THE POWER PACKED FRUIT

Guavas are definitely love!  These tropical fruits with a cream or pinkish / reddish flesh are delicious.  The young leaves can be brewed to make tea and are known to be beneficial for health as the leaves contain natural phytochemicals.  The fruits and leaves can also be used as a facial scrub.  There's like many-in-one use for these fruits.  Even birds love them but we'll talk about that a little later....

Guavas are high in nutritional value as they are loaded with Vitamin C, fibers and minerals.  The fruits have a rich source of anti-oxidant property and considered one of the best food to slow down and delay the process of ageing naturally.    

They are such hardy plants that thrive with minimum care and with regular feeds will ensure abundant of fruits. 

Apart from enjoying these fruits as it is or juiced, the young leaves can also be used for brewing tea to aid in digestion.  As the fruits and leaves are rich in astringents, they are also ideal for use as a facial scrub for toning and brightening the skin.  Sure bliss to slather natural goodness on the face as you enjoy the sweet aroma of guavas.

However like all good things, I have a competitor who loves guavas as much as I do... seriously.

Watch out for story about this seeds loving dude!

 

HELLO ROSELLE

It starts off with a flower...

... to fruits

Anything to do with beauty and anti-ageing earn my marks especially with a pretty sweet name like Roselle.  I don't think anyone would mind being called Roselle.

Roselle leaf and fruits

So if you haven’t heard, Roselle is a wonderful medicinal plant that bears fruits chock full of vitamins and antioxidants. 

Fleshy calyxes

 

Seed pods

Do bear in mind that although this plant carries some health and beauty benefits, it is not suitable for those with low blood pressure and like any other things / products, it should be taken in moderation.   

Having said that, if you’re a fan of sugar laden drinks /colas and you pity your waistline, Roselle tea is the perfect perk me up alternative!  It’s fabulous as a thirst quencher.

Making that cup of tea is so simple.  Tear of the calyxes, wash, put them in a cup and pour boiling water over them.  When I first started making Roselle tea, I added water and boiled the calyxes for a few minutes.  The water turned a fiery red and tasted a bit tart so I added in some honey.  However having now acquired the taste, I prefer to pour boiling water onto the calyxes, let it seep for a few minutes and drink it as it is.  On days that I crave for a sweet drink, I’ll add a dollop of honey to it.  Whichever way you choose, it’s delicious on its own.  Enjoy it hot, chill or add ice to your Roselle tea.

Sow some seeds in a pot or scatter some in your backyard.  Imagine the convenience of plucking this spike like fruits as and when you feel like having a cuppa!  When I plant and harvest enough Roselle fruits, I'll be on my way to making jams too. 

Oh and to share a little piece of news from the grapevine...  Heard that because Roselle tea is high in Vitamin C content, it is supposedly better than red wine in warding off free radicals in the skin.  So cheers to smooth skin and bye to winkles!  

Okay, bye bye to fewer winkles.