Just thirty years ago, tropical fruits were considered a scarce product. The current diversity in the markets and supermarkets will please even the demanding consumer. To get the most benefit from these products, you need to be able to choose them and know the specific properties of each fruit. In this article we will look at the feijoa tropical fruit - its nutritional value, cosmetic and dietary properties, as well as recipes.
Product Description
In fact, feijoa fruit is a berry the size of an egg, having an elongated oval shape, can be up to five centimeters in diameter. Its peel is slightly bumpy, bright green, the pulp is milky-white, becomes transparent as it matures. Inside are small edible black seeds. The taste of this amazing berry reminds both pineapple and strawberry, and it smells like ripe strawberries.
Important! After grinding, feijoa begins to oxidize, losing its beneficial properties. To prevent this, use the berry immediately after cutting or mashing, and store it only as a whole. High-temperature processing also destroys some of the vitamins, so add this berry only at the very end of cooking compote or jelly.
Learn how to use feijoa in cosmetology and cooking.
Feijoa Nutrition Facts
This is a non-nutritive product that contains only 47 kilocalories for every 100 grams of weight, which is due to the large amount of carbohydrates (11 grams). Fat contains only 0.5 grams, and proteins - 1.5 g. Each 100 g includes 86 g of water, the rest is from the dry residue.
There are many organic acids in feijoa, especially malic and folic acids. This berry contains amino acids necessary for the healthy functioning of the nervous system. It has essential oils, tannins and tannins that stimulate the intestines.
The mineral composition of this berry is rich. Most of it contains potassium and iron, useful for the heart and blood vessels - as much as 155 and 120 mg, respectively. The next ones are copper, calcium and phosphorus - 55, 17 and 20 mg in the fruit, respectively. Many in feijoa iodine. Sodium and magnesium are present in small amounts. Most of the beneficial properties of this fruit are due to the high content of vitamin C in it - 20.5 mg per 100 g. It also contains vitamins of group B, PP and a small amount of vitamin E.
Broccoli, aloe, goji berries, persimmon, and walnut shells are also rich in iodine.
Did you know? For the first time this plant was discovered in the XIX century in Brazil by the Portuguese botanist Juan Feijo, after whom it was named. Then the size of these berries did not exceed three to four centimeters, and their the flesh contained large pebbles, like the flesh of feral pears. Through the efforts of European breeders managed to bring the species with sweet-sour pulp without solid inclusions.
What is the use
First, it should be noted high iodine content. Iodine in this berry is not less than in cod liver, sea kale and cranberries. Regular consumption of this product eliminates the risk of iodine deficiency, solves problems with the thyroid gland: the nodes that have arisen on it disappear, inflammatory processes stop, the gland decreases in size.
Secondly, a large amount of vitamin C strengthens the immune system. During the outbreak of infectious diseases reduces the risk of infection. Immunomodulatory properties of this berry are useful for those recovering from surgery or long-term illness. Ascorbic acid also stimulates the cardiovascular system: the vascular tone increases, the heart muscle strengthens. This property of feijoa is important for those people who have suffered a stroke, heart attack or suffer from chronic diseases.
To help strengthen the immune system will help products containing vitamin C: oranges, white currants, radishes, green sweet peppers, yoshta, red mountain ash.
A positive effect on digestion is manifested in a mild laxative effect: constipation disappears, the intestines are cleared of toxins.
Antioxidants, which in feijoa are abundant, stop the aging of body cells. They bind free radicals and remove them without harm to the tissues. Restoration of the reproductive system is being restored, which is useful for both women and men; shallow wrinkles are smoothed out. Feijoa does not cause allergies, while possessing antihistamine action.
Important! Feijoa is not an allergenic product, but it should be introduced into the diet of young children gradually and only from the age of one. If you give a raw berry to a small child, his intestines will not be able to digest it, and a serious upset will occur.
Application features
The benefits of this fetus are obvious, but many future mothers and women who breastfeed are interested in how feijoa can affect their babies.
During pregnancy
This berry contains many substances necessary for the normal development of the fetus. It is especially useful in the first trimester of pregnancy, when the nervous tube and thyroid gland of the baby is formed, which, thanks to the constant intake of iodine, will provide the baby with a strong innate immunity. 
Folic acid, also known as vitamin B9, will protect the infant from malformations. The abundance of vitamins and minerals will provide the body of the pregnant with everything that the fetus takes from it. The cardiovascular system will be strengthened, which is important with increasing load on it.
Familiarize yourself with the cultivation of feijoa at home.
As for contraindications, then, if this product is unusual for a pregnant woman, do not abuse it. You need to start with a few berries, increasing the portion, if the reaction was normal.
Breastfeeding
Despite the fact that for an adult this fetus is not allergenic, a nursing mother should be introduced into the diet gradually, with an eye on the child's reaction. High pectin content will ensure normal peristalsis of the nursing woman’s intestines. This property is especially important in the first month after childbirth, when intestinal emptying is difficult due to microtraumas and hemorrhoids.
Did you know? To continental Europe feijoa first hit in 1890. In France this plant made a real sensation and from there quickly spread to the east of the continent, successfully settling down on the Crimean peninsula and in the Caucasus. The first cuttings came to America only ten years later, in the 1900s, and initially grew only in warm California.
A large amount of vitamin C will strengthen the immunity of the mother and baby and suppresses inflammatory processes, if any. These berries fall from the bush and gather in an unripe form, and ripen during transportation, so you can not be afraid of the presence of nitrates in them, accelerating ripening. Iodine, another useful element for the baby, is contained in them in an easily digestible form, besides, it gets into the mother's milk as a product of metabolism, therefore it will only bring benefit to the infant.Possible harm and contraindications
You can not use this berry with individual intolerance - on it are cross-allergies. A large amount of iodine makes feijoa the forbidden fruit of hyperthyroidism, because excess iodine is harmful just like its lack. Sugars in this product are very many, so people suffering from diabetes can use it in limited quantities.
Pectins that cleanse the intestines are not combined with drinking milk, causing serious disorders, so feijoa and milk should be consumed separately. Also, disorder and even food poisoning can be provoked by eating solid unripe fruits. Younger babies younger than a year do not have the enzymes necessary for digesting this tropical fruit, so it is not recommended to give it raw. 
Product selection rules
The main rule - the berry should be large, not less than the average chicken egg, and whole. Pathogenic bacteria enter the flesh through the damaged peel and make the fruit unfit for human consumption. The rind of a high-quality feijoa is dark green and slightly bumpy. It should not be black or gray spots, cracks, rot or mold. Berry can be soft and hard. Hard berries after purchase will have to be postponed for several days to ripen. Soft need to be consumed on the same day so that they do not deteriorate, since even in the refrigerator they are not stored for a long time.
Exotic fruits also have beneficial properties for the human body. Learn how to properly use the useful components of kumquat, guava, kivano, papaya, annona, longan, lychee, rambutan, bail.
How to eat feijoa
Most often, this berry is consumed raw. It can be peeled, cut into slices and is, or you can cut it in half and take out the pulp with a spoon. The skin of this fruit is also edible, but it contains a lot of tannins, therefore it has an astringent taste and can be chewed for intestinal disorders.
Feijoa has a pleasant taste in compotes, jellies, jams. It is frayed with sugar and harvested for the winter in frozen form. After a quick heat treatment, the berry does not lose its properties. Long-term boiling destroys vitamin C, so feijoa is added to drinks and meals should be at the very end of cooking. 
Did you know? The international botanical classification recognized this plant only in 1941. At first, feijoa could not be attributed to any order until they noticed the similarity of its colors with the myrtle flowers of the Akka family. Feijoa attributed to a separate species, represented by a single type of shrubs.
Dietary properties
Despite the high sugar content, this berry is low in calories, so it can be used in the dietary diet: it will not allow the body to deplete and support weak immunity. Weight loss will be due to the normalization of metabolism. If you eat one feijoa before each meal, the food will be absorbed faster, and the feeling of satiety will come before you have time to eat.
This is a useful product for an evening snack. Those who do not use iodine-containing drugs can safely eat up to 250 grams of this berry per day. 
Use of cosmetic properties
Best of all, this fruit acts on aged skin with the first signs of aging: it tightens the skin, improves its elasticity and reduces minor defects, such as rashes and mimic wrinkles. Tannins and tannins narrow pores and remove redness, and also strengthen the walls of blood vessels, which is especially useful for women who have developed a spider vein, or rosacea.
In cosmetology is used as the juice of this fruit, and its pulp. Broths of the skin of this berry are added to tonic and milk cleanser to reduce shine. Pulp masks moisturize dry and normal skin.
Important! Excessive consumption of feijoa can lead to hyperthyroidism. - excessive activity of the thyroid gland and an increase in its size. Observe moderation even with this useful product.
As for the beauty of the hair, decoctions and tinctures of tart skin treat scalp prone to greasiness and eliminate various types of dandruff. Feijoa masks strengthen hair follicles and irritate them, stimulating hair growth. Regular use of this berry in the formulations of masks will strengthen the hair shafts and make the hair thick and healthy. Feijoa also enhances the natural shine of the hair due to the polishing effect of small bones and pulp particles.How to make tasty and simple feijoa jam
There are two ways to make jam from this berry - raw and cooked. Heat treatment destroys vitamins and other beneficial substances contained in the pulp, so the best cooking option is raw jam, which is called “Five minutes”.
Ingredients Required
- Feijoa - 1.5 kg;
- sugar - 0.5 kg.
Step by step process with photos
- Carefully sort the berries. Eliminate all rotted, damaged specimens, those with black spots or mold. Wash them in a mild soap solution, rinse under running water and scald with boiling water. In this recipe, the purity of the original ingredients is important, as carelessly prepared jam can ferment.
- Cut off the fruit of the stem and receptacle, pass them through a meat grinder into a deep ceramic or plastic bowl.
- Add sugar, mix gently and leave for five to seven minutes to completely dissolve the sugar crystals.
- While the jam is settling, you need to sterilize two liter jars in boiling water. Drain them and arrange the jam in them. Loosely close the lids and lower the jars into the pan with warm (not higher than 60 ° C) water. Hold for ten minutes and close the lids tightly.
- Cool to room temperature. Store in the refrigerator for no longer than six months. Open a jar store no longer than a week.
Is it possible to freeze feijoa for the winter
This method of preparation has advantages over preparation in the form of jam. Firstly, the integrity of the berry is not violated, and secondly, the healthy feijoa does not mix with harmful sugar.
Did you know? During the Second World War, American hospitals in the southern states used feijoa in the diet nutrition of soldiers recovering from injuries. Its amazing bactericidal and immunomodulating properties were already known then.
Fruit preparation
It is possible to freeze this berry in a whole look and in the form of mashed potatoes. In any case, sort out the berries to remove the spoiled copies from the mass, and wash them in running water with soap. Cut the stem, receptacle.
Ways of freezing
If you want to freeze whole berries, after cutting the legs, lay the fruit on clean paper towels so that they dry. Dry berries spread out in one layer on a tray and put in the freezer. Turn them up from time to time and swap them so they freeze evenly. As soon as the berries become hard (usually it takes up to a day to freeze), put them in a tray and close the lid tightly. Keep frozen feijoa in the freezer no longer than a year. 
Freezing pureed berries is suitable for those with a small freezer. Immediately after cutting the stem, pass the fruit through a meat grinder or chop it in a blender. Arrange the mashed potatoes in sterilized trays, close the lids and leave in the freezer. Keep berries prepared this way for no longer than six months at a constant temperature. Thawed mashed potatoes are not subject to re-freezing. 
Important! Closed in non-sterile conditions, the jam can be stored in the refrigerator for no longer than two weeks, since extraneous microflora develops in it. If you smell a sour smell coming from a can, do not consume this product.
Feijoa can and even should be used by adults as well as young children: the berry stimulates the immune system, restores the functioning of the thyroid gland, strengthens the cardiovascular system and debugs the bowels. The low allergenicity of this product makes it a valuable source of useful minerals and vitamins for pregnant and lactating women. This berry can be harvested for the winter in the form of freezing and tasty jam, it is used in dietary nutrition, cosmetology. Regular use of feijoa has a positive effect on human health, mood, and general well-being.
Feedback from network users
I love Feijoa. I know that according to the content of iodine in it, it is equated to seafood. So for those who have problems with the shield. The iron is very useful. It stimulates the work of the intestine, while removing toxins from the body and reducing cholesterol levels. It does not cause allergies. But jam is not boiled. Fruits are ground in a blender, mixed with sugar and kept cold in a stack of jars. This preserves vitaminchiki. I advise everyone except those to whom iodine is contraindicated.a guest
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