Guava fruit already no stranger to the people of Indonesia thanks to its sweet taste and Knutritional content inin it. But not only fruit, guava leaves turn out also has many benefits.
Guava is a fruit that is known to be rich in vitamin C, fiber, and antioxidants. This fruit also has benefits in relieving diarrhea, cough, diabetes, colic, cataracts, high cholesterol, heart disease, and cancer. However, not many people know the benefits of guava leaves, which are also important for body health.
Understanding the Benefits of Guava Leaves
Guava leaves are also thought to have health benefits that are almost the same as the contents of the fruit. Here are some of the benefits of guava leaves:
- Contains antioxidantsNot only guava fruit contains antioxidants, but guava leaves also have antioxidants that can prevent the harmful effects of the oxidation process, namely the release of free radical molecules. We often experience exposure to free radicals in our daily activities, for example due to pollution, drugs, and even certain types of food. Free radicals can trigger health problems, such as narrowing and hardening of the arteries (atherosclerosis), cancer, Alzheimer's disease, and some types of arthritis.
- Relieve stomach cramps during menstruationMenstrual pain is usually felt in the lower abdomen. For some women, menstrual pain can interfere with daily activities. Abdominal cramps that occur before or during menstruation (dysmenorrhea) is thought to be overcome by guava leaf extract containing 6 milligrams of flavonoids per day.
- Improving the condition of people with diabetesediabetes and diabetesPrediabetes is a condition when the blood sugar level is higher than normal, but does not fall into the category of diabetes. Prediabetes is likely to progress to diabetes in less than 10 years if left untreated.
Several studies have shown that the benefits of guava leaves that are processed into tea, can reduce high blood sugar levels, especially in people with prediabetes and diabetes. However, this still requires further research on its effectiveness and safety.
Guava leaves are easy to find and are widely available around us. But if you want to use it to try the various benefits of guava leaves as mentioned above, you should still be careful. Consult a doctor before consuming guava leaves or herbal products from these leaves, especially if used with other medicines.