Guava and Chicken Breast Soup

Why people make this soup

Guava is not the most obvious choice for a savoury soup, but in traditional food therapy, guava — with its notably astringent, less-sweet flesh and its medicinal leaves — has long been associated with supporting healthy blood sugar levels. Both the fruit flesh and the leaf are used: the leaves can be steeped as tea, and the fruit can be simmered with lean meat for a light, gentle broth. As Nourilo explains, fruits with a sour or astringent quality — oil olive (you gan zi), guava, hawthorn, plum — are better choices for people managing diabetes than very sweet fruits like honeydew, persimmon, banana, or longan. Paired with chicken breast for protein and a couple of ginger slices for warmth, this soup is easy to prepare and very mild in flavour.

Method

1. Wash the guava and cut into large chunks.
2. Rinse the chicken breast and slice into pieces.
3. Place all ingredients into a pot with 1.5 L of water.
4. Bring to a boil, then reduce to a low simmer for about 45 minutes until the liquid reduces to roughly 600 ml.
5. Drink the soup and eat the chicken and guava as well.

Nourilo’s Tips

Ready-made guava leaf tea bags are available in some herbal medicine or health shops — they can be a convenient everyday option for blood sugar support (Nourilo mentions a commercial version called “Di Tang” made primarily from guava leaves). If you can find fresh guava leaves, about 10 leaves washed, sliced, and steeped in hot water for 5 minutes makes a simple tea. For those without diabetes, guava and chicken broth is simply a tasty, light soup that anyone can enjoy.