Tiny, sweet, native bayabas

When I was living abroad, whenever I passed by a fruit stand selling the small variety of pears, I bought at least 2 boxes of the fruit because they resemble and had a similar taste with the native Philippine guava. I ate the pears while I slouched lazily watching TV or reading the papers. I loved them. The pears helped me re-live my days in the remote barrio of my lolo and lola, climbing and eating guavas with nary a care in the world.



I like guavas or bayabas, the native wild variety (Scientific name: Psidium guajava L). Today, whenever I am in the farm, I just stand near one and reach for the nearest fruits. I don't have to move around or climb the tree. The fruits are within reach and so many you can have free merienda by just standing near one. Ngaa mangita pa ko pizza o hamburger?

In our farm, there are also the commercial variety called guapol because they can be bigger than apples. However, the fruits must really be wrapped with plastic from the time they are still buds, and must be handled with extra TLC. Otherwise, the fruit will contain worms.



Guava is believed to have the highest concentration of vitamin C among the local fruits in the Philippines. The leaves and bark are known to be astringent, vulnerary, and antidiarrhetic. The bark is used in the chronic diarrhea of children. The fruit is known to be anthelmintic, and is used for high blood pressure, poor circulation, diabetes and asthma. Ti, ano pa ginapangita nyo?

Ti sa abroad may bayabas man? Ipabugal na lang ninyo ang pear. But nothing beats the original.@