Feijoa is native to South America - Brazil (where it was first discovered), Uruguay. And its spread throughout the world began only in the twentieth century. Attempts to study the properties of Akka Sellov were made back in the USSR. However, due to the specific growing conditions, neither the plant itself nor its fruits have become widespread in these latitudes. Therefore, the contraindications of feijoa, along with its beneficial properties, have so far been derived only theoretically, based on what medicine already knows about its composition.
What's in the fruit, peel and leaves?
The feijoa fruit has a hard, sour-bitter rind containing very sweet, jelly-like pulp with seeds. From the point of view of biological classification, it is not even a fruit, but a berry, which is why it is so juicy. In the homeland of feijoa, it is not customary to eat its peel - only the contents, with an ordinary spoon. To some, the taste of feijoa resembles strawberries, to others - kiwi and pineapple. Since feijoa never became widespread in national cuisine, when choosing its berries you need to remember the following.
- Peel. The feijoa should be green (the whole range of shades - from the color of young grass to olive), elastic and shiny, without spots. But there should be a soft “filling” inside.
- Consistency. Hard pulp is a sign that the berry is still green.
- White pulp. This is a 100% sign that it is an unripe (2/3 ripe) fruit. This happens often in the modern world - due to the peculiarities of modern logistics and sales tactics. Because of them, we almost always eat fruits, especially exotic ones, semi-green or ripened in storage.
- Translucent pulp. This is exactly what a ripe feijoa should look like.
- Brownish pulp. The appearance of a strong yellow or brown tint in the feijoa pulp indicates that it is already overripe and ready to ferment.
In any case, feijoa berries are a tasty, but also truly sweet dessert, dangerous for those suffering from diabetes, since the glucose content in them is very high - comparable to mango fruits. Feijoa berries grown on the sea coast are saturated with iodine, although their “land” “relatives” may contain three times less than their “seaside” ones.
So, from a medical point of view, this tall shrub (or low-growing tree - whichever is more convenient) is most valuable for its ability to accumulate iodine from the soil and help against its deficiency. At the same time, the benefits of feijoa in preventing diseases of the thyroid gland directly depend on the place of its growth, which must be checked with the seller each time when purchasing berries. Otherwise, the chemical composition of feijoa is similar to most berries - in particular, due to the following they contain:
- food acids- folic (vitamin B9), ascorbic (vitamin C), nicotinic (vitamin B3), apple, lemon;
- vitamins - four more representatives of group B (B1, B2, B5 and B6), contained in the pulp itself, as well as vitamins E, A and some others in the leaves and peel;
- macro- and microelements- iodine, sodium, magnesium, potassium, calcium, zinc. Feijoa berries also contain copper, manganese, phosphorus and iron, which makes them a good (because easily digestible) alternative to the now fashionable multivitamin complexes from the pharmacy;
- vegetable fats- in the form of essential oils, giving feijoa pulp a strawberry-pineapple aroma.
The peel of Akka Feijoa berries also contains anthocyanins - natural coloring compounds. They give the parts of the plant they contain shades of color ranging from scarlet to purple. Anthocyanins are powerful natural antioxidants and are used in this capacity by scientific medicine and cosmetology. There are a lot of them in the leaves of the plant. By the way, its leaves, along with the peel, are also rich in tannins, which give them a bitter-tart taste and serve as natural antibiotics, since they are moderately poisonous.
Useful properties and contraindications of feijoa
The presence of these components in various parts of feijoa determines its ability to alleviate the course of diseases.
- Reduce temperature. And fight other signs of a cold, since the organic acids in the berries have antipyretic and anti-inflammatory properties. This also applies to vitamin C.
- Relieve joint pain. Since their antiseptic effect affects not only the sore throat, but also the course of osteochondrosis, arthrosis and arthritis (with the exception of gout).
- Sanitize the digestive tract. For dysbacteriosis, indigestion of unknown etiology, low stomach acidity, since the same acids and tannins disinfect the cavity of the digestive organs when digesting feijoa pulp.
- Improve digestion. Due to the stimulating effect of tannins and anthocyanins on the intestines and liver along with the gall bladder.
- Reduce blood pressure. Because all food acids have mild anticoagulant properties. Plus, their presence in the blood allows you to reduce the intensity of inflammation in different parts of the vascular network (with atherosclerosis they are always present) and slightly expand the lumen of the vessel.
In addition, the fruits can:
- replace seafood- if the purchased feijoa berries grew no further than 20 km from the sea coast, one can hope that their kilogram contains almost the full daily dose of iodine;
- replace multivitamins- or rather, preparations of minerals and trace elements, since the number of vitamins directly in feijoa berries is far from complete;
- prevent anemia- due to the presence of iron in a relatively easily digestible form (unlike apples).
What ailments does it help with?
The healing properties of feijoa are appropriate for kidney diseases, excluding those caused by oxalate or urate stones/sand in them. Both types of stones are formed due to metabolic disorders in the body of oxalic (oxalates) or uric (urates - a sign of gout) acids. In such cases, the metabolism of other acids also suffers, although not as much. This means that taking foods rich in any substances from this series is fraught with worsening kidney problems instead of solving them.
Feijoa is one of the few fruits allowed for consumption during pancreatitis (not during an exacerbation), because the B vitamins it contains can improve the condition and behavior of the pancreas.
Judging by reviews, the use of feijoa leaves for coughs is as effective as the use of berries. Feijoa leaves and peel are rich in tannins and antioxidants. But the experience of using them in folk medicine is not very great, and the reason for this is not only the relatively low prevalence of feijoa in our climate zone.
On the other hand, many other plants, including those from our latitudes, have similar properties. Moreover, their action is better studied and much more clearly expressed. Let's say that the same anthocyanins are most abundant not in the peel of feijoa, but in black currants, black grapes, red peppers, blueberries, mulberries, and tomatoes. It is also not its leaves that are especially rich in tannins, but the oak bark - hence their name. Therefore, most often, not preparations from the leaves are used as their saturated extract, but feijoa essential oil - a concentrate of tannins, antioxidants and minerals, which is good for acne and other minor skin problems.
There is an indication for the use of feijoa as a dietary supplement during pregnancy, since feijoa is rich in iodine (the mother’s thyroid hormones regulate the rate of fetal growth), and iron, without which hematopoiesis is impossible, and calcium, potassium, magnesium, which are responsible for the development of the heart. - the baby’s vascular system.
When it can do harm
At the same time, food acids, like mild antibiotics and antiseptics, whose ability to reduce and even eliminate inflammation in many body tissues has been scientifically proven, create both the main benefit and harm of feijoa. The problem is that they all provoke acute immune reactions - hence the prevalence of allergies to fruits and berries rich in them, including citrus fruits, strawberries, and currants. The main side effect of eating feijoa is also an allergy. In any case, when it comes to its berries, saturated with organic acids. In addition to allergies, other conditions are contraindications to the use of feijoa.
- Diabetes mellitus. Due to the excess glucose content in them, albeit along with fructose.
- Excess weight. Due to the high calorie content of feijoa berries. Eating fruit instead of chocolate bars, of course, has a beneficial effect on any figure, but only under the condition of other serious restrictions on carbohydrates. But losing weight simply by introducing feijoa into your diet is impossible.
- Complications of atherosclerosis. Starting with hypertensive crises, and further, to ischemia, heart attack and stroke. Eating feijoa berries normalizes blood pressure thanks to natural antiseptics, antioxidants and some trace elements (magnesium, potassium). But all of them can have a pronounced therapeutic effect only up to a certain point - while the heart and blood vessels are relatively healthy and there are only minor age-related deteriorations in their functioning. And then by treating them with feijoa at home, you can only waste precious time, risking not just your health, but your life.
- Hyperacid gastritis. Especially if high acidity of gastric juice is combined with an ulcer. Feijoa is a sweet and sour fruit. So adding a fair portion of acids from it to what is already contained in the stomach in excess will only lead to increased aching pain from below under the ribs (in the lower parts of the esophagus burned by acid), heartburn, and deepening erosions, if any.
- Gout and oxalaturia. The second disease is intolerance to oxalic acid.
Methods of storage, preparation and consumption
On the question of how to use feijoa for therapeutic purposes, we can say that the easiest way is to eat its pulp fresh, with honey, adding a teaspoon of natural flower or buckwheat honey to the pulp of two fruits.
Feijoa has a short shelf life - only about a week on the bottom shelf of the refrigerator. But as for how to prepare feijoa for the winter, then, firstly, this is not always necessary, since the first batches of its berries arrive on the counter in November-December. Secondly, the abundance of food acids (strong natural preservatives) allows you to simply mix its pulp with sugar in equal proportions, place it in sterile jars and close with plastic lids. That is, in exactly the same way as black currants are closed.
Making jam from feijoa is more difficult: here you need to know how to mix sugar syrup, because if you make a mistake, the jam will become compote (there is too much liquid in the pulp of ripe feijoa). In addition, this recipe is less preferable, since heat treatment will destroy the lion's share of acids and other vitamins in its composition. You can also freeze feijoa, but the most watery part of the pulp will have to be sacrificed.
There is even a liqueur based on peeled and diced feijoa berries, infused with 40% alcohol or cognac. Moreover, many believe in its medicinal properties, although in reality alcohol destroys the basis of the therapeutic effect of feijoa - the food acids in its composition. In other words, only some mineral compounds remain in such a liqueur, and it treats colds only to the extent that the heating of all body tissues caused by alcohol can help.
Even brewing tea from feijoa leaves for the purpose of treating something seems like a more reasonable solution, although they contain almost no food acids. In general, connoisseurs of the product often brew its peel, but the addition of dried feijoa leaves makes the drink more aromatic and stronger, since they smell more like myrtle than strawberries.
tea drink
You will need:
- a teaspoon of dry feijoa leaves;
- a teaspoon of dried feijoa berry peel;
- natural honey;
- a glass of boiling water.
Preparation
- Grind the leaves and skins, place them in a brewing cup and stir.
- Pour boiling water over the raw material, stir again and cover with a lid.
- Leave for fifteen minutes, then add honey to taste and stir until completely dissolved.
If you take a tablespoon of both ingredients for the same volume of water and brew them in a thermos, leaving for half an hour, you will get a good remedy for nephritis of various etiologies, except for nephrolithiasis (kidney stones and sand). This tea should be drunk twice a day, morning and evening, after meals, for two weeks. Then you can take a week break and repeat the course.
Paste for thyroiditis
You will need:
- two to four feijoa berries with skin;
- a tablespoon of sugar/honey;
- meat grinder, blender or food processor.
Preparation
- Wash the feijoa berries, cut off the stems from the ends and pass through a meat grinder (or grind in a blender).
- Add sugar or honey, beat thoroughly until completely dissolved.
You need to use the product according to the scheme: week on week off, for a month, a tablespoon, before meals, three times a day. It’s not worth preparing this pasta too much in advance, since it will last even in the refrigerator for no more than a week.
Pouring
You will need:
- half a liter of vodka, moonshine or cognac 40%;
- three ripe or overripe feijoa berries;
- 150 g sugar;
- 100 ml filtered water;
- glass container with a volume of at least a liter with a tight lid.
Preparation
- Wash the feijoa berries and cut off the skin. Cut the pulp into large cubes.
- Dissolve sugar in water, place over medium heat and bring to a boil. Reduce the flame to low and simmer for five minutes, skimming off the foam with a slotted spoon.
- Place the chopped berries in a clean bowl, carefully pour in a solution of sugar in water so that the glass does not break.
- After the mixture has cooled, add moonshine/vodka/cognac, shake the entire contents and close the lid.
- Infuse the drink for two weeks in a warm and dark place, removing and stirring it once a day.
- After the infusion period has expired, remove the plant components and filter the remainder through gauze folded in three several times until completely transparent.
The medicinal properties of feijoa in the resulting liqueur will be greatly reduced compared to the fresh “original”. In addition, it has a weak bouquet, but overall it is not bad - especially as a homemade alcoholic drink. It can be sweetened or “fortified” with alcohol of the same quality, adding the components necessary for the ideal taste after the base has been infused. The liqueur should be stored on the bottom shelf of the refrigerator for no more than a year.
WITH feijoa Civilized humanity became acquainted relatively recently. The German botanist Friedrich Sello, from whose name the species name feijoa was subsequently formed, discovered fruit in the forests of South America in the mid-19th century. The fruit received its generic name from the surname of Johnny de Silva Feijo, director of the Natural History Museum of Brazil.
Feijoa was brought to Europe in 1890, to the botanical gardens of Sukhumi and Yalta in 1900, to California in 1901, and to Italy in 1913. From Italy, the plant spread throughout the Mediterranean, and from there it “made its way” to Southeast Asia. This active “feijoa expansion” into the subtropics is facilitated by the ability of the fruit tree to tolerate frosts down to -12°C.
Today, feijoa is cultivated in the Caucasian countries, Crimea, Latin America, Turkmenistan, Southeast Asian countries (including Thailand), Italy, New Zealand and Australia.
Description of feijoa fruit
Feijoa- a small genus of feijoa from South America, belonging to the family Myrtaceae (Myrtaceae). It includes a total of three species of plants, of which only one is actively cultivated - feijoa Sello (Feijoa sellowiana).
The plant is evergreen tree-like shrub, growing up to four meters in height. The densely branched root system lies in the surface layer of soil, which characterizes feijoa as a moisture-loving plant. The entire leaves of the shrub are hard, opposite, pubescent; they have an oval shape. They are attached to the branches with short petioles. The upper part of the leaf is green and the lower part is silver-gray. The trunk is covered with rough greenish-brown bark.
Feijoa is a bisexual plant. Its four-membered axillary flowers grow either singly or severally in inflorescences. The flowers have many (50-80) stamens. Pollination occurs with the help of insects. Flowering period - May - June.
The fruit of the feijoa fruit is a fragrant, large, juicy and fleshy berry, reminiscent of kiwi, strawberry and pineapple in taste. The shape of the fruit is from spherical to oval-elongated. The size of the fruit is small - from 2 to 5 centimeters (occasionally 7-centimeter “giants” are found). The weight of the feijoa fruit is up to 60 grams.
The seeds are located in the pulp of the fruit, surrounded by a translucent white pulp. On the outside, the pulp is protected from the external environment by a lumpy skin, the color of which varies from yellow-green to dark green.
A grafted feijoa plant begins to bear fruit already in the fourth year of life, and one grown from seeds - in the sixth. Fruiting occurs without pronounced periodicity.
Beneficial properties of feijoa
Although feijoa pulp contains sucrose, its acidity is quite high. The reason for this is the presence of a large amount of vitamin C in the fruits. Feijoa also contains fiber, pectin and protein substances, 5 amino acids (glutamine, asparagine, alanine, arginine, tyrosine). A unique feature of the exotic fruit is its ability to accumulate water-soluble iodine compounds that are easily digestible by the human body.
In Thai medicine, the healing properties of the feijoa fruit are used to treat diseases of the thyroid gland, gastrointestinal tract, atherosclerosis, vitamin C deficiency, pyelonephritis, gastritis. In dermatology, feijoa essential oil serves as a powerful anti-inflammatory agent.
Harmful properties of feijoa
There are no contraindications to eating feijoa. This fruit is one of the few tropical exotics that does not cause allergic reactions.
Feijoa fruit in cooking
The kiwi-pineapple-strawberry taste of feijoa puts the fruit on a par with exquisite delicacies. The tropical berry is eaten raw, rubbed with sugar, made into compotes, jams, confitures and preserves, and squeezed into juice. In Thai cuisine feijoa added to fruit and vegetable salads, meat dishes and sauces. In the confectionery industry, feijoa pulp is turned into filling for pies and sweets, as well as marmalade.
How to buy feijoa
Feijoas are picked from the bush unripe: they ripen during storage. If the purchased fruit is soft to the touch, then it is ready to eat. Feijoa berries that are hard to the touch will have to undergo the ripening process - put them in a warm, dark place for a while.
How to store feijoa
Unfortunately, the freshness of feijoa fruit can be extended by only a week using the refrigerator. After this period, the fruit begins to dry out and lose its beneficial and taste properties. If the fruits are frozen, this process can be delayed for several months. To preserve their favorite feijoa for a longer period, gourmets pass the pulp through a meat grinder, mix it with sugar and put it in jars. This “raw jam” will last in the refrigerator much longer than just berries.
Feijoa is a beautiful tree from South America that has bright green fruits weighing approximately 20 to 100 grams. The feijoa plant was first found in Brazil back in the 19th century. The first appearance of the plant was noted in 1890 in France, and from there it spread throughout the southern Mediterranean countries, and also became widespread in the Caucasus and Crimea.
The origin of the plant is explained by a beautiful legend telling about a young man in love with a sea princess. He confessed his love to her and agreed to live with her in her sea kingdom. But he could not find a place for himself, because he was very homesick for his native land and home. Then he decided to return back, and the sea king became angry and sent a curse on him.
He turned it into a beautiful tree, which would later be called feijoa. The fruits of this tree had a light aroma of the sea breeze, as a reminder of the betrayal of love by the sea princess.
Description
The fruit is completely suitable for consumption. Its peel has a slightly tart taste and is very dense, but the flesh, on the contrary, is sour-sweet, juicy and soft. Many people prefer only the pulp, not realizing how many useful elements are contained in the peel.
The fruits themselves are bright green and plum-shaped. The surface of the peel has small tubercles, somewhat reminiscent of a lemon peel. The fruits begin to ripen in October, and this process continues until the beginning of winter. Therefore, this plant has gained great popularity in southern countries with mild climatic conditions. To ensure that the taste of the fruit becomes rich, the fruits are allowed to rest in a cool place for several days.
Feijoa, like , is also popular among plant lovers due to its beautiful flowers. Many people grow it at home, observing its beautiful flowering. Its flowers are very unusual: against the background of snow-white petals with a pinkish tint, dark red stamens stand out on the inside.
It begins to bloom in May, and there is always a large number of flowers. Over time, the plant takes on the shape of a small, beautiful and neat tree. The leaves of the plant are slightly hard, smooth on top, and slightly fluffy below.
Feijoa care
The plant is classified as a tropical species. Therefore, the temperature regime for it should be similar to the conditions of the tropical zone. In summer, the flower can be taken out to the balcony, because it has been established that a temperature of 30°C does not harm it at all. In winter, he needs rest, which means the temperature should be moderate, the temperature should not exceed 14°C.
The plant does not like direct sunlight, especially at midday. After all, they can easily burn its dense, but very delicate leaves, and rather fragile flowers. Therefore, at this time it is better to shade it. If the plant is in a room with very poor lighting, it would be better to additionally illuminate it using lamps.
On hot and very dry days, in addition to watering, it is necessary to frequently spray its leaves. This will give rise to abundant flowering and very good growth. This especially applies to plants that grow indoors. They require frequent spraying even in winter, especially when the air is dry.
Feeding
It has been noticed that this plant really loves constant feeding. However, you should not add all the fertilizers at once. It is worth feeding the plants in several stages. For example, in the first weeks you can only apply nitrogen fertilizers, for which bird droppings are perfect. In the following weeks, it is necessary to move on to other fertilizers, for example, potash.
You can take ordinary ash. And after another week you can move on to phosphate fertilizers. It is worth remembering that any fertilizing should not be applied as the main watering, but only after it.
Transfer
Feijoa is one of the plants with very fast growth. Therefore, for the first three years of a flower’s life, it must be replanted annually. Afterwards, transplantation can be carried out only once every two years. Before replanting the plant, you should prepare the soil. You need to take sand, peat, turf and leaf soil, as well as humus in equal quantities.
Do not completely remove old soil from the roots of the plant. Complete removal of soil is only necessary for a diseased plant. To transplant a plant, it is better to call an assistant rather than carry out this process alone. After all, the leaves and branches are quite tender and brittle. You can easily break them and destroy the entire flower.
When propagating plants, the two most common methods are used: propagation using root shoots and cuttings.
Cuttings require more time. In this case, you should find the uterine feijoa. After finding such a plant, you should select the largest branch from the crown and remove all leaves from it except the top ones. Before planting, for better root formation, the branch should be left for 16 hours in a heteroauxin solution. After this, you can safely proceed to planting.
It is worth planting so that only 1/3 of the branch remains on the surface. The soil should combine sand and humus in equal quantities. In addition, the soil should be disinfected.
This method should be replanted in the fall. But at this time the plant will feel a lack of heat and light. Therefore, you should take care of artificial lighting. Also, do not forget about constant spraying and maintaining air humidity. You can spray the plant with warm water and then cover the top with a transparent glass jar. The formation of roots and strengthening of the plant occurs within one month.
Reproduction using root shoots is quite simple. Therefore, most people choose this method. Since the plant produces rich, dense growth, there are no problems with it. For propagation, when transplanting an adult plant, you should cut off the required number of shoots.
In addition to these methods, like any other plant, it reproduces in nature with the help of its seeds. You should not take plant seeds from the store, as they may offer low-quality material. If you have an adult plant, you can choose the necessary seeds yourself. This will be more reliable, and the guarantee of getting a beautiful tree increases many times over.
Before planting seeds, you should choose a fruit that is not overripe. The seeds should be washed well and dried for 6 days and no more. After this, they are laid out on the surface of the prepared soil and more earth is sprinkled on top in a thin layer, no more than 5 mm. The soil should be a mixture of equal amounts of peat and leaf soil with the addition of a small amount of sand.
Since the seeds of the plant are quite small, they should be watered so that the top layer of soil is not disturbed. To do this, just put a paper towel or a regular napkin on the pot. This method of watering will help maintain the bulk layer of soil and prevent the seeds from deepening. If the seeds were planted in winter, then the first shoots should be expected only after a month.
In summer, sprouts appear within a couple of weeks. Moreover, with this method of propagation, fruits will appear on the branches only after 6 years. But propagation by cuttings or shoots shortens this process by half.
Plant pests
Feijoa may feel threatened by pests such as false scale insects and red spider mites.
The mite can cause enormous damage, especially to small young shoots. You can get rid of it using a keltan solution. To do this, you need to mix 2 grams of keltan with one liter of clean water. And after 40 days you can see how the plant is cleansed and restored.
You should only be wary of hot sunny days. After all, when treating with keltan on such days, you can get a severe burn to the plant.
They get rid of false scale insects using karbofos, diluted in water in a proportion of 6 grams per 1 liter. Spray the entire plant generously with this solution. Treatment is carried out at least three times with a break of a week.
Collection and storage of fruits
Fruits should be collected before they ripen. This allows them to be transported over long distances without severe damage. During transportation they have time to ripen. When purchasing in a store, you should take into account the softness of the fruit and examine its visible damage.
If only hard fruits are found, then there is no need to be afraid. You can always put them in a well-ventilated, warm room with a temperature of 20°C or higher for a couple of days for it to fully ripen.
It is worth paying attention to the inner pulp of the fruit. White color indicates that the fruit is unripe, and brown indicates that the fruit has already spoiled.
It stores well in the refrigerator. But its shelf life is short, no more than 2 weeks. During long-term storage, fruits quickly lose moisture. This only makes it sweeter. To preserve it for the winter, jam is made from it. To do this, you need to grind it and add sugar. In this form, feijoa retains all its beneficial elements for a long time.
Beneficial properties of feijoa
One fruit contains many useful elements. These include vitamins B, PP and C, various macro- and microelements such as phosphorus, iodine, iron, calcium and others, as well as malic and folic acid.
In addition, the fruits contain essential oils. The pulp of the fruit is often used as a dietary food due to the presence of easily digestible fats and proteins in it. They allow you to lose weight and supply the body with useful and necessary components.
The plant contains a huge amount of iodine in soluble form. Thanks to this, it is very easily digestible. Doctors recommend using it for various diseases of the thyroid gland, as well as for very active mental stress. Moreover, it is often used for gastrointestinal diseases and in the prevention of vitamin deficiency, gout, gastritis, pyelonephritis and many other diseases.
The skin of the fruit, which is so often discarded, contains leukoanthocin and cahetin. They are excellent substances in the prevention of cancer. And vitamins B and C, as well as essential oils, are used in the prevention of influenza, ARVI, and also to maintain immunity.
Use in cooking
As mentioned earlier, it is great for making jam. Various salads are also made from it. The main thing is to choose the right products for it. It goes well with citrus fruits, apples, as well as vegetables such as carrots or beets. This salad is best seasoned with sour cream or yogurt.
Feijoa jam without cooking for the winter
Use in cosmetology
Very often, women use the pulp of the plant in masks. They provide a rejuvenating effect, and also relieve inflammation and nourish the skin. The most common cosmetic mask made from fruits includes:
- 1/3 feijoa pulp
- 2 tbsp. spoons of fresh cottage cheese,
- 1 yolk,
- 1 tbsp. spoon of olive oil.
These components should be mixed well and applied to the décolleté, neck and face. Keep the mask on for no longer than 20 minutes. The mask is washed off simply with warm water.
Contraindications
Due to the presence of large amounts of sugar in the fruit, they are contraindicated for anyone who suffers from diabetes. In addition, it is worth considering the tendency to obesity and allergic reactions. Due to its high iodine content, it is not recommended for use by people with thyrotoxicosis.
Doctors advise testing your body for allergic reactions to its fruits before the first use. It should also be given to young children with caution.
In addition, feijoa has its limitations in use. Eating too much fruit at one time can lead to fever, rapid heartbeat, nervous anxiety, as well as decreased performance and fatigue.
How to eat feijoa
How to grow at home
Read all about it here.
When berries similar to gooseberries appeared on store shelves several years ago, people hesitated to buy them for a long time. But, having figured it out and tried it once, they began to consider them an ordinary fruit, the name of which is feijoa. Over time, the benefits of feijoa became known. From this article you can learn everything that makes it worth taking a closer look at this beautiful and necessary miracle of nature.
Feijoa: photo, description
Feijoa is a shrub with evergreen foliage, the height of which varies from two to four meters. The branches are gray-yellow in color, and beautiful large flowers are visible on them during flowering. Blooms from June to July. The flowers are pretty and last a long time.
The fruit is greenish in color, the berries reach a size of approximately 5 cm in length and from 20 to 120 g in weight. Full ripening occurs in late autumn, at the end of October - beginning of November, depending on the variety. The harvest from the bush is abundant. Even a houseplant can produce about three kilograms of fruit, and on a plantation 30 kg or more are harvested from a tree.
You can enjoy the real taste benefits only when the feijoa is ripe. But it is not often possible to buy fruit that is fully ripe, because it is not harvested completely ripe. This causes rapid spoilage. You cannot eat spoiled fruit.
Some people, out of ignorance, eat feijoa like kiwi, cutting off the outer skin and cutting the flesh into slices. In fact, they need to be eaten with the peel, which contains all the useful substances.
What are the benefits of feijoa? The presence of vitamins and healing properties, which are lost if stored improperly. But its shelf life when ripe is very short. Even in the refrigerator it can be kept in a suitable form for no more than a week. If you want, you can always have delicious fresh fruits, but you need to buy up to two kilograms at a time.
If the fruit is not yet ripe, its shelf life is longer. If it is collected in the last days of autumn, then, subject to storage rules, it can remain until spring. The temperature should be 0 degrees. But if you need to make unripe fruits ripen at home, they should be kept in a well-ventilated area at a temperature of about 24 degrees. In about two weeks, ripening will occur.
The best option for storing feijoa is in a special section of the refrigerator, where the desired temperature is maintained.
With us, you won’t go down the drain if you buy an unripe or spoiled Feijoa berry. The ripeness of fruits is unexpectedly tied to the distance to the exporting country.
This is a subtropical tree whose fruits are berries the size of a chicken egg and weighing up to 120 grams. We tell you how to choose them correctly and how to eat them.
Choice before purchasing
Knowing that the flesh of ripe fruits is transparent, the skin is dark green, and the berry itself is slightly soft will help you choose ripe feijoas in the store. A sign of “underripeness” is white, hard insides; overripeness is indicated by brown marks on the skin. 
An important factor is the season of the year at which you are going to make a purchase:
Trade
The Feijoa sales season in Russia starts in mid-late autumn. The main supplier is Abkhazia and the Krasnodar Territory. The fruits are sold for a short time, due to the short shelf life - one to two weeks from the moment the fruits are collected. For successful transportation, the fruits are collected unripe. This way they are less susceptible to damage and rotting, so after purchasing, if you notice that the fruits are quite hard, you should store them at room temperature (a week or two) until they soften a little, and then place them in the refrigerator on the shelf for fresh fruits and vegetables .
And now to something more interesting (I wanted to say delicious):
Eaten raw
The correct way to eat feijoa is to separate the pulp from the peel. It can be eaten with a teaspoon, similar to a soft-boiled egg. But the cut shell can also be used in food. 
Use in cooking
Juices
You can get juice rich in feijoa, and nectar can be prepared industrially.
You can try to make fun of it by trying to make an adjective out of the name, but since the noun feijoa is not declined, juices and nectars are called simply: “feijoa juice” (well, or nectar, although there is an opinion that it is called “feijoa”).
This juice cannot be called fruit, but berry, due to the biological origin of the raw materials - please!
When ripe, unpeeled berries are squeezed, the drink turns out to be sweet, nutritious, with tart notes due to the presence of essential oils from the peel, and very healthy. You can consume it daily, but not in large volumes: adults 200 ml, children 100 ml.
People with individual intolerances, problems with high stomach acidity, damaged tooth enamel or diabetes mellitus should be careful when drinking juices and nectars.
