Guava fruit is a sweet tropical fruit eaten in many countries. However, it’s not so common in the USA and Europe, which may be why pregnant women can be confused about whether it’s safe or not.
The good news is that guava fruit is safe and delicious while you’re expecting. It even has great benefits for pregnant women due to its high fiber and vitamin C content.
I’ll guide you through how to safely enjoy guava fruit, tea, and juice during your pregnancy.
Is Guava Fruit Safe to Eat During Pregnancy?
Guava fruit is generally safe during pregnancy.
As always, be sure to practice good food safety. The guava skin, fruit and seeds are edible and safe. Make sure to rinse the skin for at least 30 seconds under running water before consuming.
Make sure your fruit is fresh. If there are any damaged or bruised bits, it’s best to cut them out. The skin is safe to eat. However, if you’re going to peel it, make sure the skin and peeler or knife is clean to avoid spreading any bacteria that may be present.
Can Pregnant Women Drink Guava Juice?
Guava juice should be safe, as long as it’s pasteurized.
When it comes to store-bought juice, the FDA requires that unpasteurized juices be clearly labeled as such and are labeled as “unfiltered.” They also need to include a warning to inform customers of potential bacteria (Source: CANR).
Therefore, most store-bought guava juice (and tropical blends that contain guava) are usually safe. However, if you’re getting “freshly squeezed” juice, then it may not be pasteurized and more prone to contamination. This is usually the case with juice bought at artisan or farmers markets – these are best avoided when pregnant, and stick to commercially produced, pasteuried versions instead.
If you’re making juice at home, be sure to practice good food hygiene.
Guava is quite high in fructose which can make some people bloated. Fructose is a kind of sugar found in fruit and some vegetables.
Some people cannot break down this sugar properly which can cause belching, bloating or diarrhea For some people, their capacity to absorb isolated fructose could be as little as 5 grams before experiencing fructose malabsorption. (source: NCBI).
Juices often contain several times more sugar than this. Juice often contains more sugar than simply eating the fruit itself. As pregnant women can be prone to bloating and digestive discomfort, this could put them off guava juice. If suffer from fructose malabsorption, this might not be the best juice for you.
Guava fruit is a good source of fiber. However, juicing stips all the fiber – unless the pulp is included. Also, bear in mind a lot of commercial juices also contain added sugar, too.
Is It OK To Eat Guava Seeds if You’re Pregnant?
Guava seeds are safe to eat during pregnancy.
Most of the fiber in fruit is in the seeds and skin, this is no different with guava seeds. Guava seeds are actually a good source of fiber! Consuming enough fiber during pregnancy can help when it comes to constipation.
If this is something you suffer from frequently during your pregnancy, then you’ll want to check out our list of fiber-rich foods to eat when you’re pregnant.
Are Guava Leaves (or Guava Tea) Safe For Pregnant Women?
Guava tea is made from the leaves of the plant. Although there is very little scientific study into guava leaves during pregnancy, they are thought to be safe in food amounts.
A few teas have been identified as unsafe for pregnant women. This includes pennyroyal, passionflower, and Roman chamomile in medicinal amounts. Guava tea has not been flagged as a concern (source: American Pregnancy).
As long as the leaves have been cleaned before drinking, guava leaf tea should be safe. Always check tea blends for other ingredients that may not be as safe.
The Benefits of Guava For Pregnancy: Why It’s Good for You
Guava fruit is loaded with benefits for pregnant women. Here are just a few of them:
Guava contains folate (source: Nutrition Data). Folate is important during pregnancy to help to maintain your baby’s normal tissue growth and cell function. It can also lower the chances of preterm birth, and fetal structural anomalies such as congenital heart defects (source: Obstetrics & Gynecology).
They’re an excellent source of vitamin C. This vitamin helps to ward off anemia by aiding in the absorption of iron. Vitamin C has also been associated with lower risks of pre-eclampsia and intrauterine growth restriction (source: Cochrane).
Guava fruit is also a good source of vitamin A. Vitamin A is important when it comes to the development of your baby’s bones, teeth, and hair. This vitamin also contributes to the maintenance and development of epithelial tissue as well as protecting the skin, strengthening the immune system, and maintaining reproductive function.
Consuming too much or too little vitamin A, is linked to congenital malformations (source: Nutrients).
Guava fruit provides a good amount of potassium. Potassium can reduce the risk of cardiovascular issues and bone loss. Some women can be at risk for osteoporosis during pregnancy (source: Oxford Medicine). Potassium is also linked with helping to maintain a normal heartbeat and to help move nutrients through cells (source: Medline).
It’s not uncommon for expectant mothers to experience digestive discomfort or conspiration. The high fiber content in guava can help to relieve constipation. Beyond this, one study on rats found that the fruit helped to heal ulcers and had gastroprotective properties (source: National Library of Medicine).
Another animal study found that guava could provide symptomatic relief of diarrhea (source: Journal of Smooth Muscle Research).
Overall, guava is a great fruit choice for expectant mothers, and you can enjoy it in many ways – in smoothies, chopped on top of yogurt, and many more.
Can I Have Guava In the First / Second / Third Trimester?
Many women worry about their diet changing throughout their pregnancy. There is nothing to suggest that guava is unsafe at different points during pregnancy. As long as the guava fruit, juice or tea, is fresh and safe then it should be fine at any stage.
However, if you are sensitive to fructose, then guava fruit juice might cause additional nausea on top of the morning sickness you could be experiencing during the first trimester.
Some women experience nausea right into their second trimester. As constipation is more common in the third trimester, whole guava fruit can be helpful to alleviate this. Guava is a natural way of getting more fiber through food, if this is something you’re struggling with.
I hope this cleared up any concerns you might be having about eating guava fruit during pregnancy. You might also want to read our guide to the best (and worst) fruit for pregnant women, too!
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