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Guava is a tropical fruit with green or yellow skin, pink or white flesh and many small, hard seeds. Its claim to fame is vitamin C: one common guava supplies about 126 milligrams, roughly 140% of the Daily Value, in USDA data, plus fiber, potassium, copper and folate. The research on guava benefits is small, and the clearest results come from school-meal trials that used guava’s vitamin C to help children absorb iron from food. Below are the USDA guava nutrition facts per fruit and per cup, how guava compares with oranges and kiwi, what the trials found, how guava leaf products differ from the fruit, and how to eat guava.
Peptide Labs does not sell guava or guava products. This article is general nutrition information, not medical advice.
Key Takeaways
- One common guava (55 g edible part) has about 37 calories, 3 grams of fiber and 140% of the Daily Value for vitamin C in USDA data.
- Per 100 grams, guava lists more than four times the vitamin C of an orange.
- The USDA entry for common guava lists lycopene, the red pigment also found in tomatoes and watermelon.
- Trials in children found guava served with iron-containing meals raised hemoglobin, but not iron stores.
- Guava leaf extracts and teas are different products from the fruit and have their own small body of research.
Guava nutrition per fruit and per cup
The table uses the USDA FoodData Central SR Legacy entry for raw common guava, Psidium guajava (FDC 173044), at USDA’s portion weights for the edible part of one fruit (55 grams) and one cup (165 grams). The percent Daily Value (%DV) uses the FDA Daily Values printed on Nutrition Facts labels.
| Nutrient (raw common guava) | 1 fruit, edible part (55 g) | % DV | 1 cup (165 g) | % DV |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Calories | 37 | Not applicable | 112 | Not applicable |
| Carbohydrate | 7.9 g | 3% | 23.6 g | 9% |
| Fiber | 3.0 g | 11% | 8.9 g | 32% |
| Total sugars | 4.9 g | No DV | 14.7 g | No DV |
| Protein | 1.4 g | 3% | 4.2 g | 8% |
| Vitamin C | 126 mg | 140% | 377 mg | 419% |
| Potassium | 229 mg | 5% | 688 mg | 15% |
| Copper | 0.13 mg | 14% | 0.38 mg | 42% |
| Folate | 27 mcg DFE | 7% | 81 mcg DFE | 20% |
| Magnesium | 12 mg | 3% | 36 mg | 9% |
| Vitamin A | 17 mcg RAE | 2% | 51 mcg RAE | 6% |
| Lycopene | 2,862 mcg | No DV | 8,587 mcg | No DV |
Vitamin C is the headline, and guava tops the per-serving chart in our vitamin C foods guide. Fiber is the other strength: guava lists 5.4 grams per 100 grams in USDA data, which places it near the top of the fruit list in our fiber-rich foods guide. Our guide to daily fiber intake explains the reference values, and if you are not used to much fiber, add it gradually and drink fluids to limit gas and bloating. Guava also adds potassium, covered in our guide to potassium in foods, plus copper and folate.
Guava vitamin C compared with other fruits
Guava vitamin C numbers stand out against the fruits people usually reach for. The table compares 100 grams of each raw fruit, including strawberry guava, a smaller relative (Psidium cattleianum) with far less vitamin C.
| Per 100 g, raw (USDA FDC ID) | Calories | Vitamin C (% DV) | Fiber (% DV) | Potassium (% DV) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Common guava (173044) | 68 | 228.3 mg (254%) | 5.4 g (19%) | 417 mg (9%) |
| Strawberry guava (173045) | 69 | 37 mg (41%) | 5.4 g (19%) | 292 mg (6%) |
| Orange (169097) | 47 | 53.2 mg (59%) | 2.4 g (9%) | 181 mg (4%) |
| Green kiwi (168153) | 61 | 92.7 mg (103%) | 3.0 g (11%) | 312 mg (7%) |
| Strawberries (167762) | 32 | 58.8 mg (65%) | 2.0 g (7%) | 153 mg (3%) |
| Mango (169910) | 60 | 36.4 mg (40%) | 1.6 g (6%) | 168 mg (4%) |
Common guava also lists 5,204 micrograms of lycopene per 100 grams in USDA data. Lycopene is the red carotenoid that colors tomatoes, watermelon and guava; it has no vitamin A activity, and most lycopene in US diets comes from tomato products. Our lycopene guide covers the research, and our beta-carotene guide explains the carotenoids that do become vitamin A. For more vitamin C fruits with full USDA coverage, see our guides to kiwi and strawberries.
Guava benefits: what the research shows
Guava fruit has few human trials, and most are small. The most rigorous ones looked at iron in children, building on a well-established fact from the NIH Office of Dietary Supplements: vitamin C improves absorption of non-heme iron, the form found in plant foods.
- School meals in India (2024): a 7-month randomized trial in 200 children aged 6 to 10 served a lentil-based meal with or without fresh guava. Body iron stores, the main outcome, did not improve, but hemoglobin rose more and anemia fell more in the guava group. Funders included an Indian government agency and the Nutricia Research Foundation.
- Guava juice in Mexico (2011): in 95 anemic children aged 6 to 9, guava juice with meals for 10 weeks had only a marginal effect on hemoglobin and ferritin compared with a guava-flavored drink without vitamin C.
- Gums (2018): in an experimental gingivitis study of young nonsmoking adults who paused brushing, both guava and synthetic vitamin C groups developed less gum inflammation than a water group. This short lab-style model does not replace brushing and dental care.
- Blood sugar and blood fats (2016): a 6-week trial in 45 medical students gave mixed results: guava with peel was followed by higher fasting glucose and blood fats, while guava without peel lowered cholesterol. It was small and unblinded, so it settles little.
The fair summary is that guava is a fiber-rich fruit with an exceptional amount of vitamin C, and pairing vitamin C foods with plant sources of iron is sensible, as our guide to iron in foods explains. Claims that guava fruit lowers blood sugar or blood pressure rest on thin evidence. Anyone with anemia needs a clinician to find the cause rather than relying on fruit.
Guava leaf is a separate story. Small trials have tested a guava leaf decoction and a guava leaf mouthrinse, and leaf teas and capsules are sold as supplements. Those are concentrated plant extracts, not the fruit, so ask a pharmacist or clinician before using them, especially if you take medicines.
How to eat guava
- Ripeness: ripe guavas smell fragrant and give slightly when pressed; hard green guavas are tart and firm.
- Eating: wash the fruit, slice it and eat it skin and all, or scoop out the flesh. The seeds are hard; some people eat them and others remove the seedy center.
- Juice and nectar: a cup of canned guava nectar with added vitamin C lists about 158 calories and 32.5 grams of sugar in USDA data, with less fiber than the fruit, so read the label for added sugar.
- Paste and pastries: guava paste and pastries are sweetened desserts, not a stand-in for fresh fruit.
Guava cautions
Guava is not one of the nine major food allergens that US labels must declare, but any fruit can cause a reaction; hives, swelling or breathing trouble needs urgent care, and an allergist can sort out milder symptoms. Its fiber can cause gas if you eat a lot at once. For contrast with a low-vitamin-C fruit, see our sibling guide to grapes, and our mango guide covers another tropical favorite.
Frequently Asked Questions
What are the main guava benefits?
USDA data show guava is very high in vitamin C and a good source of fiber, with potassium, copper and folate. Human trials of the fruit are few and small.
How much vitamin C is in a guava?
About 126 milligrams in the edible part of one common guava, roughly 140% of the Daily Value, in USDA data.
How many calories are in a guava?
About 37 calories in one common guava and about 112 in a cup, according to USDA data.
Can you eat guava skin and seeds?
Yes. The skin is edible and adds fiber. The seeds are hard; many people eat them, and others remove the seedy center.
Is pink guava different from white guava?
USDA SR Legacy has one entry for common guava. Pink flesh gets its color from lycopene.
Is guava leaf tea the same as eating guava?
No. Leaf teas and extracts are concentrated supplements studied separately from the fruit. Ask a pharmacist before using them with medicines.
Questions about a label? Contact us or read our Buyer’s Guide. Food comes first; follow the label and ask a healthcare provider before starting a supplement, especially if you take medicines, are pregnant or have a food allergy. These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. This product is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease.
Last reviewed October 2026.
Related guides: Grapes: Benefits, USDA Nutrition, Red vs Green and Research, Foods High in Vitamin C: USDA List of Fruits and Vegetables, Kiwi Benefits: USDA Kiwi Nutrition, Green vs Golden and Research.