The oddly shaped soursop fruit resembles a large strawberry that is crossbred with an apple and grows thorns.
It is native to Central and South America, where it is a popular sweet delicacy. Soursop tastes like a strawberry, pineapple, and citrus altogether.
Soursop has several uses in traditional medicine and has been used to treat a wide variety of health conditions and ailments. It offers a range of health benefits with its high nutrient profile.
Health Advantages
Soursop is rich in vitamin C; an antioxidant believed to improve immune health. The vitamin boosts the immune system and enhances its ability to defend itself from pathogens.
It also facilitates free radical degradation, which can help protect the skin and cells from oxidative damage to the environment. One whole soursop fruit contains 215 percent of your vitamin C daily recommended allowance.
Several other antioxidants, including phytosterols, tannins, and flavonoids, are included in Soursop (fruit and leaves). Antioxidants play a role in your general health and can help protect against a variety of medical conditions.
Other health advantages of Soursop include:
Healthy digestion
Approximately 83 percent of your recommended daily fibre intake, which is a critical nutrient for your digestive health, is contained in one whole soursop fruit. Fibre helps to promote consistency and avoid digestive problems like constipation.
Potential anti-carcinogenic effects
While most researches are limited to test-tube studies, Soursop can help fight cancer and prevent it. One study showed that a soursop extract could decrease the size and kill cancer cells of breast cancer tumors. A second study found that an extract might stop the formation of leukemia cells.
Fights inflammation
Antioxidants combat free radicals, reducing the damage that oxidative stress does to your cells. Inflammation is one of the side effects of oxidative stress. Consequently, the antioxidants in Soursop may help decrease inflammation in the body.
Stabilizes blood pressure
Health complications such as heart failure and heart attack may result from high blood pressure. Sodium intake is a contributing factor to high blood pressure.
Potassium helps the body eliminate sodium and relieves blood vessel stiffness in the walls, all of which can help reduce blood pressure. A whole soursop fruit provides around one-third to one-half of your daily potassium allowance recommended.
May battle against bacteria
Soursop contains antibacterial properties. One study showed that an extract might be capable of eliminating some types of bacteria, including strains that cause gum disease and cavities.
Another study showed that extracts of Soursop would help control the bacteria of cholera and Staphylococcus. While these were test-tube experiments, the findings are positive. Nonetheless, further study is required.
Soursop is usually eaten raw by cutting the fruit in half and scooping out the flesh. Fruits vary in size and can be very wide, so splitting them into a few portions might be better.
This fruit’s standard serving is low in calories but high in many nutrients, such as vitamin C and fibre. A 3.5-ounce (100-gram) raw soursop serving includes:
- Calories: 66
- Protein: 1 gram
- Fibre: 3.3 grams
- Carbs: 16.8 grams
- Vitamin C: 34% of the RDI
- Magnesium: 5% of the RDI
- Potassium: 8% of the RDI
- Thiamine: 5% of the RDI
A tiny fraction of niacin, riboflavin, folate, and iron are also found in Soursop. Interestingly, numerous components, including the leaves, fruit, and stems, of the fruit are used for medicinal purposes. It is often used in cooking.
Allergic reactions
No incidents of soursop allergy mentioned in the medical journals have been reported. But any protein-containing food will potentially be allergenic.
Negative effects
If you experience any of these, you should stop eating Soursop or drinking the fruit in a tea:
- You have diabetes because Graviola has a blood sugar lowering effect in laboratory animals
- You are taking drugs to minimize hypertension as Graviola is known to have additive effects when taken with drugs for this health condition
- You’ve got a liver disorder
- You’ve got kidney disease
Studies in laboratory animals have demonstrated that Graviola compounds cause movement disturbances and myeloneuropathy, a condition with Parkinson’s Disease-like symptoms.
Varieties
They cultivate both “sweet” (less acidic) and “sour” Soursop in some areas. It is more probable that the sweet version would be eaten raw. Soursop tea is prepared from the soursop tree’s leaves. Traditionally, it is used to calm the body and relieve tension.
How to eat Soursop
Soursop is a common ingredient found in South America, ranging from juices to ice creams and sorbets, and can be enjoyed in different ways. For example, the flesh can be added in smoothies, prepared into teas, or even used to help sweeten baked food.
Nonetheless, Soursop is often appreciated raw because it has a strong, naturally sweet flavor. Pick one that is soft when choosing the fruit, or let it ripen for a few days before eating.
Cut it in halves, then scoop the flesh out of the rind and enjoy it. Bear in mind that, soursop seeds should be avoided since it has been shown to contain annonacin, a neurotoxin that may lead to the development of Parkinson’s disease.
Test-tube and animal experiments using soursop extract have revealed some positive findings concerning this fruit’s possible health benefits.
Nevertheless, it is important that you note that the effects of a concentrated dosage of soursop extract that are studied in these experiments are far higher than the quantity you will get from a single serving.
Soursop is tasty, flexible, and can be a helpful addition to your diet. This fruit can have some amazing health benefits when paired with a balanced diet and a healthy lifestyle.
Reference
- Health Benefits of Soursop – WebMD
- Soursop (Graviola) – Healthline
