries - in particular, due to the content they contain:

• food acids- folic (vitamin B9), ascorbic (vitamin C), nicotinic (vitamin B3), apple, lemon;
• vitamins - four more representatives of group B (B1, B2, B5 and B6) contained in the pulp itself, as well as vitamins E, A and some others in the leaves and peel;
• macro- and microelements- iodine, sodium, magnesium, potassium, calcium, zinc. Feijoa berries also contain copper, manganese, phosphorus and iron, which makes them a good (because easily digestible) alternative to the now fashionable multivitamin complexes from the pharmacy;
• vegetable fats- in the form of essential oils, giving the feijoa pulp a strawberry-pineapple flavor.

The rind of Akka Feijoa berries also contains anthocyanins, natural coloring compounds. They give the parts of the plant in which they are contained shades of color from scarlet to purple. Anthocyanins are powerful natural antioxidants, and are used as indicated by scientific medicine and cosmetology. There are many of them in the leaves of the plant. By the way, its leaves, along with the peel, are also rich in tannins, which give them a bitter-tart taste and serve as natural antibiotics, since they are moderately poisonous.

Useful properties and contraindications of feijoa

The presence of these components in various parts of feijoa determines its ability to alleviate the course of diseases.

• lower the temperature. And fight other signs of a cold, since the organic acids in the berries have antipyretic, anti-inflammatory properties. This also applies to vitamin C.
• Relieve joint pain. Since their antiseptic effect affects not only the sore throat, but also the course of osteochondrosis, arthrosis and arthritis (with the exception of gouty).
• Sanitize the digestive tract. With dysbacteriosis, indigestion of unclear etiology, low acidity of the stomach, since all the same acids and tannins disinfect the cavity of the digestive organs when digesting feijoa pulp.
• improve digestion. Due to the stimulating effect of tannins and anthocyanins on the intestines and liver along with the gallbladder.
• Reduce blood pressure. Because all food acids have the properties of mild anticoagulants. Plus, their presence in the blood allows you to reduce the intensity of inflammation in different parts of the vascular network (with atherosclerosis, they are always available) and slightly expand the lumen of the vessel.

In addition, the fruits can:

• replace seafood- if the purchased feijoa berries grew no further than 20 km from the sea coast, one can hope that their kilogram contains almost the full daily dose of iodine;
• replace multivitamins- or rather, preparations of minerals and trace elements, since a number of directly vitamins in feijoa berries are far from complete;
• prevent anemia- due to the presence of iron in a relatively well-absorbed form (unlike the same apples).

What ailments does it help?

The medicinal properties of feijoa are appropriate for kidney diseases, excluding those caused by oxalate or urate stones / sand in them. Both types of stones are formed due to metabolic disorders in the body of oxalic (oxalates) or urinary (urates - a sign of gout) acids. In such cases, the metabolism of other acids also suffers, although not so much. This means that taking foods rich in any of the substances from this series is fraught with increased kidney problems instead of solving them.

Feijoa is one of the few fruits that are allowed to be taken with pancreatitis (not during an exacerbation), because the B vitamins it contains can improve the condition and behavior of the pancreas.

The use of feijoa leaves for cough, judging by the reviews, is as effective as the use of berries. Feijoa leaves and peel are rich in tannins and antioxidants. But the experience of their use in folk medicine is not too great, and the reason for this is not only the relatively low prevalence of feijoa in our climatic zone.

On the other hand, many other plants, including those from our latitudes, have similar properties. Moreover, their action is better studied and much more pronounced. For example, the same anthocyanins are most not found in feijoa peel, but in black currants, black grapes, red peppers, blueberries, mulberries, and tomatoes. Tannins are also especially rich not in its leaves, but in oak bark - from where their name came from. Therefore, most often, not leaf preparations are used as their saturated extract, but feijoa essential oil - a concentrate of tannins, antioxidants and minerals, which is good for acne and other minor skin problems.

There is an indication for the use of feijoa as a supplement to the diet during pregnancy, since feijoa is rich in both iodine (the mother's thyroid hormones regulate the growth rate of the fetus), and iron, without which hematopoiesis is impossible, and calcium, potassium, magnesium, which are responsible for the development of the heart. - the vascular system of the baby.

When it can hurt

At the same time, food acids, as light antibiotics and antiseptics, whose ability to reduce and even eliminate inflammation in many tissues of the body have been scientifically proven, create both the main benefit and harm of feijoa. The problem is that they all provoke acute immune reactions - hence the prevalence of allergies to fruits rich in them with berries, including citrus fruits, strawberries, and currants. The main side effect of eating feijoa is also allergy. In any case, if we are talking about its berries saturated with organic acids. In addition to allergies, other conditions are contraindications to the use of feijoa.

• Diabetes . Due to the excess content of glucose in them, albeit along with fructose.
• Excess weight . Due to the high calorie content of feijoa berries. Eating fruits instead of chocolate bars, of course, favorably reflects on any figure, but only under the condition of other serious restrictions on carbohydrates. And losing weight simply by introducing feijoa into the diet is impossible.
• Complications of atherosclerosis. Starting with hypertensive crises, and further, to ischemia, heart attack and stroke. The use of feijoa berries in food normalizes blood pressure due to natural antiseptics, antioxidants and some trace elements (magnesium, potassium). But all of them can have a pronounced therapeutic effect only up to a certain point - while the heart and blood vessels are relatively healthy and there is only a slight age-related deterioration in their work. And then, due to their treatment with feijoa at home, you can only lose precious time, risking not just health, but life.
• Hyperacid gastritis. Especially if the high acidity of gastric juice is combined with an ulcer. Feijoa is a sweet and sour fruit. So adding a fair portion of acids from it to the one that is already in excess in the stomach will only lead to increased aching pains from below under the ribs (in the lower parts of the esophagus burned with acid), heartburn, deepening erosions, if any.
• Gout and oxalaturia. The second disease is oxalic acid intolerance.

Methods of storage, preparation and use

To the question of how to use feijoa for therapeutic purposes, we can say that the easiest way is to eat its flesh fresh, with honey, adding a teaspoon of natural flower or buckwheat honey to the pulp of two fruits.

Feijoas have a short shelf life - only about a week on the bottom shelf of the refrigerator. But as for how to prepare feijoa for the winter, then, firstly, this is not always necessary, since the first batches of its berries just arrive on the counter in November-December. Secondly, the abundance of food acids (strong natural preservatives) even allows you to simply mix its pulp with sugar in equal proportions, arrange it in sterile jars and close it with plastic lids. That is, in the same way as blackcurrants are closed.

Making jam from feijoa is more difficult: here you need to be able to knead sugar syrup, because in case of an error, the jam will become compote (there is too much liquid in the pulp of ripe feijoa). In addition, such a recipe is less preferable, since heat treatment will destroy the lion's share of acids and other vitamins in its composition. You can also freeze feijoa, but the most watery part of the pulp will have to be sacrificed.

There is even a liqueur based on peeled and diced feijoa berries, infused with 40% alcohol or cognac. Moreover, many believe in its medicinal properties, although in reality alcohol destroys the basis of the therapeutic effect of feijoa - food acids in its composition. In other words, only some mineral compounds remain in such a liquor, and it treats a cold only to the extent that the heating of all body tissues caused by alcohol can help from it.

Even brewing tea from feijoa leaves to treat something seems like a smarter solution, even though they contain almost no food acids. In general, connoisseurs of the remedy often brew its peel, but the addition of dried feijoa leaves makes the drink more aromatic and stronger, since they smell more like myrtle than strawberries.

tea drink

You will need:

• a teaspoon of dried feijoa leaves;
• a teaspoon of dried peel of feijoa berries;
• natural honey;
• a glass of boiling water.

Cooking

1. Grind the leaves and skin, put them in a brewing cup and stir.
2. Pour the raw material with boiling water, mix again and cover with a lid.
3. Leave for fifteen minutes, then add honey to taste and stir it until completely dissolved.

If you take a tablespoon of both ingredients for the same volume of water and brew them in a thermos, leaving for half an hour, you get a good remedy for nephritis of various etiologies, except for nephrolithiasis (kidney stones and sand). And this tea should be drunk twice a day, morning and evening, after meals, for two weeks. Then you can take a week break and repeat the course.

Paste from thyroiditis

You will need:

• two to four feijoa berries with skin;
• a tablespoon of sugar / honey;
• meat grinder, blender or food processor.

Cooking

1. Wash the feijoa berries, cut off the stalks from the ends and pass through a meat grinder (or chop in a blender).
2. Add sugar or honey, beat thoroughly until completely dissolved.

You need to use the remedy according to the scheme of a week of admission for a week of break, for a month, a tablespoon, before meals, three times a day. It is not worth preparing such a paste for the future, because it will even lie in the refrigerator for no more than a week.

Livka

You will need:

• half a liter of vodka, moonshine or cognac 40%;
• three ripe or overripe feijoa berries;
• 150 g of sugar;
• 100 ml filtered water;
• glassware with a volume of at least a liter with a tight lid.

Cooking

1. Wash the feijoa berries and cut off the skin from them. Cut the pulp into large cubes.
2. Dissolve sugar in water, place over medium heat and bring to a boil. Reduce flame to low and simmer for five minutes, skimming off foam with a slotted spoon.
3. Fold the chopped berries in a clean bowl, carefully pour the sugar solution in water so that the glass does not burst.
4. After the mixture has cooled, add moonshine / vodka / cognac, shake all the contents and close the lid.
5. Infuse the drink for two weeks in a warm and dark place, taking it out and stirring it once a day.
6. At the end of the infusion time, remove the plant components and filter the residue through three-fold gauze several times, until completely transparent.

The medicinal properties of feijoa in the composition of the resulting liqueur will be greatly narrowed compared to the fresh "original". In addition, it has a weak bouquet, but in general it is not bad - especially as a homemade alcoholic drink. It can be sweetened or “reinforced” with another alcohol of the same quality, adding the components necessary for the ideal taste after the base has been infused. Store the liqueur on the bottom shelf of the refrigerator, no more than a year.

In contact with

Classmates

The name of the fruit comes from the name of a certain scientist Joanie de Silva Feijo, who in the old days headed the Museum of Natural Sciences in Brazil. He made a significant contribution to the selection and distribution of many plants known to the modern world. The history of cultivation of feijoa has a little over a hundred years. In Europe, and more specifically, in the Mediterranean, this fruit appeared only at the beginning of the 20th century. Later, feijoa spread throughout the Caucasus and Central Asia. Initially, feijoa was used exclusively for decorative purposes, because it is very beautiful, especially during the flowering period.

Feijoa. The nutritional value

Feijoa is an evergreen tree from the Akka genus. Such a tree does not exceed 4 meters in height. Feijoa fruits are oval and green in color. They weigh 25-50 grams, and outwardly resemble small zucchini. Ripe fruits should be soft to the touch. The historical homeland of this plant is Brazil. But feijoa is also grown in the countries of Central Asia. And in our country - on the territory of the Krasnodar Territory.

Only over time, people appreciated the amazing taste of feijoa fruits. They are usually eaten raw. But quite often, a variety of drinks, jams are prepared from feijoa. Many people like to add feijoa to all sorts of fruit and vegetable salads, it gives dishes a unique taste and exquisite aroma. Feijoa sauce is good, especially in combination with meat dishes. Ripe berries are tasty on their own, at the same time, they contain an essential oil (consisting of 93 specific substances), the taste of which also resembles strawberries and pineapple together. Ice cream (in the chamber) is stored for up to six months, retaining its beneficial properties, dried feijoa is also very tasty and fragrant, and jam or jam from these berries is generally a gourmet's dream that boosts immunity. Feijoa is also used as a flavoring agent in New Zealand vodka.

How useful is such a product?

Energy value in 100 gr. Feijoa product (lat. Acca sellowiana):

Feijoa fruit pulp contains sucrose. The acidity of the fruit is quite high. They contain quite a lot of pectin substances, fiber. Few proteins. The amino acid composition of the fruit is not rich, it is represented mainly by 5 amino acids (asparagine, arginine, glutamine, alanine, tyrosine).

The fruits also contain catechins and leucoanthocyanins, soluble tannin, which are found mainly in the skin and give the fruits an astringent taste, which affects the "gastronomic indicators" of the product. You can do it simply: remove the peel, dry and brew with tea. In addition, feijoa leaves can also be used in the kitchen, containing essential oils in their numerous glands and emitting the aroma of myrtle when brewed.

Feijoa is also a mandatory component of the diet in violation of the gastrointestinal tract and its inflammatory processes. An interesting fact is the fact that the beneficial properties of feijoa are contained not only in the pulp, but also in the skin of the berry - it is here that a large amount of pectins is concentrated, the content of which the product surpasses most fruits, and various beneficial antioxidant substances that prevent the development of atherosclerosis. The easiest way to harvest berries for the winter is to pass the pulp through a meat grinder and combine with sugar in a 1: 1 ratio. This delicious delicacy perfectly raises the immune system and stops bacterial attacks in the initial stage. For lovers of sweets, this is just a godsend - a combination of tasty and healthy is not so common.

For medicinal purposes, feijoa is used not only for diseases of the thyroid gland, but also for hypoacid gastritis, pyelonephritis. But still, this is not a medicine, but a useful supplement to the diet.

In addition, the composition of feijoa includes unique substances that contribute to the prevention and treatment of cancer. Feijoa peel is especially useful in this regard, but its only drawback is its tart and slightly astringent taste, so many people prefer to use peeled feijoa.

In cosmetology, the anti-inflammatory properties of feijoa have long been known.

Among other things, feijoa is a wonderful prophylactic against viral and colds. Feijoa helps to strengthen the body's immune system. A very valuable property of feijoa is that its fruits do not cause allergic reactions.

Feijoa harm

It is worth remembering that the harm of feijoa can occur with individual intolerance to the product. In addition, due to the presence of easily digestible sugars in feijoa, this fruit may be contraindicated in people suffering from obesity and diabetes. In any case, before using this exotic fruit, you should consult a specialist.

It must be remembered when choosing and buying berries - they can be hard, not quite ripe (after all, imported fruit), but most importantly, the integrity of the fruit, the peel should not be violated. After standing for a while, the fruits will ripen themselves, even if artificially, but their beneficial properties will not suffer.

How to eat feijoa?

Unfortunately, not all people know how to eat feijoa correctly, and not everyone is familiar with the recipes for dishes from these tasty and healthy fruits. First you need to choose the right fruits when buying - mature feijoa fruits are soft to the touch, they are distinguished by transparent and juicy pulp. If the flesh is brown, you are dealing with a spoiled fruit, and if it is white, you are dealing with an unripe one. Feijoa pulp is characterized by a strong aroma and a pleasant, sweet, delicate taste, reminiscent of the taste of strawberries or pineapple. The skin of the fruit is dense and tart, but also edible. Some people eat feijoa whole, cutting off the tails, an equally common way is to scoop out the pulp with a spoon.

My dear readers, today we will have a slightly exotic topic. To start, I just want to ask you: Have you heard of feijoa? Have you tried it? If not, then I strongly advise you to pay attention to it. I would like to humor just a little: if someone still did not know feijoa, life has passed or is passing by. Today I invite you to talk about this berry, we will talk about the beneficial and healing properties of feijoa and contraindications.

I first heard about feijoa when my daughter and I were treated in onco-hematology. The diagnosis was very serious. And I remember so often the head nurse. She advised us to buy berries during the selling season and give them to our children. They delay the growth of cancer cells and are good for the blood, strengthen the body. Since then, I have always bought feijoas during the season. You can buy feijoas in a large supermarket, but I prefer to buy them in the market, where you can find fresher berries, and there is always more choice.

Smell and taste of feijoa

To me, this berry tastes like a mixture of kiwi, strawberry and pineapple flavors. Believe me, a very tasty berry, although it seems not very attractive, perhaps at first glance. The pulp is very juicy. Feel free to ask the seller to cut the fruit and show the pulp. There are so many subtleties here. If you see white flesh, then the fruit is immature. There is nothing good in it. If the flesh is brown, then this means that the fruit is no longer suitable for eating. The most mature feijoa fruit with a pulp of absolutely transparent color.

It is best eaten by scooping out the flesh with a spoon. I personally don't like skin. This is for an amateur. You can buy slightly unripe fruits and let them lie down at home for just a couple of days.

Feijoa. Compound. calories

The unusual appearance of tropical fruits hides a fragrant, delicate taste and many useful substances. The composition of tropical hearths includes:

• micro and macro elements: iodine, iron, manganese, zinc, silicon, magnesium, phosphorus, potassium and calcium and others;
• vitamins - B3, B5, C, A, B1, B6, PP;
• acids - folic and malic;
• amino acids - arginine, asparagine, glutamine, tyrosine, alanine;
• pectin;
• tannins;
• essential oils;
• biologically active substances - tannin, leukoanthocin and kahetin;
• enzymes;

The nutritional value of 100 g of feijoa fruit is 1.24 g of protein, 0.78 g of fat, 10.63 g of carbohydrates.

Feijoa calories

Calorie content of 100 g of exotic fruits - 49 kcal per 100 grams of berries.

Feijoa. A photo

Here is what this berry looks like:

Feijoa. Useful and medicinal properties. Benefit and harm

Fruits have gained great popularity due to the content of highly concentrated organic iodine compounds. Therefore, feijoa is considered an ideal tool for the prevention of iodine deficiency. Doctors recommend tropical fruits to patients with thyroid diseases and knowledge workers. Together with the vitamin complex, iodine improves the functioning of the endocrine system and normalizes metabolism.

A significant content of pectins makes it possible to use feijoa fruits for the manufacture of marmalade and jelly. Pectin is a soluble fiber that reduces appetite and improves digestive processes.

Reduces cholesterol levels.

This berry is very useful for the heart.

Natural remedy for all hypertensive patients.

Purifies the blood, very useful for anemia.

The composition of the peel of exotic fruits includes tannins, which give a tart taste, and the biologically active substances leukoanthocin and kahetin are considered powerful antioxidants. The peel is almost never used for food, it can be easily separated from the pulp, then dried and added to tea.

Due to its vitamin composition, the fruit has an immunomodulatory effect, so it is recommended to eat feijoa during exacerbation of colds, in the postoperative period and after serious illnesses.

Many nutritionists advise including feijoa in your diet for unstable gastrointestinal tract, constipation, various diseases of the intestines, pancreas, liver, and stomach.

If it becomes possible to get feijoa leaves, I advise you to dry them and prepare delicious tea in winter. The leaves contain a lot of essential oils with the aroma of myrtle.

The prepared infusion and decoction of feijoa fruits, bark and leaves has an antiseptic and disinfectant effect. It can be used in the treatment of inflammation of the kidneys, treat wounds, abrasions, cuts, rinse your mouth with periodontal disease,

Thanks to antioxidants, essential oils and other beneficial substances, feijoa actively affects pathogenic microorganisms and has a strong antibacterial and antifungal effect.

I want to draw your attention to the fact that the iodine content in fruits depends on the area where feijoa grows. In areas where the soil contains little iodine or in room conditions, the fruits are ineffective in preventing iodine deficiency.

Feijoa. Harm. Contraindications

We have learned the beneficial properties of feijoa, but I want to warn you that you should be attentive to your health and take into account all contraindications before eating feijoa.

If you come across unripe feijoas on the market, then it is better to let them lie next to bananas at room temperature for several days. This will speed up the ripening of the fruit and save you from digestive disorders, because an unripe tropical fruit can cause poisoning.

Feijoa should not be mixed with dairy products or washed down with milk so that there is no disruption of the gastrointestinal tract. The reason is that pectins, which are found in fruits, do not combine with milk.

You should consult with your doctor in advance if you have diabetes. A large amount of sugars can cause significant harm.

A high content of iodine will have a harmful effect in hyperthyroidism. After all, both excess and lack of iodine have a detrimental effect on human health.

Feijoa berries can be consumed in small amounts by lactating and pregnant women. Consider whether iodine preparations were previously prescribed by doctors in order to exclude an overdose of iodine and poor health.

To prevent all the consequences, you can say one wise thing to everyone again: never "lean" on any products. And if you're trying something for the first time, always try a little bit. We are all different. And the reaction to even the simplest, most common and useful products for many people can be exactly individual.

The use of feijoa for medicinal purposes

The most useful recipe, in my opinion, which I cook myself and I strongly advise you to apply. This recipe, in my opinion, is universal, suitable for both adults and children. And I gave it to my daughter, and I always used it myself.

A universal recipe for using feijoa with health benefits

It is very easy to prepare it. Wash and dry fruits. Cut off the stems from the berries. I never take off the skin. And then use either a meat grinder or a blender. It turns out such a mass of pleasant emerald color. Add sugar to it. The nurse advised us to keep the proportions 1:1. But I often put less sugar. For 1 kg of berries, 600 grams of granulated sugar. You can add an orange, nuts here (it is especially good to add walnuts). Mix everything thoroughly. Put in a glass jar. Remove to refrigerator. Take a teaspoon 3 times a day.

If you are preparing such a recipe with an orange, it must be peeled and also chopped either in a meat grinder or in a blender.

I will talk more about feijoa recipes in a separate article. Here I will give only basic and brief recipes on how to use feijoa for health.

With stress, depression eat 5-6 fruits a day. Uplifting, tasty and healthy.

For prevention diseases of the cardiovascular system squeeze 1 tablespoon of juice and mix with ¼ cup of water. Drink once a day, anytime.

For treatment and prevention atherosclerosis prepare jam from feijoa and oranges.

Very good at vascular problems use my universal recipe. And here is another recipe. Blanch 0.5 kg. feijoa. Do not remove the peel from the fruit, then chop with a blender and add 1 kg. sugar until juice appears. Boil for 5-10 minutes, add juice from one orange and cook until tender. But when cooking jam, many useful substances are still destroyed. But it turns out very tasty.

For the prevention and treatment of diseases thyroid gland with iodine deficiency half an hour before meals, take 1 tablespoon of feijoa puree.

At hypertension grind feijoa fruits in a blender, mix with sugar in a ratio of 1: 1 and take one tablespoon twice a day.

At hepatitis A(jaundice) drink tea from a mixture of feijoa flowers and leaves (in equal proportions). Pour one tablespoon of the mixture with a glass of boiling water and leave for half an hour. Drink twice a day. Leaf tea also helps with goiter.

Several fruits in the diet will help you in the following cases:

• rheumatic pains;
• anemia;
• malaria and scurvy;
• painful menstruation;
• bronchitis;
• high cholesterol;
• gout;
• Graves' disease;
• acne;
• atonic constipation;
• reduced immunity.

I suggest you watch an interesting video about the beneficial properties of feijoa. I highly recommend watching the video. The market where these berries are sold is just shown, advice is given on how to choose feijoa, how it is useful.

And if you still bought feijoa in the market, I strongly advise you to treat yourself too. Let's prepare something tasty and let's not forget about the face with the décolleté area.

The use of feijoa in cosmetology

Due to its medicinal composition, the pulp from the feijoa fruit is used for cosmetic purposes. She provides:

• anti-inflammatory;
• rejuvenating;
• nutritious;
• improving blood circulation
• emollient
• refreshing action.

Masks based on tropical fruits will help get rid of rosacea, acne, age spots on the face, give elasticity to the skin and improve the appearance of the face. For the same purpose, you can use a decoction of feijoa leaves.

Feijoa face mask recipe:

• yolk from one egg;
• a tablespoon of olive oil;
• 2 tbsp. spoons of cottage cheese;
• pulp from half a feijoa fruit.

Grind feijoa in a blender and mix with other ingredients. Apply the prepared mixture on the face and neck. Wash off with warm water after 20 minutes. Lubricate the face with a moisturizer.

You can also use just the pulp of the berry for the mask. Also a very good effect. I like it myself. Especially when there is no time to mix something there, there is simply no time, but you want mood and freshness of the face. Do not forget to test on your wrist whether such a mask suits you.

The use of feijoa in cooking

Tropical fruits go well with a variety of foods. Oily and citrus fruits, fresh or boiled beets, carrots, apples can be added to salads. It is better to fill with yogurt or low-fat sour cream.

Feijoa with beets. Salad

Boil 400 gr. beets, grate. Wash and cut into 200 gr. feijoa hearths, mix with beets and add crushed walnut kernels. For such a quantity of products, take about 5-7 pieces of walnut. Salt to taste and season with vegetable oil. You can add feta cheese and sesame seeds.

Feijoa salsa

Served as a sauce for fish and meat dishes. Mix 3 feijoa fruits, an onion and 1 tablespoon of cane sugar in a blender. Add salt, pepper to taste.

Jelly (marmalade) from feijoa

To make jelly you need:

• grind in a blender 1.5 kg. feijoa;
• mix with 1 cup of natural apple cider vinegar and 50 gr. pectin for fruits;
• boil in a water bath for 5-6 minutes, avoiding boiling;
• remove from heat and, stirring quickly, add 5 cups of sugar;
• again put in a water bath and, stirring constantly, boil until the sugar is completely dissolved;
• remove the foam with a slotted spoon;
• pour the finished hot jelly into small glass jars, close the lid;
• cool overnight at room temperature.

Keep refrigerated.

Glaze for meat or fish from feijoa

To prepare the glaze you will need:

• 1 cup feijoa jelly;
• a quarter cup of cane sugar;
• 2 tsp chopped garlic;
• 0.5 tsp ground cinnamon;
• 2 tsp ground ginger;
• chili powder (optional)

Mix all the ingredients, generously grease the surface of the fish or meat, put in the oven.

And for the soul, we will listen today GIOVANNI MARRADI - Romantico How beautiful, how romantic. Great music.

This is information about the beneficial and medicinal properties of feijoa for today. I hope you find it useful and interesting.
Feijoa. Useful and medicinal properties. Contraindications.

The homeland of this plant is the subtropical regions of Northern Argentina and Southern Brazil, and in the forests of South America it is found in a wild form, as an undergrowth. At present, thanks to the work of breeders, this fruit and ornamental plant is common in the Krasnodar Territory, in the Crimea, in Georgia and Azerbaijan. This culture received its specific name after its discovery by the botanist Sellov, and the generic name comes from the surname of Joanie de Silva Feijo, who was director of the Brazilian Museum of Natural History.

plant description

feijoa (plant photo)

This plant belongs to the myrtle family, grows as an evergreen shrub 2-3 meters high. It is distinguished by greyish-yellow branches, with stiff, pubescent leaves green above and silver gray below. Raspberry-red flowers with fleshy white-pink petals immediately attract attention with their extraordinary beauty.

The fruits of the plant outwardly resemble unripe green plums with a reddish tinge. The juicy pulp of a ripe fruit has a pleasant sweet and sour taste. Of all the subtropical plants, only this one is resistant to frost: it can tolerate frosts down to -14 ° C.

Chemical composition

Not many people know what the benefits of feijoa are, but if we consider the chemical composition of the fruit, then there is no doubt about their usefulness for the body. First of all, the fruits have a unique ability to accumulate water-soluble iodine compounds in large quantities, which are very easily absorbed by humans. In this regard, other fruits and berries are far removed from the subtropical representative of myrtle. Also, juicy berries contain many phenolic compounds, such as catechins, soluble tannin, leucoanthocyanins and others.

In addition to easily digestible compounds, fruits contain vitamin C, and as they ripen, its content increases. The amino acid composition is represented by five amino acids, such as tyrosine, asparagine, glutamine, arginine and alanine. There is also fiber, a sufficient amount of pectin and protein.

Useful properties and contraindications

with regular use of feijoa, facial skin improves significantly

Feijoa fruits have useful properties and contraindications that must be taken into account. As mentioned above, the main advantage of the plant is iodine, in the content of which it can compete even with seafood. That is why for diseases of the thyroid gland, the ideal product cannot be found. Given that the fruits contain a lot of vitamin C, fiber, pectin and sucrose, they are recommended to be used as a dietary product for people suffering from atherosclerosis, pyelonephritis and diseases of the gastrointestinal tract. Due to the presence of essential oils, this tasty product can be used to prevent various viral infections.

If you regularly eat fruits, then the composition of the blood improves, in which the level of cholesterol decreases. Juice and pulp are well suited as a cosmetic product, since they can be used to relieve inflammation on the skin, increase its elasticity and slow down aging. In addition to everything, this representative of myrtle improves memory, attention, strengthens the immune system and helps fight cancer.

A separate discussion deserves the peel of the fruit, which is rich in antioxidants. True, the excessive astringency of the peel does not allow people to use it in its pure form. In order for the valuable shell not to disappear, you can dry it and use it as a useful additive to some kind of tea. In chronic diseases of the arteries and depressive disorders, you can use the seeds of the fruit, which are valued for their content of essential oils.

All the beneficial properties of feijoa are very valuable for the human body, but we must not forget that, like any other plant, it has its own contraindications for use. For example, due to the high sugar content, fruits are contraindicated in people suffering from diabetes or obesity. And, of course, it is necessary to take into account the individual intolerance of this product.

Features of choice and use

feijoa, like other fruits, should be stored in the refrigerator

In order for this product to really benefit, it must be chosen correctly. If the flesh is white, then the fruits are not ripe, but you can buy such ones, because after lying down a little, they become edible. If the flesh is brown, then it is overripe and not suitable for consumption. The best option would be a dark green fruit with soft, fragrant and transparent pulp that looks like jelly.

The easiest way is to eat the pulp of the fruit with a spoon, after cutting them, but there are many recipes where this plant acts as an ideal addition to the rest of the ingredients. Knowing how useful feijoa is, and given its taste, many people make jams from it, add it to salads, stuff poultry or fish, make sauces with it, or simply bake it. It is important to know that the ripe fruit should be stored in the refrigerator, but not more than a week. For various diseases, the following recipes are very effective.

• With hypertension and sclerosis, the fruit pulp is twisted with sugar in a ratio of 2: 1, the resulting mixture is stored in the refrigerator. The remedy should be taken three times a day for 1 tbsp. l. Since the calorie content in the feijoa itself is low, it will not spoil the figures, but this dish should not be consumed with diabetes or obesity.
• For the prevention of various cardiovascular diseases, you need to use 1 tbsp. l. fruit juice diluted in half a glass of water. Reception is limited to once a day. If a person lacks iodine and the thyroid gland suffers from this, then it is enough to eat 3-4 pieces of ripe fruits per day.

Still fresh fruits will help fight gout, colds and constipation. But we must not forget that only with regular use, all of the above medicinal properties of feijoa will necessarily give an effect that cannot be hoped for with a single use.

As studies have shown, the unique properties of feijoa lie not only in fruits, but also in flowers, which can be dried and added to tea leaves or added to jam. Flowers are very useful in a depressive state, as their unique aroma has a beneficial effect on the nervous system.

Feijoa (video):