However, modern nutritional data shows that guava is the fruit with significantly superior vitamin C content.
According to the Nutrition Database of the US Department of Agriculture (USDA), 100g of fresh guava provides about 228mg of vitamin C, while 100g of fresh oranges only contain about 53mg of vitamin C.
This means that the vitamin C content in guava is more than 4 times higher than in oranges.
Just one medium-sized guava can meet more than 200% of the daily vitamin C needs of adults. Meanwhile, an average orange usually provides about 70-90mg of vitamin C, equivalent to nearly 100% of the recommended daily needs.
According to the US National Institutes of Health (NIH), the recommended vitamin C requirement for adults is 75mg/day for women and 90mg/day for men. With the above nutritional content, both oranges and guavas are good sources of vitamin C, but guavas have a clear advantage in terms of content.
Vitamin C acts as a powerful antioxidant, helping to neutralize free radicals produced during metabolism or under the impact of environments such as pollution, cigarette smoke and ultraviolet rays.
Thanks to its high vitamin C content, guava is considered one of the fruits with outstanding antioxidant capacity in the tropical fruit group.
Another advantage of guava is its high fiber content. According to USDA, 100g of guava contains about 5.4g of fiber, while oranges only provide about 2.4g.
This means that eating whole guava can bring more benefits to metabolic health than drinking fruit juice that has eliminated most fiber.
Although containing less vitamin C, oranges are still a very nutritious fruit. Oranges provide folate, potassium, flavonoids and many plant compounds that are beneficial for the heart.
According to the American Heart Association (AHA), flavonoids in citrus fruits can help improve blood vessel function and support inflammation reduction. In addition, the light sweetness and abundant water content of oranges help the body replenish water effectively on hot sunny days.
