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Guavas
Apple Guava (Psidium guajava)
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Plantae
Division:	Magnoliophyta
Class:	Magnoliopsida
Subclass:	Rosidae
Order:	Myrtales
Family:	Myrtaceae
Subfamily:	Myrtoideae
Tribe:	Myrteae
Genus:	Psidium L.[1]
Species
About 100, see text
Synonyms
Calyptropsidium O.Berg Corynemyrtus (Kiaersk.) Mattos Guajava Mill. Mitropsidium Burret[1]

Guavas are plants in the myrtle family (Myrtaceae) genus Psidium (meaning "pomegranate" in Latin),^[2] which contains about 100 species of tropical shrubs and small trees. They are native to Mexico, Central America, and northern South America. Guavas are now cultivated and naturalized throughout the tropics and subtropics in Africa, Southeast Asia, the Caribbean, subtropical regions of North America, and Australia.

Types[link]

The most frequently encountered species, and the one often simply referred to as "the guava", is the Apple Guava (Psidium guajava).^{[citation needed]}

Guavas are typical Myrtoideae, with tough dark leaves that are opposite, simple, elliptic to ovate and 5–15 centimetres (2.0–5.9 in) long. The flowers are white, with five petals and numerous stamens.

The genera Accara and Feijoa (= Acca, Pineapple Guava) were formerly included in Psidium.^{[citation needed]}

Common names[link]

Bengal guava-flower

The term "guava" appears to derive from Arawak guayabo "guava tree", via the Spanish guayaba. It has been adapted in many European languages: goiaba (Portuguese), guava (Romanian, Swedish, Danish and Norwegian, also Greek Γκουάβα and Russian Гуава), Guave (Dutch and German), goyave (French), gujawa (Polish).

Outside of Europe, the Arabic "جوافة" j(a)wafa~gawafa, the Japanese guaba (グアバ), the Tamil "koiyaa" (கொய்யா), the Tongan kuava and probably also the Tagalog bayabas are ultimately derived from the Arawak term.

Another term for guavas is pera or variants thereof. It is common around the western Indian Ocean and probably derives from Spanish or Portuguese, which means "pear", or from some language of southern India, though it is so widespread in the region that its origin cannot be clearly discerned any more. Pera itself is used in Malayalam, Sinhala and Swahili. In Marathi it is peru (पेरू), in Bengali pearah (পেয়ারা), in Assamese "Madhuriam",in Kannada it is pearaley ('ಪೇರಲೆ') or seebe kaayi ('ಸೀಬೇಕಾಯಿ ') and in Dhivehi feyru. In Telugu language it is "Jama kaya". It is called pijuli in Oriya language in eastern India.

Guava is also called Amrood ('अमरुद', 'امرود') in North India and Pakistan, which is possibly a variant of Armoot meaning "pear" in Arabic and Turkish languages, and possibly linked to the Moghul occupation of this region.

Additional terms for guavas from their native range are, for example, sawintu (Quechua) and xālxocotl (Nāhuatl) Another term for guavas (Ethiopian, Amharic) is "Zeytuna".

Ecology[link]

Apple Guava (Psidium guajava) flower

Psidium species are used as food plants by the caterpillars of some Lepidoptera, mainly moths like the Ello Sphinx (Erinnyis ello), Eupseudosoma aberrans, E. involutum, and Hypercompe icasia. Mites like Pronematus pruni and Tydeus munsteri are known to parasitize the Apple Guava (P. guajava) and perhaps other species. The bacterium Erwinia psidii causes rot diseases of the Apple Guava.

The fruit is not only relished by humans, but by many mammals and birds as well. The spread of introduced guavas owes much to this fact, since animals eat the fruit and disperse the seeds in their droppings.

In several tropical regions, including Hawaii, some species (namely Strawberry Guava, P. littorale, and to a lesser extent Apple Guava) have become invasive species. On the other hand, several species have become very rare due to habitat destruction and at least one (Jamaican Guava, P. dumetorum), is already extinct.

Guava wood is used for meat smoking in Hawaii and is used at barbecue competitions across the United States. In Cuba and Mexico the leaves are used in barbecues.

A full size guava tree in Oaxaca, Mexico

Fruit[link]

Guavas in Larkana, Pakistan

Guava fruit, usually 4 to 12 centimetres (1.6 to 4.7 in) long, are round or oval depending on the species. The outer skin may be rough, often with a bitter taste, or soft and sweet. Varying between species, the skin can be any thickness, is usually green before maturity, but becomes yellow, maroon, or green when ripe.

Guava fruit generally have a pronounced and typical fragrance, similar to lemon rind but less sharp. Guava pulp may be sweet or sour, tasting something between pear and strawberry, off-white ("white" guavas) to deep pink ("red" guavas), with the seeds in the central pulp of variable number and hardness, depending on species.

Range[link]

Guavas are cultivated in many tropical and subtropical countries. Several species are grown commercially; apple guava and its cultivars are those most commonly traded internationally.

Psidium guajava 1-year seedling

Mature trees of most species are fairly cold-hardy and can survive temperatures slightly colder than 25 °F (−4 °C) for short periods of time, but younger plants will likely freeze to the ground.^[3]

Strawberry guava, 1 year old seedling

Guavas are also of interest to home growers in temperate areas. They are one of the few tropical fruits that can grow to fruiting size in pots indoors. When grown from seed, guavas can bear fruit as soon as two years, or as long as eight years.

Culinary uses[link]

In Hawaii, guava is eaten with soy sauce and vinegar. Occasionally, a pinch of sugar and black pepper are added to the mixture. The fruit is cut up and dipped into the sauce.

In Mexico, the Agua fresca beverage is popularly made with Guava. The entire fruit is a key ingredient in punch, and the juice extract is often used in culinary sauces (hot or cold), as well as artisan candies, dried snacks, fruit bars, desserts, or dipped in Chamoy. Pulque de Guava is a popular blend of the native alcoholic beverage.

In Pakistan and India, guava is often eaten raw, typically cut into quarters with a pinch of salt and pepper and sometimes cayenne powder/masala. Street vendors often sell guava fruit for a few rupees each.

In the Philippines, ripe guava is used in cooking sinigang.

Guava juice is very popular in Cuba, Costa Rica, Egypt, Mexico, Colombia, Hawaii, Puerto Rico, Venezuela, Malaysia,Indonesia and South Africa.

The fruit is also often prepared as a dessert, in fruit salads. In Asia, fresh guava slices are often dipped in preserved prune powder or salt. In India it is often sprinkled with red rock salt, which is very tart.

Because of its high level of pectin, guavas are extensively used to make candies, preserves, jellies, jams, and marmalades (such as Brazilian goiabada and Colombian bocadillo), and also for juices and aguas frescas.

"Red" guavas can be used as the base of salted products such as sauces, substituting for tomatoes, especially for those sensitive to the latter's acidity. In Asia, a drink is made from an infusion of guava fruits and leaves. In Brazil, the infusion made with guava tree leaves (chá-de-goiabeira, i.e. "tea" of guava tree leaves) is considered medicinal.

Ripe apple guavas for sale in Bangalore, India

Nutritional value[link]

Guavas are rich in dietary fiber, vitamins A and C, folic acid, and the dietary minerals, potassium, copper and manganese. Having a generally broad, low-calorie profile of essential nutrients, a single common guava (P. guajava) fruit contains about four times the amount of vitamin C as an orange.^[4]

However, nutrient content varies across guava cultivars. Although the strawberry guava (P. littorale var. cattleianum), notably containing 90 mg of vitamin C per serving, has about 25% of the amount found in more common varieties, its total vitamin C content in one serving still provides 100% of the Dietary Reference Intake for adult males.^[5]

'Thai maroon' guavas, a red apple guava cultivar, rich in carotenoids and polyphenols

Guavas contain both carotenoids and polyphenols like (+)-gallocatechin,^[6] guaijaverin, leucocyanidin and amritoside^[7]–the major classes of antioxidant pigments – giving them relatively high potential antioxidant value among plant foods.^[8] As these pigments produce the fruit skin and flesh color, guavas that are red-orange have more pigment content as polyphenol, carotenoid and pro-vitamin A, retinoid sources than yellow-green ones.^[9]

Green apple guavas are less rich in pigment antioxidants

% Daily Value in parentheses. Nutrient data source: US Department of Agriculture National Nutrient Database from Nutritiondata.com

Potential medical uses[link]

Since the 1950s, guavas – particularly the leaves – have been the subject for diverse research on their constituents, pharmacological properties and history in folk medicine.^[10] Most research, however, has been conducted on apple guava (P. guajava), with other species remaining unstudied. From preliminary medical research in laboratory models, extracts from apple guava leaves or bark are implicated in therapeutic mechanisms against cancer, bacterial infections, inflammation and pain.^[11][12][13] Essential oils from guava leaves display anti-cancer activity in vitro.^[14]

Guava leaves are used in folk medicine as a remedy for diarrhea^[15] and, as well as the bark, for their supposed antimicrobial properties and as an astringent. Guava leaves or bark are used in traditional treatments against diabetes.^[16][17][18] In Trinidad, a tea made from young leaves is used for diarrhea, dysentery and fever.^[19]

Selected species[link]

Strawberry Guava, Psidium littorale var. cattleianum

Lemon Guava, Psidium littorale var. littorale

Formerly placed here[link]

• Acca macrostema (as P. macrostemum
• Campomanesia adamantium (as P. adamantium Cambess.)
• Campomanesia aromatica (as P. aromatica Aubl.)
• Campomanesia grandiflora (as P. grandiflorum Aubl.)
• Campomanesia guaviroba (as P. cerasoides Cambess. or P. guaviroba DC.)
• Campomanesia lineatifolia (as P. rivulare DC.)
• Campomanesia pubescens (as P. corymbosum Cambess., P. obversum Miq. or P. pubescens
• Eugenia salamensis var. rensoniana (as P. rensonianum Standl.)
• Myrciaria dubia (as P. dubium Kunth)^[20]

See also[link]

• Leslie R. Landrum, guava botanist

Footnotes[link]

References[link]

• Chen, Kuan-Chou; Hsieh, Chiu-Lan; Peng, Chiung-Chi; Hsieh-Li, Hsiu-Mei; Chiang, Han-Sun; Huang, Kuan-Dar & Peng, Robert Y. (2007): Brain derived metastatic prostate cancer DU-145 cells are effectively inhibited in vitro by guava (Psidium gujava L.) leaf extracts. Nutr. Cancer 58(1): 93–106. HTML abstract
• Gutiérrez, R.M.; Mitchell, S. & Solis, R.V. (2008): Psidium guajava: a review of its traditional uses, phytochemistry and pharmacology. J. Ethnopharmacol. 117(1): 1–27. doi:10.1016/j.jep.2008.01.025 (HTML abstract)
• Hassimotto, N.M.; Genovese, M.I. & Lajolo, F.M. (2005): Antioxidant activity of dietary fruits, vegetables, and commercial frozen fruit pulps. Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry 53(8): 2928–2935. doi:10.1021/jf047894h (HTML abstract)
• Healthaliciousness.com [2008]: Nutrient facts comparison for common guava, strawberry guava, and oranges. Retrieved 2008-DEC-21.
• Jiménez-Escrig, A.; Rincón, M.; Pulido, R. & Saura-Calixto, F. (2001): Guava fruit (Psidium guajava L.) as a new source of antioxidant dietary fiber. Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry 49(11): 5489–5493. doi:10.1021/jf010147p (HTML abstract)
• Kaljee, Linda M.; Thiem, Vu Dinh; von Seidlein, Lorenz; Genberg, Becky L.; Canh, Do Gia; Tho, Le Huu; Minh, Truong Tan; Thoa, Le Thi Kim; Clemens, John D. & Trach, Dang Duc (2004): Healthcare Use for Diarrhoea and Dysentery in Actual and Hypothetical Cases, Nha Trang, Viet Nam. Journal of Health, Population and Nutrition 22(2): 139-149. PDF fulltext
• Mahattanatawee, K.; Manthey, J.A.; Luzio, G.; Talcott, S.T.; Goodner, K. & Baldwin, E.A. (2006): Total antioxidant activity and fiber content of select Florida-grown tropical fruits. Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry 54(19): 7355–7363. doi:10.1021/jf060566s PDF fulltext
• Mahfuzul Hoque, M.D.; Bari, M.L.; Inatsu, Y.; Juneja, V.K. & Kawamoto, S. (2007): Antibacterial activity of guava (Psidium guajava L.) and Neem (Azadirachta indica A. Juss.) extracts against foodborne pathogens and spoilage bacteria. Foodborne Pathogens and Disease 4(4): 481–488. doi:10.1089/fpd.2007.0040 PDF fulltext
• Manosroi, J.; Dhumtanom, P. & Manosroi, A. (2006): Anti-proliferative activity of essential oil extracted from Thai medicinal plants on KB and P388 cell lines. Cancer Letters 235(1): 114–120. doi:10.1016/j.canlet.2005.04.021 PMID 15979235 (HTML abstract)
• Mendes, John (1986). Cote ce Cote la: Trinidad & Tobago Dictionary. Arima, Trinidad. 
• Mukhtar, H.M.; Ansari, S.H.; Bhat, Z.A.; Naved, T. & Singh, P. (2006): Antidiabetic activity of an ethanol extract obtained from the stem bark of Psidium guajava (Myrtaceae). Pharmazie 61(8): 725–727. PMID 16964719 (HTML abstract)
• Oh, W.K.; Lee, C.H.; Lee, M.S. et al. (2005): Antidiabetic effects of extracts from Psidium guajava. J. Ethnopharmacol. 96(3): 411–415. doi:10.1016/j.jep.2004.09.041 (HTML abstract)
• Ojewole, J.A. (2006): Antiinflammatory and analgesic effects of Psidium guajava Linn. (Myrtaceae) leaf aqueous extract in rats and mice. Methods and Findings in Experimental and Clinical Pharmacology 28(7): 441–446. doi:10.1358/mf.2006.28.7.1003578 (HTML abstract)
• Wrolstad, Ronald E. (2001): The Possible Health Benefits of Anthocyanin Pigments and Polyphenolics. Version of May 2001. Retrieved 2008-DEC-21.

External links[link]

Media related to Psidium at Wikimedia Commons Data related to Psidium at Wikispecies

• Fruits of Warm Climates: Guava
• California Rare Fruit Growers: Tropical Guava Fruit Facts
• Invasive Species Remedy (New Zealand)
• Guava Nutrition Information from USDA SR22 database

This biographical article needs additional citations for verification. Please help by adding reliable sources. Contentious material about living persons that is unsourced or poorly sourced must be removed immediately, especially if potentially libelous or harmful. (October 2008)

John Lester "Johnny" Nash, Jr. (born August 19, 1940) is an American pop singer-songwriter, best known in the US for his 1972 hit, "I Can See Clearly Now". He was also the first non-Jamaican to record reggae music in Kingston, Jamaica.^{[citation needed]}

Life and career[link]

Born John Lester Nash, Jr. in Houston, Texas, He began as a pop singer in the 1950s. He also enjoyed success as an actor early in his career appearing in the screen version of playwright Louis S. Peterson's Take a Giant Step. Nash won a Silver Sail Award for his performance from the Locarno International Film Festival.

In 1965, Johnny Nash and Danny Sims formed the JAD label in New York. One of the more interesting signings was four brothers from Newport, Rhode Island, ages 9, 11, 15 and 16, called The Cowsills, before signing with Mercury/Philips with Shelby Singleton, before MGM and their first million selling hit single, "The Rain, The Park & Other Things". The Cowsills went into the studio in New York with studio musicians and recorded a number of songs like "Either You Do Or You Don't" and "You Can't Go Halfway". Eventually The Cowsills would write and record their own song, "All I Really Want To Be Is Me", which became the group's debut single release on JAD.

Besides "I Can See Clearly Now," Nash recorded several hits in Jamaica, where he travelled in early 1968, as his girlfriend had family links with local TV and radio host and novel writer Neville Willoughby. Nash planned to try breaking the local rocksteady sound in the United States. Willoughby introduced him to a local struggling vocal group, The Wailers. Members Bob Marley, Bunny Wailer and Peter Tosh introduced him to the local scene. Nash signed all three to an exclusive publishing and recording contract with his JAD label and financed some of their recordings, some with Byron Lee's Dragonaires and some with other local musicians such as Jackie Jackson and Lynn Taitt. None of the Marley and Tosh songs he produced were successful. Only two singles were released at the time: "Bend Down Low" (JAD 1968) and "Reggae on Broadway" (Columbia, 1972), which was recorded in London in 1972 on the same sessions that produced "I Can See Clearly Now." It sold over one million copies, and was awarded a gold disc by the R.I.A.A. in November 1972.^[1] The I Can See Clearly Now album includes four original Marley compositions published by JAD: "Guava Jelly", "Comma Comma", "You Poured Sugar On Me" and the follow-up hit "Stir It Up". "There Are More Questions Than Answers" was a third hit single taken from the album.

Nash was also active as a composer in the Swedish romance Vill så gärna tro (1971) in which he portrayed Robert. The film soundtrack, partly instrumental reggae with strings, was co-composed by Bob Marley and arranged by Fred Jordan.

JAD Records ceased to exist in 1971, but it was revived in 1997 by American Marley specialist Roger Steffens and French musician and producer Bruno Blum for the "Complete Bob Marley & the Wailers 1967-1972" ten-album series for which several of the Nash-produced Marley and Tosh tracks were mixed or remixed by Blum for release. Nash's biggest hits were the early reggae (rocksteady) tunes "Hold Me Tight" (a #5 hit in the US and the UK, the tune used more than a year earlier in Score commercials) and "Stir It Up", the latter written by Bob Marley prior to Marley's international success. In the UK, his biggest hit was with the song "Tears On My Pillow" which reached number one in the UK Singles Chart in July 1975 for one week.^[2]

After a hit version of Sam Cooke's "Wonderful World" and "Let’s Go Dancing" in 1979, for many years he seemed to have dropped out of sight, with the exception of a brief resurgence in the mid-1980s with the album Here Again (1986), which was preceded by the minor UK hit, "Rock Me Baby"; however, in May 2006 he was singing again at SugarHill Recording Studios and at Tierra Studios in his native Houston. Working with SugarHill chief engineer Andy Bradley and Tierra Studios' grammy-winning Randy Miller, he began the work of transferring analog tapes of his songs from the 1970s and 1980s to Pro Tools digital format.^[3][4]

Nash sang the opening theme to the 1960s Trans-Lux cartoon The Mighty Hercules.

Selected discography[link]

Chart singles[link]

Albums[link]

• 1958: Johnny Nash (Paramount)
• 1959: I Got Rhythm (Paramount)
• 1959: Quiet Hour (Paramount)
• 1960: Let's Get Lost (Paramount)
• 1961: Starring Johnny Nash (Paramount)
• 1964: Composer's Choice (Argo)
• 1968: Hold Me Tight (JAD)
• 1969: Prince of Peace (JAD)
• 1969: Let's Go Dancing (Epic)
• 1972: I Can See Clearly Now (Epic) # 39 UK
• 1973: My Merry-Go-Round (Epic US)^[9]
• 1974: Celebrate Life (Epic)
• 1975: Tears on My Pillow (CBS)^[10]
• 1977: What a Wonderful World (Epic)
• 1979: Let's Go Dancing (Epic)^[11]
• 1980: The Johnny Nash Album (CBS)
• 1986: Here Again (London)

Compilations[link]

• 1977: Johnny Nash Collection # 18 UK
• 1981: Stir It Up
• 1993: The Reggae Collection
• 1996: The Best of Johnny Nash

^[2][12][13]

References[link]

External links[link]

• Classicbands.com biography
• "I Can See Clearly Now" song trivia
• 1973 TV appearance - "I Can See Clearly Now"
• Johnny Nash at the Internet Movie Database