Psidium guajava (Guava, Pera)

Guava is a tropical fruit typically grown in Mexico, the Caribbean, and parts of Central and South America. Guava fruit grows on three varieties of trees within the myrtle family: Psidium guajava, which produces tropical guava, Psidium cattleianum, which grows strawberry guava, and Acca sellowiana, which grows pineapple guava.As the guava has become more widely cultivated, a multitude of cross-breed and hybrid varieties have been created, but we're going to focus on the primary varieties that you'll hear about most often.

Strawberry guava

produces juicy tart strawberry-flavored fruit with a cream-colored interior. According to the U.S. Forest Service, these round fruits display either a deep red or yellow color, the yellow being called "lemon guava" (Psidium littorale), or yellow strawberry guava. These guavas are slightly larger than traditional strawberry guava, and have a more—you guessed it—lemony flavor.

Pineapple guava

is kind of shaped like a pineapple, but that's where the similarities end. This kind of guava fruit is yellow-green and emits a fragrant floral scent when ripe.

Tropical guava

is the kind you'll most easily find in markets, presents itself as either pink or white and is by far the most varied guava in terms of appearance and flavor. One type of pink tropical guava is the Red Malaysian guava, or Thai Maroon guava, which has reddish-brown skin with bright pink flesh inside and has a high water content much like a watermelon. Mexican Cream guava, a type of white tropical guava, also called tropical yellow guava, has bright yellow skin and soft cream-colored flesh. It's known for its sweet yet zesty flavor with hints of pineapple and passionfruit. China White guava is a type of tropical guava fruit with yellow-green skin, a creamy white interior, and a notoriously sweet flavor profile.

Guava Benefits and Nutrition Facts

Guava is a delicious tropical fruit, high in vitamin C, and a great source of dietary fiber," says Ella Davar, R.D., C.D.N., an integrative nutritionist in New York City. (And that goes for all types of guava fruit. "Raw guava is typically low in calories and has only 37 kcal per medium fruit." In addition to vitamin C and fiber, this tropical fruit is rich in antioxidants and contains large amounts of magnesium, potassium, calcium, and vitamin A.