Guava: a native Mexican fruit and its varieties

What is it?

Guava is one of the most representative and beloved tropical fruits of Mexico: a round or oval fruit three to ten centimetres across, with thin yellow-green skin when ripe, and a creamy inner flesh that is white, pink or red depending on the variety, dotted with small hard edible seeds. Its aroma is intense and characteristic, sweet and slightly musky, capable of perfuming a whole kitchen with just one ripe piece. It is eaten fresh, whole with skin and seeds, or transformed into a huge variety of preparations: guava aguas frescas, ate or cajeta de guayaba (solid concentrated fruit paste), guayabate, jam, jellies, ice creams, lollies, chilli-coated sweets, Christmas punch, atole, wine and liqueurs. It is one of the fruits most associated with the Christmas season in Mexico, thanks to its essential use in the traditional end-of-year ponche. The main season runs from September to February, although it is now produced almost all year round.

Origin and history

Guava is native to Mesoamerica and the tropical basin of central-southern Mexico, where its domestication dates back at least 2,500 years according to archaeological evidence. The name guayaba comes from Antillean Taino guayabo, a language the Spaniards brought from the Caribbean; the Nahuas called it xalxocotl, a word that means sandy fruit or sour fruit. Francisco Hernandez in his Natural History of New Spain and Fray Bernardino de Sahagun in the Florentine Codex, both from the 16th century, extensively document the Mexican guava varieties and their food and medicinal uses. After the Conquest, guava spread rapidly throughout the tropical world: the Philippines, India, Africa, Brazil and Southeast Asia, where it has become naturalised and developed its own varieties. Today it is grown in tropical and subtropical climates on all continents. In Mexico, the main producing regions are Aguascalientes, Michoacan, Zacatecas and Jalisco, with the region of Calvillo (Aguascalientes) and Jalpa (Zacatecas) considered the cradles of Mexican guava, where annual fairs are held and traditional sweet factories are concentrated. SADER (gob.mx) highlights Mexico as one of the world's leading guava producers and consumers, with annual production of nearly 300,000 tonnes.

Characteristic ingredients

Guava is botanically Psidium guajava, family Myrtaceae, an evergreen tree or shrub three to ten metres tall. The varieties cultivated in Mexico include white guava (cream-coloured flesh, sweet and mild), pink or coral-red guava (intensely pink flesh, more perfumed and aromatic), Peruvian guava (elongated, with white-yellowish flesh), strawberry guava or cas (Psidium cattleianum, small red fruits) and regional native varieties. The flesh contains very high levels of vitamin C (more than oranges), vitamin A, dietary fibre, potassium, magnesium, lycopene (in pink varieties) and antioxidants. The seeds are hard and edible, although some people discard them. For cooking, guava is used whole or cut; when cooked it softens quickly and releases its characteristic aroma. Mexican Christmas punch has guava as a main ingredient, together with tejocote, sugar cane, prunes, apple, piloncillo and cinnamon, simmered slowly. Guava ate, originally from Morelia (Michoacan), is one of Mexico's most recognised traditional sweets, a solid paste of fruit concentrated in sugar syrup, kept for months, eaten in slices with fresh cheese. Other uses include jams, jellies, lollies, chilli-coated sweets with Tajin, atoles, aguas frescas and, in some regions, artisanal wines and liqueurs.

Cultural significance

Guava is part of Mexico's gastronomic heritage and an emblem of the country's sweet cuisine, inseparably linked to Christmas celebrations through the traditional ponche. Aguascalientes and Calvillo are considered the Mexican cradle of guava; the National Guava Fair in Calvillo, held every November for several decades, attracts thousands of visitors with competitions, gastronomy and cultural events. The making of guava ate in Morelia (Michoacan) is a centuries-old artisanal tradition, with factories such as Calixto and Morelia producing ates since the early 20th century and forming part of Michoacan's gastronomic heritage. Traditional Mexican cuisine, inscribed on UNESCO's Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity in 2010, includes ates and Christmas ponche as part of the traditional repertoire. Economically, guava supports thousands of producers in Aguascalientes, Michoacan, Zacatecas and Jalisco, with an annual production value of close to 5 billion pesos. The industries of ate, chilli-coated sweets and artisanal lollies depend largely on this fruit. SADER also highlights the export potential of Mexican guava, particularly to the United States, Canada and Europe, where the Mexican diaspora maintains a constant demand for the fresh fruit and its derived products.

Frequently asked questions

What is the difference between white guava and pink guava?

White guava has cream or white-yellowish flesh, a mild sweet flavour and moderate aroma. Pink or coral-red guava has intensely pink flesh due to lycopene, a more perfumed and aromatic flavour, and tends to be slightly juicier. Both are used in similar preparations, but pink guava is more popular for jams and lollies because of its attractive colour.

What does guava taste like?

It has a sweet, slightly acidic flavour, with an intense and very characteristic aroma that combines floral notes, mild musk and tropical fruit. The texture is creamy but with small hard seeds that some people eat and others discard. When ripe, the flavour is very aromatic and sweet; unripe, it is astringent and slightly acidic. It is a fruit with a penetrating aroma that easily perfumes an entire kitchen.

How is guava served?

It is served fresh, sliced or whole, eaten with skin and seeds; it can also be peeled and segmented for desserts. It is an essential ingredient of Mexican Christmas ponche, boiled with tejocote, sugar cane, prunes, apple and piloncillo. It is transformed into guava ate (served with fresh cheese), jam, jelly, lollies, ice creams, chilli-coated sweets with Tajin and atole. In savoury cooking it is also used in sauces for meat.

Where is guava originally from?

It is native to Mesoamerica, particularly central-southern Mexico and adjacent areas of Central America and the Caribbean, where it was domesticated at least 2,500 years ago. The name comes from Antillean Taino brought by the Spaniards; the Nahuas called it xalxocotl. After the Conquest it spread globally through the tropics. Today Mexico is one of the main producers and consumers, with emblematic regions such as Calvillo (Aguascalientes) and Jalpa (Zacatecas).