SOURSOP

 

Soursop, also known as a custard apple, guanabana, guyabano, graviola, or Brazilian paw paw, is a tropical fruit native to the American tropics. It is grown on the Annona muricata tree and has a greenish-yellow colour, prickly skin and creamy, white flesh.  

Its taste is often described as a combination of strawberry and apple but with a little citrus mixed in. It is most commonly found in Caribbean, South American, and Southeast Asian cuisines where it is used as an ingredient in beverages, syrups, and ice creams and also eaten raw. 

But thanks to its numerous health benefits, many parts of the plant are used in traditional medicine throughout Africa, the Caribbean and South America.

Soursop Benefits.

When it comes to its medicinal use, soursop is somewhat controversial. There is no denying this tropical fruit has some big health claims but naysayers argue that there is only anecdotal evidence to prove its health benefits. 

Limited, test-tube studies have shown that soursop could potentially eliminate some cancer cells, although experts warn against using soursop to fight against cancer as it has not been studied in humans. 

Aside from its claimed cancer-fighting properties, soursop has also been shown through animal and test-tube studies to reduce blood sugar levels, reduce inflammation and to have antibacterial properties. But once again, these properties have not been studied in humans, so it cannot yet be concluded soursop is an effective alternative to allopathic medicine. 

But like many other fruits, soursop does boast high levels of antioxidants and vitamin C, which are both key to keeping a healthy immune system.

This is a healthy fruit that, like other types of fruit, provides essential vitamins and minerals when added to your diet. But any extreme health claims, such as soursop's supposed effectiveness against cancer, cannot be confirmed without being studied extensively in humans.

How To Eat The Fruit.

Because of its sweet flavour and creamy texture (much like that of a banana), soursop is most often used in sweet recipes rather than savory. These include beverages, smoothies and even ice cream. 

If you want to eat it as a fruit, it is best to simply cut your soursop in half and scoop out the flesh with a spoon (you will have to work around the seeds or spit them out as you go along). Because of its stringy texture, soursop is going to be difficult to cut up into cubes, hence the need to scoop it out with a spoon. 

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