Guava is a tropical fruit with bright pink or yellow-green skin and white or pink flesh. Ripe guava fruit has a sweet taste and smell, whereas unripe guava has a musky scent. Guava fruits grow in many tropical regions in Central America, South America, Asia, and North America, including Florida, Hawaii, the Caribbean, and Mexico. There are many types of guava trees, including lemon guava and apple guava.

Fresh guava is rich in antioxidants and nutrients like vitamin C, vitamin A, potassium, and dietary fiber. There are also many health benefits of guava; eating the fruit can help manage blood pressure, high cholesterol, and blood sugar levels. The high fiber content can assist in remedying constipation and other digestion issues.
Follow these tips to purchase guava at your local grocery store or [farmers’ market](https://www.masterclass.com/articles/how-to-shop-at-the-farmers-market-with-alice-waters): 

1. __Check for bruises or blemishes__. Look for a guava without blemishes, cuts, or bruises, which can affect the flavor.
2. __Inspect the fruit’s skin for ripeness__. Guavas come in several colors; strawberry guava is ripe when dark red and free of green coloring. Other varieties of guava get a light green or bright yellow skin when ripe, and unripe guava will be closer to dark green. If you buy unripe guavas, you can ripen them on the counter at home. Store them in a paper bag to speed up the ripening process.
3. __Pick up and squeeze the fruit__. A ripe guava fruit should have a little give or feel soft when you squeeze it in your hand.
4. __Smell the fruit__. Unripe guava gives off a musky smell, whereas a ripe guava has a strong sweet scent.
You can eat guava in many ways; make guava juice, or use guava purée to make ice cream, guava jam, or jelly. If you opt to eat the fruit whole as a snack or in a fruit salad, follow these steps to peel and cut guava:

1. __Wash the guava__. Rinse the guava under cold running water to remove any dirt or debris.
2. __Cut the guava in half__. Place the guava on a cutting board and use a sharp serrated knife to cut the guava in half. You can then slice the guava into smaller wedges.
3. __Remove the skin and seeds (optional)__. Both the skin and the guava seeds are edible, but you can remove them by cutting off the skin and scooping out the seeds with a spoon. You can then eat the cut guava fruit.
Become a better chef with the [MasterClass Annual Membership](https://www.masterclass.com). Gain access to exclusive video lessons taught by the world’s best, including Alice Waters, Gabriela Cámara, Niki Nakayama, Chef Thomas Keller, Gordon Ramsay, Yotam Ottolenghi, Dominique Ansel, and more.
Guava is a colorful, nutritious fruit native to warm climates. Learn how to eat guava so you can enjoy this sweet fruit.

Guava is a colorful, nutritious fruit native to warm climates. Learn how to eat guava so you can enjoy this sweet fruit.

How to Eat Guava: 4 Tips for Purchasing Guava

Guava is a tropical fruit with bright pink or yellow-green skin and white or pink flesh. Ripe guava fruit has a sweet taste and smell, whereas unripe guava has a musky scent. Guava fruits grow in many tropical regions in Central America, South America, Asia, and North America, including Florida, Hawaii, the Caribbean, and Mexico. There are many types of guava trees, including lemon guava and apple guava.Fresh guava is rich in antioxidants and nutrients like vitamin C, vitamin A, potassium, and dietary fiber. There are also many health benefits of guava; eating the fruit can help manage blood pressure, high cholesterol, and blood sugar levels. The high fiber content can assist in remedying constipation and other digestion issues.

What Is Guava?

Follow these tips to purchase guava at your local grocery store or <a href='https://www.masterclass.com/articles/how-to-shop-at-the-farmers-market-with-alice-waters' target='_blank' class='mc-text--link' data-mc-segment-trigger='true' data-mc-segment-event-type='Article Page Click' data-event-obj='{"textTag":"p","href":"https://www.masterclass.com/articles/how-to-shop-at-the-farmers-market-with-alice-waters","linkCopy":"farmers’ market","category":null}'>farmers’ market</a>: <ol class="mc-m-4"><li class="mc-my-4"> 1. Check for bruises or blemishes. Look for a guava without blemishes, cuts, or bruises, which can affect the flavor. </li><li class="mc-my-4"> 2. Inspect the fruit’s skin for ripeness. Guavas come in several colors; strawberry guava is ripe when dark red and free of green coloring. Other varieties of guava get a light green or bright yellow skin when ripe, and unripe guava will be closer to dark green. If you buy unripe guavas, you can ripen them on the counter at home. Store them in a paper bag to speed up the ripening process. </li><li class="mc-my-4"> 3. Pick up and squeeze the fruit. A ripe guava fruit should have a little give or feel soft when you squeeze it in your hand. </li><li class="mc-my-4"> 4. Smell the fruit. Unripe guava gives off a musky smell, whereas a ripe guava has a strong sweet scent. </li></ol>

4 Tips for Purchasing Guava

You can eat guava in many ways; make guava juice, or use guava purée to make ice cream, guava jam, or jelly. If you opt to eat the fruit whole as a snack or in a fruit salad, follow these steps to peel and cut guava:<ol class="mc-m-4"><li class="mc-my-4"> 1. Wash the guava. Rinse the guava under cold running water to remove any dirt or debris. </li><li class="mc-my-4"> 2. Cut the guava in half. Place the guava on a cutting board and use a sharp serrated knife to cut the guava in half. You can then slice the guava into smaller wedges. </li><li class="mc-my-4"> 3. Remove the skin and seeds (optional). Both the skin and the guava seeds are edible, but you can remove them by cutting off the skin and scooping out the seeds with a spoon. You can then eat the cut guava fruit. </li></ol>

How to Eat Guava

Become a better chef with the <a href='https://www.masterclass.com' target='_blank' class='mc-text--link' data-mc-segment-trigger='true' data-mc-segment-event-type='Article Page Click' data-event-obj='{"textTag":"p","href":"https://www.masterclass.com","linkCopy":"MasterClass Annual Membership","category":null}'>MasterClass Annual Membership</a>. Gain access to exclusive video lessons taught by the world’s best, including Alice Waters, Gabriela Cámara, Niki Nakayama, Chef Thomas Keller, Gordon Ramsay, Yotam Ottolenghi, Dominique Ansel, and more.

Want to Learn More About Cooking?

Guava is a colorful, nutritious fruit native to warm climates. Learn how to eat guava so you can enjoy this sweet fruit.

Guava is a colorful, nutritious fruit native to warm climates. Learn how to eat guava so you can enjoy this sweet fruit.


Menu

Get 50% off Cyber Monday offer

Get 50% off Cyber Monday offer

Get 50% off Cyber Monday offer

How to Eat Guava: 4 Tips for Purchasing Guava