Healing Fruits of Colombia: Traditional Wellness Benefits from Guanábana to Guava
- Grace Mathieson Savina
- Aug 13
- 5 min read
Editor's note: At Green Sea Shells, we love exploring where culture, tradition, and wellness meet in everyday life. In this feature, Colombian-American food writer Grace Mathieson Savina highlights fruits woven into Colombia’s culture, cuisine, and healing practices.
Colombia, a South American country bordering the Caribbean Sea and several other countries, boasts an impressive array of biomes including tropical rainforests, deserts, mountain ranges, coastlines, and more. It’s known as a “megadiverse” country with close to 10% of the earth’s biodiversity.
It’s home to more than 1,800 species of fruits, 433 of which are only found in Colombia.
Fruits have long played an important role in wellness and healing practices throughout the different cultures in Colombia. I have many memories from my childhood of my mom making us fruit juices in the blender or whisking chocolate caliente on the stove. As an adult, I now do the same thing. In pretty much every Colombian kitchen you’ll find a blender and a pitcher for the stove.
Fruits are used to treat a wide range of ailments, from simple colds to complex and chronic health conditions. What follows is an exploration of some Colombian fruits and their healing properties. All of which can be found in grocery stores around the world.
Guanábana (Soursop)
Found in warm and tropical climates, guanábana contains a creamy white flesh that tastes like a blend of pineapple, strawberry, and apple. It has an abundance of vitamins, minerals, and a large dose of fiber.
Indigenous communities have long used guanábana for its healing properties. Used in ceremonies, it’s believed that it can cleanse the mind and body of negative energy. Additionally, there’s some evidence that it can strengthen your immune system, improve digestion and also fight cancerous cells.
All parts of the tree, including its seeds, bark, roots, leaves, and fruit are used for their healing properties. For example, the leaves can be brewed into tea that is believed to help with inflammation and fever. It can also be applied topically as it is thought to combat infections and wounds.
Cacao (cocoa)
You’d be hard pressed to find someone who’s never had chocolate. People have been drinking and eating cacao for over 5,000 years beginning with the Mayans and Aztecs in Central America and Mexico. The Mayans even held rituals honoring the cacao God Ek Chuah.
The cacao plant produces pods that contain beans that have a bitter and earthy taste. Used by a variety of cultures worldwide, cacao has numerous health benefits. In Colombia, the beans are turned into chocolate bars and consumed as hot chocolate.
I have beautiful memories of waking up to the delicious and comforting smell of hot chocolate in my abuela’s house when I was a little girl. Today, I still find comfort in the aroma. When I drink it in the mornings, it helps clear my mind and my spirit. -Luz Maria, age 71
Some of mental health benefits include improved mood, decreased anxiety, and improved cognition. The physical benefits include a reduced risk of heart disease and relief from constipation due to its fiber content.
Limón (Lemon)
Lemons have existed in the wild for a staggering 8 million years. They were first introduced to Central and South America by Christopher Columbus who brought lemon seeds on his conquests. Today they are grown all over the world.
A widely popular fruit, lemons have a sharp citrus flavor with hints of sweetness and many culinary and non-culinary uses. They grow in hot and humid conditions and require lots of direct sunlight. In combination with other plants, lemon has widespread use in home remedies.
“Drinking a lemon tea with honey always soothes a sore throat when I have one. It also has a comforting and calming effect for me.” -Ligia, age 69
Panela water with lemon is a go-to drink in Colombia for sore throats, coughs and congestion from colds. Panela is a by-product of sugar production. Vitamin C in lemons helps with throat inflammation and irritation. Lemon juice is also a natural antiseptic and can be used to treat sunburns and bee stings.
Uchuva (cape gooseberry or golden berry)
Unlike the other fruits in this list, uchuva grows high up in the Andes Mountains at elevations between 1,600 and 9,800 feet. It prefers cooler climates with adequate rainfall. It’s described as sweet and tangy with some even saying it tastes similar to grapefruit.
In the Muisca community it was offered in rituals to Chía, the moon goddess, as a symbol of light during times of darkness. Today, it’s consumed for its antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties. It’s used to aid in treating asthma, eye disorders, digestive issues and more.
Guayaba (guava)
Guayaba has been cultivated for thousands of years. Archeologists have found evidence of it in places like Teotihuacán, Mexico even though it doesn’t grow there naturally. This points to ancient trade routes.
It grows in many regions in Colombia including Boyacá and Santander in Central Colombia. Guayaba is said to taste like a blend of pear and strawberry. It has a green rind with pink flesh on the inside.
Like the other fruits, it has many uses for improving health. Thanks to its anti-inflammatory properties, guayaba leaves can be used as a natural remedy to promote hair growth and reduce hair loss. It can also be used to treat minor cuts and burns due to its antiseptic properties. There are numerous other medical uses for it as well.
A Final Note
Fruits have been used as medicine and for wellness practices for thousands of years in Colombia. These traditions are still embedded in Colombian communities today. From uchuva to guayaba and beyond, fruits offer a myriad of physical and mental health benefits such as aiding sore throats and decreasing anxiety.
Outside of Colombia, these fruits can be found in local mercados or markets. I recommend experimenting with blending different fruits together to make fruit juice. There’s truly an endless number of combinations so you’ll be sure to create some delicious recipes. Whether you’re grabbing a familiar favorite such as cocoa powder or trying something new like guanabana, you’ll reap the same health benefits that people have experienced for millennia.
About the author: Grace is a Colombian American food writer who resides in Portland, OR with her husband and two dogs.
Sources
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