Why is guava so goated? It has more vitamin C than oranges and less sugar than most fruits

Scroll through food reels or wellness videos long enough and one fruit keeps popping up with suspicious regularity. Guava. The claims are bold. Better than oranges. Kinder to blood sugar than bananas. More filling than apples. Unlike most online food trends, these claims are not built on exaggeration. Guava is not rare, imported or expensive. It does not come with a marketing campaign. Yet nutrition science has quietly placed it among the most nutrient-dense fruits commonly available in India.

So why is everyone suddenly calling guava goated?

First, the vitamin C flex is real
Guava’s reputation took off largely because of its vitamin C content. Multiple food science studies have confirmed that guava contains far more vitamin C than citrus fruits.

Research published in Food Chemistry found guava delivering between 200 and 300 mg of vitamin C per 100 grams, depending on the variety. Oranges, by comparison, average around 50 mg.

That means one medium guava can meet, and often exceed, the daily vitamin C requirement. This matters because vitamin C supports immune function, skin health and iron absorption.

It is not a marginal win. It is a landslide.

Fibre that does more than just sound healthy
Guava is also fibre-rich, especially when eaten with the skin. This fibre is not just good on paper.

A study in the Journal of Nutrition showed that high-fibre fruits like guava slow glucose absorption in the gut. This leads to steadier blood sugar levels after meals.

That explains why guava often shows up in dietary advice for people managing diabetes, when eaten in reasonable portions. It also explains why it keeps you full far longer than softer fruits.

Low sugar, high payoff
Despite its sweetness, guava has less sugar than many popular fruits. According to data from the Indian Council of Medical Research and the USDA nutrient database, guava’s sugar content is significantly lower than mango, grapes or banana.

This makes it one of the rare fruits that feels indulgent without causing a sugar spike.

Guava delivers high vitamin C and fibre with relatively low sugar and moderate calories. Very few fruits hit that balance.

Antioxidants hiding in plain sight
Pink-fleshed guava varieties contain lycopene, the antioxidant often associated with tomatoes. Research published in Molecular Nutrition and Food Research links lycopene to reduced oxidative stress and potential long-term health benefits.

Guava also contains flavonoids and carotenoids that contribute to overall antioxidant activity. These compounds help the body manage inflammation and cellular damage over time.

You do not taste them, but they quietly add to guava’s nutritional edge.

It fits Indian food culture effortlessly
Beyond nutrition charts, guava works because it fits how we actually eat.

Raw with salt and chilli. In fruit chaat. Juiced. Half-ripe, fully ripe, or slightly firm. It does not need peeling rituals or special storage. It grows locally, costs less than imported fruits, and does not carry a carbon footprint disguised as wellness.

Is guava better than all fruits
No single fruit wins every category.

Bananas are better for quick energy. Papaya offers digestive enzymes. Berries concentrate antioxidants. Apples travel well.

But guava keeps beating most fruits where it counts. Nutrient density. Fibre. Vitamin C. Sugar balance. Price. Availability.

That is why it keeps showing up in videos and posts. Not because it is trendy, but because the numbers refuse to lie.

Research references

• Food Chemistry, vitamin C content in tropical fruits
• Journal of Nutrition, dietary fibre and glycaemic response
• Asia Pacific Journal of Clinical Nutrition, fruit sugar and glycaemic load studies
• Molecular Nutrition and Food Research, lycopene and antioxidant effects