How to Prepare Guava Leaves for Weight Loss

Co-authored by Tracy Zollinger Dipl. OM, L.Ac., FABORM

Last Updated: July 5, 2024 Fact Checked

There's some evidence that guava leaf may bolster your weight loss efforts, so drinking tea made from guava leaves has become quite popular.^{[1]
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PubMed Central
Journal archive from the U.S. National Institutes of Health

Go to source} Simply drinking guava leaf tea probably won’t help you lose weight, but it may help to curb your appetite and it’s a great calorie-free drink option. You can make guava leaf tea using fresh or dried guava leaves. Drink the tea before eating a meal or in place of your morning coffee to reap the guava leaf’s weight loss benefits.

Preparing Guava Leaves for Weight Loss

Add the leaves to the water and boil them for 10 minutes. Once the water is boiling, add the guava leaves to the pot. The polyphenols in tea have been shown to aid weight loss on the metabolic level. Plus, the process of making yourself a cup of tea may also help to curb food cravings by distracting you from eating.

Method 1

Method 1 of 2:

Making Tea from Fresh Guava Leaves

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1
Rinse the leaves under running water to clean them. Guava leaves sometimes have a coating of powder on them, which you will need to rinse off. Hold the leaves under running water for about 30 seconds to rinse off the powder. Rinse about 20 leaves for the tea.^{[2]
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- Another option is to fill a bowl with cool water and dunk the leaves into it. Then, replace the water and repeat 2 more times to get the leaves clean.
- Check in a health food store or farmer’s market (in tropical regions) for fresh guava leaves.
Fill a small to medium-sized pot and place it on the stovetop. Then, turn on the heat to medium-high and bring the water to a boil.^{[3]
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Tip: The polyphenols in tea have been shown to aid weight loss on the metabolic level.^{[4]
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PubMed Central
Journal archive from the U.S. National Institutes of Health

Go to source} The process of making yourself a cup of tea may also help to curb food cravings by distracting you from eating.

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Once the water is boiling, add the guava leaves to the pot. Boil the leaves in the water for the next 10 minutes. If the leaves float to the top of the water, use a metal or wooden spoon to push them back down.^{[5]
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Remove the pot from the heat and strain the liquid through a colander. After 10 minutes, place a colander or tea strainer over a mug. Pour the desired amount of the liquid through the colander to strain out the leaves.^{[6]
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- This recipe makes enough for 2 6 fl oz (180 mL) servings.
- Enjoy the tea hot or pour it over a glass filled with ice.
- If desired, you may also sweeten the tea with honey, sugar, or a calorie-free sweetener, such as stevia.

Method 2

Method 2 of 2:

Brewing Dried Guava Leaves

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Add 1 tsp (2.5 g) of guava leaf powder to a tea infuser. This is enough powder to make 8 fl oz (240 mL) of guava leaf tea. Increase the amount to make a larger batch. Measure out the powder and put it into a metal, ceramic, or other type of tea infuser or strainer.^{[7]
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- You can order powdered guava leaves or guava leaf tea online.
Tip: It is unknown how much guava leaf tea you need to drink for weight loss benefits.^{[8]
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PubMed Central
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Go to source} Start with 1 to 2 cups daily and then drink a little more if you like it and if it’s helping you lose weight.
2
Pour 6 fl oz (180 mL) of hot water over the tea infuser in a mug. Bring the water to a boil in a teapot and then pour it over the tea infuser in a mug. Let the tea steep for 10 minutes.^{[9]
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- You may cover the tea cup with a plate if desired. This will help to keep the heat in and prevent the water from cooling down too much.
- If you're using the guava leaves to help treat digestive or sugar issues, you're more likely to experience results from a tea, rather than using capsule or powdered guava.^{[10]
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  Tracy Zollinger Dipl. OM, L.Ac., FABORM
  Licensed Herbalist & Acupuncturist
  
  Expert Interview. 6 October 2020.}
3
Remove the infuser and drink the tea hot or pour it over ice. After time is up, take the infuser or tea strainer out of the cup. Then, you can either drink the tea hot or pour it over a cup filled with ice if you want to make iced tea.^{[11]
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- If desired, you may also add honey, sugar, or a calorie-free sweetener, such as stevia.
- You can also flavor the tea with juice from a lemon.

Expert Q&A

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What are the benefits of guava leaves?

Tracy Zollinger Dipl. OM, L.Ac., FABORM
Licensed Herbalist & Acupuncturist
Tracy Zollinger (she/her) is a Licensed Acupuncturist, Herbalist, and the Founder of Island Acupuncture in the San Francisco Bay Area. With over 15 years of experience, Tracy specializes in a holistic approach to reproductive health, fertility, and pre and post-natal care. Tracy creates comprehensive treatment plans using acupuncture, herbs, nutrition, and western labs. She holds a Master of Science in Traditional Chinese Medicine from the Academy of Chinese Culture and Health Sciences and is board certified in integrative reproductive medicine, with a focus on LGBTQIA specific needs.

Tracy Zollinger Dipl. OM, L.Ac., FABORM

Licensed Herbalist & Acupuncturist

Expert Answer

Guava leaves primarily work by helping the body to be better at digesting sugars in the intestines. In Chinese medicine, it would be used in combination with other herbs for weight loss or to treat indigestion or diarrhea.

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Guava leaf tea may be beneficial for a wide range of conditions, such as diabetes mellitus, cardiovascular disease, and possibly even cancer, but these benefits are still being evaluated.^{[12]
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Guava leaves are thought to help your body digest and metabolize sugar. They may also help with issues like diarrhea or indigestion.^{[13]
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Tracy Zollinger Dipl. OM, L.Ac., FABORM
Licensed Herbalist & Acupuncturist

Expert Interview. 6 October 2020.}

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Keep in mind that losing weight requires creating a caloric deficit, so you may also want to start counting calories and exercising along with drinking guava leaf tea.

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