The fruit known by a variety of names, soursop, is indigenous to the warm, tropical areas of the Americas. It is also known as guanabana, paw-paw, sirsak, and graviola, but its scientific name is Annona muricata. The Annonaceae family, sometimes referred to as the custard apple family, includes soursop. The huge, oval-shaped fruits are produced on trees.

The whitish, fibrous meat is covered with a green, spine-adorned surface. They may weigh up to 10 pounds and reach a maximum length of 8 inches. The best way to describe the flavor of soursop is as a hybrid of mango and pineapple. Many different health issues and disorders have been treated with soursop in traditional medicine.

Nutrients in Soursop

While this fruit is low in calories, it is abundant in fiber and vitamin C, among other benefits. A portion of raw soursop weighing 3.5 ounces (100 grams) includes (2):

• 66 calories
• One gram of protein16.8 grams of carbohydrates
• 3.3 grams of fiber
• Vitamin C makes up 34% of the RADI.
• 8 percent of the RDI is potassium.
• 5 percent of the RDI is magnesium.
• 5% of the RDI should be thiamine.
• Niacin, riboflavin, folate, and iron are also present in trace amounts in soursop.

More about Soursop

A tree found in the rain forests of Southeast Asia, South America, and Africa is the source of graviola. There is a typical dish. Annona muricata is its scientific name.

• Guanabana soursop
• The Brazilian paw paw
• Anonaceous acetogenins are a kind of plant compound (phytochemical) that is the active component.

Safety or Precautions for Soursop

The tasty fruit is healthy and safe to eat, but the seeds are poisonous and should not be eaten.
Avoid drinking tea prepared from the leaves while pregnant.
Avoid giving tea to young children, and don’t drink it for extended periods of time.
Patients on anti-diabetic drugs should exercise caution while taking supplements containing soursop or graviola due to their blood glucose-lowering effects.
Supplements containing soursop or graviola should be used with caution by people on antihypertensive drugs because of their blood pressure-lowering effects.
Make sure to speak with your healthcare provider before deciding to use any herbal supplements or medical herbs. Steer clear of self-medication and self-diagnosis: Be cautious at all times!

How to eat Soursop?

There’s no reason not to eat soursop tea or extract, but you should generally avoid it. “Go for it when it comes to the fruit!” “Supan says.”

Although it can be difficult to locate in the United States, niche grocery stores (such as those in Latin American and Caribbean markets) may carry soursop. Supan suggests savoring fresh soursop in its unadulterated state if you can find it.

She claims that raw soursop has a wonderful tropical flavor and creamy texture. “But since the seeds are poisonous, spit them out.”

It’s a large fruit with a lot of natural sugars, so keep that in mind: “One fruit might have 70 or 80 grams of sugar, so you don’t necessarily want to consume one whole fruit at once—particularly if you’re worried about how much sugar you consume,” says Supan.

Expert advice: Consume half of it right away and save the remainder for smoothies. Its tropical flavor melds well with papayas, pineapples, mangoes, and other tropical fruits.

However, like the majority of popular superfoods, soursop isn’t a panacea. However, it’s a nutritious and delicious tropical delight. Try the sweet, creamy fruit if you’re fortunate enough to find a store selling soursop. Tell them you found them online.

Benefits of Graviola

Anticancerous

Remarkably, it was able to increase immune system activity, eradicate cancer cells, and shrink tumor size (8 trusted source). The effects of soursop extract on leukemia cells were examined in another test-tube investigation.

However, take in mind that these examinations run in test tubes and analyze a high dosage of soursop extract. More research needs to occur to determine the fruit’s possible link to cancer in humans.

Anti Inflammatory

According to some research on animals, soursop and its constituents may have anti-inflammatory properties.

Chronic inflammation may play a role in disease, despite inflammation is a normal immunological response to harm (12 reliable source).

Soursop extract went out to rats in one study, and it finds to lessen edema and inflammation. Another study showed similar results, suggesting that soursop extract could reduce mice’s edema by as much as 37%.

Although research is currently only available in animal trials, this may be especially useful in the treatment of inflammatory disorders like arthritis. In fact, one animal study found that soursop extract cut the levels of specific inflammatory markers associated with arthritis. But more research is necessary.

As Antibiotic

According to certain research, soursop may have strong antibacterial qualities in addition to its antioxidant ones. Soursop extracts in varied quantities apply to various microorganisms known to cause oral illnesses in one test-tube investigation. Numerous bacterial strains exist, including those that cause gingivitis, tooth decay, and yeast infection.

Soursop extract was effective against the bacteria that cause cholera and Staphylococcus infections, according to another test-tube investigation. It’s crucial to keep in mind that these are test-tube studies employing a very concentrated extract, even with these encouraging results. It’s a lot more than what you would normally get from your diet.

Side effects of Graviola

The effects of graviola on the body are not well understand. However, scientists are concerned about certain compounds in graviola. Movement difficulties and nerve alterations may result from it.

Parkinson’s disease-like symptoms could result from the nerve alterations. According to laboratory studies, several compounds in graviola have the potential to harm nerves. From the bloodstream, it enters the brain. One study examined the consumption of graviola by Caribbean people.

Graviola may reduce blood pressure and blood sugar, according to animal studies. If you have diabetes or high blood pressure, see your doctor before taking graviola. If taken often, graviola may also harm your liver and kidneys.