Guava is the fruit of a small tree that is grown in Mexico, Central America, the Caribbean, South America, and the southern United States. Known as a tropical fruit, guava’s origin is uncertain although many list southern Mexico or Central America as its birthplace.

Guava can now be found worldwide in many grocery stores, although availability may vary with the seasons. This sweet fruit provides a healthy dose of fiber and other nutrients. If you’re looking to add more interesting fruits to your diet, guava is a smart choice.

Carbs

A full 1-cup serving of guava provides 112 calories and over 23 grams of carbohydrates. Most of the carbs come from naturally occurring sugar (14.7g), but you’ll also benefit from almost 9 grams of fiber. There is no starch in guava.

The glycemic index of guava is 12-24, which is very low for fruit.2 The glycemic index indicates how much a specific food raises your blood sugar level in comparison to pure glucose, which has a glycemic index ranking of 100. With a GI in the 30s, guava is considered a low-glycemic food.

Fats

There is just a small amount of fat in guava. A cup of the fruit provides just 1.6 grams of poly- and mono-unsaturated fats.

Protein

For a fruit, guava is relatively high in protein, providing over 4 grams per serving.

Vitamins and Minerals

As with many tropical fruits, guava is an excellent source of vitamin C. It is also high in folate and in beta carotene, which the body partially converts to vitamin A. Guava is a good source of potassium and provides smaller amounts of other vitamins and minerals.

Calories

In 1 cup (165g) of guava, you will get 112 calories, 75% of which come from carbs, 13% from protein, and 12% from fat.