Medicinal Benefits of Soursop
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- Origin: Tropical America
- Family: Annonaceae
- Botanical Name: Annona muricata
- Varieties: about nine, differing in shape, texture in flavors
- Season: almost all the year round
- Tree: height; up to 10 m
- Fruit: length:12 - 24 cm; weight: 400 - 800 gm
Soursop is a fruit that has the most delectable flavor. The soursop is a large fruit of a small, fast-growing tree. The fruit is picked from the tree before it has fully ripened as it will be badly bruised if allowed to ripen and fall. The fruit is mature and is ready for eating when it feels slightly soft and is light green externally. The skin is thin and is covered with conical nibs. The white, pulpy flesh, which contains juice, is peppered with small shiny, black inedible seeds, and has a pleasant, sweet-acidic taste. As it is rather fibrous, its squeezed juice makes a better choice, and has, in fact become more popular than the fresh fruit as such. Soursop has few seedless varieties, but they are rare, and tend to have fibrous flesh.
Medicinal Benefits: Soursop is not only a delicious and healthy fruit but it is use medicinally to treat illness ranging from stomach ailments to worms.
- The seeds, which have emetic properties, can be used in the treatment of vomiting.
- The leaf decoction is effective for head lice and bedbugs.
- The crushed fresh leaves can be applied on skin eruptions to promote healing.
- The juice of the fruit can be taken orally as a remedy for urethritis, haematuria and liver ailments.
- The juice when taken when fasting, it is believed to relieve liver ailments and leprosy.
- To speed the healing of wounds, the flesh of the soursop is applied as a poultice unchanged for 3 days.
- A decoction of the young shoots or leaves is regarded as a remedy for gall bladder trouble, as well as coughs, catarrh, diarrhea, dysentery, fever and indigestion.
- Mashed leaves are used as a poultice to alleviate eczema and other skin problems and rheumatism.
- The root bark is use as an antidote for poisoning.
- Soursop flowers are believed to alleviate catarrh.
- Decoction of leaves used as compresses for inflammation and swollen feet.
Nutrient Value per 100 grams servings:
- Vitamin: C 20.6
- Calcium: 14
- Iron: 0.6
- Calories: 66
- Dietary Fiber: 3.3g
- Protein: 1g
- Cholesterol: 0mg
- Sodium: 14mg
- Sugars: 13.54g
- Total Carbohydrate: 16.84g
- Total Fat: 0.3g
- Saturated Fat: 0.05g
- Monounsaturated Fat: 0.09g
- Polyunsaturated Fat: 0.06g
Culinary uses: eaten fresh as fruit; made into cakes, ice cream, preserved, beverages and for flavoring. The young soursop, where the seeds are still soft, is used as a vegetable. The fermented fruit is also use to make an apple cider-like drink.
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Comments
Hi Dave you can ask the owner of an asian store near your place
That looks really cool. I have never even heard of it before. I will see if I can find one.
I haven't eaten this since the last time I visited Venezuela. Ahh! Growing up it was my favorite fruit and i haven't found it anywhere in the US. We call it Guanabana. MMM Yums
this is very good information, I live in the caribbean where this fruit is plentiful,
as of tomorow I will be using this fruit as often as possible thanks for the info
I AM FROM ST LUCIA ISLAND IN THE CARIBBEAN NEVER KNEW SOUR SOP COULD DO ALL THIS THANKS FOR THE INFORMATION
That is good news, what about the sweet sop same family as the sour sop but small and sweet?
I LIVE IN BARBADOS IN THE CARIBBEAN.IHAVE A BIG TREE IN MY YARD. AM ALWAYS EATING THE FRUIT ,MAKING PUNCH WITH MILK NUTMEG AND BLENDING IT IS DELICIOUS .AS A CHILD WE HAD IT AS A TEA STEEPING THE LEAVES IN BOILING WATER WITH A LITTLE SUGAR --VERY REFRESHING ,HOT OR COLD.IGAVE THE FRUIT TO ALL MY NEIGHBOURS AS IT BEARS ALL YEAR.I NEVER KNEW IT WAS SO IMPORTANT. THANKS FOR THIS INFORMATION.
I grew up in Jamaica soursop grew wild we used to pick from the tree and it was so refreshing and pack a lot of energy. thanks for the info.
I live in Barbados and have a couple of these trees growing in my backyard. I love to make ice cream with the fruits and use the leaves for tea to relax me at night
I LIVE IN JAMAICA (CARIBBEAN). AS A CHILD I USE TO LOVE TO EAT THE FRUIT. ITS DELICIOUS. MAKES LOVELY JUICE TOO. WE WOULD BREW THE LEAVES AND DRINK IT WARM IN THE MORNINGS. I HAD NO IDEA THIS FRUIT AS SO GOOD. MY INLAW HAS PROSTATE CANCER AND MY FRIEND HAS BREAST CANCER. WHAT I WOULD LIKE TO KNOW IS HOW IT SHOULD BE TAKEN TO ACHIEVE THE DESIRED RESULTS
I also live in Barbados and have used soursop from my childhood days, we have always had trees growing around our house. There is still have one around.
The "Soursop Tree" grows on almost every Caribbean island and throughout Central and South America. In addition to the pleasant tasting fruit, the leaves can be "steeped" in hot water to make a pleasant tasting tea sweetened to taste. Be careful with the stength of the tea, ie number of leaves used and time allowed to remain in hot water. I knew young women who gave their babies one baby bottle of the "tea" and the baby slept through the night while their mothers go out to dance.
Soursop is widely used in the Eastern Caribbean as afruit , drink icecream cakes pies mousse etc. the leaves are used to make tea especially aat night as it makes you sleep soundly. Remember leaves are to be steeped not boiled as it can be very potent
Antigua
It is said also that the heart of the soursop fruit is good for children with weak bladder. so if they eat the heart it prevents the wetting of the bed. Also the tea from the leaves is taken for high blood pressure.
i lived in st. lucia, and this was my favorite fruit, there is another fruit similar to it, it looks pretty much the same we called it sugar apple, as for the soursop in some super markets in the newyork it is sold but it has a different name sounds spanish, it is package and streaped of its seed and the pulp is packaged
Living in the Caribbean, there is easy access to it, however I di not know that it held such vast medicinal properties. In time mor ediscoveries like these will be realized.
I live in Dominica in the eastern carribbean and have used sour sop{fruit} for icecream, juice and sorbetor just simply ate the suculent pulp my entire life, we brew the leaves to make tea[infusion] never knew my favourite fruit is a WONDER MEDICINE. thanks for the information.
I am from Jamaica where we use it as a drink, but I also lived in Hawaii where you can find soursop. I do know a few people suffering from cancer and would like to know how to use the fruit. What form is it used in cancer treatment, and if it is available where can I get it. I can get the frozen kind, I have some in my fridge now.
I am so impressed with this info about the Soursop my husband is drinking some as i type. I am fron the Island of St. Kitts but resides in the US Virgin Islands and believe me i ate this fruit in every way possible. My best way was adding the pulps with brown sugar and ice if there is in a cup, the sugar will melt with the pulp and believe me it's the best. I must when I read about the leaves crushed is good for swelling or to heal skin eruptions it hit home for me. My son is having that problem, so I will get that remedy moving fast.
I live in Grenada and yes we use soursop to make all these niceities but use to take it gor granted. I remember as a child growing up my father uesd the leaves to make tea to stop bedwetting and will cut the young one in cubes, soak it in water over night and then drink it for for what they called "cooling". Thank you for the info and thank God for soursop
This is welcoming news . I never knew soursop had such medicinal values. I was told by my mom that it is especially good for the nerves whether you drink the tea or the juice. My prayer is that the findings of this research be acted upon as quickly as possible as several persons are in need of it to help with cancer treatment especially. My aunt has type 4 cancer of the stomach. What can be done for her at this time with this fruit?
If you have prostate C {6.o} will the use of sour sop prevent it from spreading ?
I was born in Trinidad, and grew up enjoying all the delicacies of the Soursop fruit. Never knowing the other values of the tree!!! To now find out of the great importance of this fruit and the tree, is a huge bonus for me. Let's hope the researchers will soon find a way of getting this effective cancer drug out to the individuals that need it so desperately. The leaves as everyone noted above, is used for brewing a tea that would put a giant to sleep! Hooray for Soursop trees everywhere....
soursop. if this is true my folks in statia eastern caribbean .
should be at lease 90% cancer proof .it is the only fruit that we,ve
had year round and a whole lot any snack or desert u can think of we made
it. plus the bed wetting .fever. cold .high blood pressure .sleep aid. and now cancer . i will plant 12 more tree,s more herbs for healing the nation,s
I am from Jamaica living in Canada and am wondering where I can get the sour sop leaves to purchase, as we use it to make tea to control our high blood pressure.
I really don't know why they call it "Soursop" because I am yet to eat one that is sour. It really is a sweet and tasy fruit. If you haven't tried some, be sure to do so whenever the opportunity arises.
I live in the Caribbean and soursop trees are everywhere to be found but no one ever took the time to outline the benefits of this delicious delectable fruit. Its lovely as a drink when the fruit is squeezed and a bit of sugar angostura bitters and alittle rum and ice has been added. Growing up I was give the tea made from the leaves. I am glad someone has studied the benefits of this fruit.
I am A true true Trini (Tinidad and Tobago West Indies)
I ate a lot of these fruits whilst growing up. So delicious in ice cream and punches. Presently I am doing a project with the St Patrick West 4H County and Atlantic LNG Greening programme where we are collecting the seeds of the fruits and planting them. We are also giving away these plants to the public.
I would also like to learn more about its uses in treating Cancer patients for I know a great lot of people who would benefit for such information.
There is a very important function not mention in the above article .Recently in the 60ts two chemicals (2) not just one,was identified in SOURSOP that caused cancer cells to self distroy.The claim stated; according to the article, that those two chemicals were at least 1000 times more potent than the chemicals that are now used in chematherapy with non of the negative side effect . I would like someone of the level of a research chemist to comment or research if there are any truth to such a powerful statement. If so , then why is this kept away from common knowledge.And if suppression of such a fact could be a criminal act and prosecrution could be in order.
The other name for the soursop tree is "Graviola Tree" .
It can be found in the Spanish food aisle of your supermarket, it is packaged and marketed by Goya.
Soursop is many times potent than chemotherapy. Eat soursop everyday. Drink lemongrass juice. Cancer cells commit suicide with such natural medicines.
Wonderful fruit. Most of us from the third world have used it. What part of the fruit and how to use it for cancer?
I read this in an article...
.......A study published in the Journal of Natural Products, following a recent study conducted at Catholic University of South Korea stated that one chemical in Graviola was found to selectively kill colon cancer cells at "10,000 times the potency of (the commonly used chemotherapy drug) Adriamycin...."....The most significant part of the Catholic University of South Korea report is that Graviola was shown to selectively target the cancer cells, leaving healthy cells untouched. Unlike chemotherapy, w! hich indiscriminately targets all actively reproducing cells (such as stomach and hair cells), causing the often devastating side effects of nausea and hair loss in cancer patients.....A study at Purdue University recently found that leaves from the Graviola tree killed cancer cells among six human cell lines and were especially effective against prostate, pancreatic and lung cancers...
Im from Suriname, South America and we even grow a lot of Soursop.It has many medical impacts especially the leaves heals stress and cancer.students always wet there head and hair with the soursop leave crunch in water and wet there head with that juice. old ppl say the inhaling has a smell on the pituiary gland of the hypothalamus. so that's why it heals stress
i live in jamaica and i hate soursop because my mom alway mix it with condensed milk which i hate however, i intend to try it again however, i need some recipes, where should i go to get them?
The fruit is also common here in the Phils. Just got to know its medicinal benefits thru an email from a friend. I have to start eating it now that I'm aware of its benefits. Thanks for the adtl. info.
The fruit does not travel well, hence why it is not seen on many shop shelves, other than in the areas where it is grown. Shame as the fruit is the best I have ever tasted.
This is information is brilliant! Thank you all for your comments! I am from Australia and I will now be on the hunt for soursop which I believe may be a bit of a challenge as it is Winter here and the mainstream markets would not stock this. If any one is from Melbourne, Australia, please let me know where to buy this amazing sour sop!!!
I have a tree in my back yard. I am very happy to know that there is a herbal cure for cancer. Please tell me how to use the fruit or leaves to cure cancer.
Thanks
My email adresse is:- sarah_cruz@email.com
Kerry, I didn't like it when my mom gave it to me with condensed milk either then my mother-in-law gave it to me with lime (or lemon) sweetened with sugar (I now use honey). Nice and refreshing! try it. Wish I was home in Jamaica now enjoying some good tree ripened ones. I prefer eating them though. My american son-in-law tried the bottled stuff and liked it. I told him to wait till he get his hands or rather mouth on the real stuff!
Hello. I am from Trinidad ( in the Caribbean) . I have 11 Soursop trees around my home. :)
I'm a st lucian and have many sour sop plant around my house,and never new the great importance or it thank you for this great info
Wow, thanks for the info. Does anyone know if the tree will survive in the mediterranean region? Thanks.
just eaten soursop awhile ago.wow!...it healed my flu and sinusitis.just bought the fruit last saturday after reading my email about this wonderfruit,its abundant here in north cebu phils.. regarding its health risk i`ve read in wikipedia about it, how true?
We live in south Florida, Ft Lauderdale area, and we have a tree that does very well in our yard. My husband is from the VI so was very happy he was able to have the tree here. I think we're going to start brewing a cup of tea once a day for each of us.
My granny was a maverick herbalist. She was not advertised as such or collected one cent as far as I knew but used soursop for everything from mosquito repellant to hair treatment. My father had a hard lump on his hand i guess it may have been carpal tunnel or something I am not sure but it was on the top of his hand at the wrist well my granny injected soursop tea into it he never had it again but a dark spot at the site of the injection. He uses his hand for his work a great deal, being an artist and dign painter also did auditing. She also swore that the leaves were a sure cure for nerve problems. Whatever it made me sleep like a baby although until today I hate the taste although others swore to the tastiness. Eating the heart for worms was the worst but until today I have not had any problems with worms.
Tru-Juice of Jamaica has a line of exotic juices available in Jamaica, New York, Toronto and South Florida which includes Soursop with a little bit of lime. I am biased but it is a fantastic product as has been stated by our customers.
I have purchase some sour soue sop also here in Canada and I got the fruit also because i do believe it kills Cancer cell and leaves the good ones there in your body. I drink the sour sop every day and have the fruit each day. I got the fruit in chinness store and the sour sop. They said the sour sop and fruit is ten thousand times stroger than cemo therphy Hugh
My dad is a diabetic patient.please advice me on how he can use soursop to achieve total cure.
OBIOMA,
I am a Nigeria. I would like to learn more about its uses in treating diabetes patients for I know a great lot of people who would benefit form such information.
email:obicmag@yahoo.com
My Grand Mother died from cancer in the mid 80s. We lived in Portsmouth, Dominica then. I remember vividly when she was terminal she requested soursop.
I remember she was given a bath by means of decoction of the leaves.
It has always bugged my mind why she would make that request out of so many other request. She died soon after.
After reading this article and the many responses, I have now put the puzzle together.
Thanks for the info. V- informative.
I got about 3.2 acres of land in Shah Alam which I'm thinking of planting this tree. Any body interested ????
I am from Jamaica and my mother use to brew the leaves for me to drink and on sundays we were never out of soursop juice to drink. I have two trees in my yard. In fact, I am drinking some right now as I type this message. The information presented was very informative!
I was in remission for the past 2 years,
now its come back. At present i`m on my
fourth cycle of chemotherapy with the
sickning after effects.
The information on Soursop is so interesting.
Please let me know how to use this fruit
to destroy the cancer cells.
E-Mail: kimita@xtra.co.nz
I live in Papua New Guinea and we have been having these fruit from ages. But thanks for the information
Thanks for the information,I live in Malaysia and Soursop is easily available.
how does one prepare the soursop leave to treat diabetics. your reply is urgently required.
Thanks for the info, here in the Solomon Islands there is an abundant supply of soursop, unfortunatley, due to our lack of knowledge of the medicinial contents some people have been unfortunate. Could you be able to update me on the preparation of each?.
I have always been crazy over soursop and its products. I am so happy that I now know its nutritional value and health benefit.
my mom plant soursop in the front yard, we have the fruit almost every day and give them to our neighbors too.
I was diagnose with rectal cancer spreading to the liver is the Sour Sop leaves good for this illness?
Whao this is goodnews! Please let me know if eating it almost daily has any side effect. It is mind boggling what soursop can do and it's cheap in Nigeria. Do write more on the other diseases it can cure. God bless you.
Iphy. Nigeria.
My baby usually sleeps thru the night but since he began teething (4teeth at the same time)he would wake up every hour on the hour............then my friend suggested the leaves to be brewed as a tea............man that work like a charm.....then i made some that was not as strong an he started wakin back up........i have made it a little stronger tonight lets hope it works...
I am from Guam, and I have four trees in my backyard and I am willing to send anyone seeds. Just pay for the shipping. I think it only grows in Tropical weather. Perhaps someone can give more information on the matter.
i grew up in belize, central america. LOVE, LOVE, LOVE SOUR
SOP, never knew the benefits. Now that i know, i will eat more of it when i visit BELIZE.
My friend swears her husband recovered from cancer by daily drinking sour sop (babana - local name). My bro in law just diagnosed with liver and lung cancer and I will suggest this remedy. It might work!
The best place to grow soursoup is in Jelebu.
I have taken it since 1960. Thank you for the info
Sour sop can be found in Hawaii.
As a child growing up on Grenada I observed that every Sour Sop tree had black ants on it or close to it. Has anyone with a tree observed black ants on or around the tree? I am just a little curious because these black ants may also have the answer to many of the ailments of mankind.
I have been through many websites reading on the topic of the Sour Sop, but only a couple of people seem to verify the claims made for cancer cure. Where can I read the scientific reports? How do we know that this is not a hoaks or pure hype?
On the issue of diabetes, it is known that Cinnamon is the very best natural cure for diabetes and other endocrine system problems including irregular periods.
There is a movie with Sean Connery he plays a scientist in South America and he discovered in the black ants the cure for cancer (I don't remember the name of the movie). Yes Joan there is some truth there. Many people feel we have the cure of cancer but the multi billion drug industry don't want us to know. I love soursop!
The sad thing about soursop is that once it is cut open, it doesn't last long. Even refrigerating the juice from it only slows down the natural fermentation process for a day or two. My question is why isn't the University of the West Indies doing research on this fruit instead of depending on companies whose only interest is profit?
I have seven trees in my yard in Miami.. It is the most nurturing tree i have ever had. so many uses and its delicious!! Thank you! by the way i have land in the dominican republic and i might be planting a big grove in the future! wish me luck
I'm from Indonesia. You can find so many sour sop tree here.. I think this fruit is plenty at countries near the equator..
Wow, what a blessed fruit, huh, a delicacy to relish and count on, fully packed with all u could ever think off. Very common in Ghana-West Africa. I love it, so refreshing and I tell u it taste so good, yes really good. I just love the fresh fragance and soft feel.
wow i many times drink soursoup juice but didn't the fuction,thanks for the article
To find scientific facts about this fruit, you need to look for its scientific name.
I am from Peru and the fruit grows in the Coast line, high mountains and jungle, it is very taste smell wonderfull and feels soft.
Now I live in Miami and I can buy it in Publix at frozen foods section, package by Goya and the name is Guanabana (spanish word).
Soursop is a good source of treating patient with diarrhea and other sickness they suffer from.
I am from Dominican Republic and we had a big Soursop tree. It was everywere. We call it Guanabana in Spanish and I LOVED it. Every day I had the same dilemma though: Should I eat it or make a juice out of it? I usually ended up eating it LOL! I really miss my Guanabana/Soursop. The hardest part for me is not been able to grow it in Massachusetts, USA, where I live, or even buy the actual pulp. I am very happy to hear of its health benefits and uses.
The Soursop or Graviola grows in the eastern united states.
It is call Paw Paw (not to confuse with the papaya)
Natures Sunshine a company that makes natural medicines, makes a preparation called "PAW PAW CEL REG"
This product is used to treat cancer and a lot of info on the research can be found by googling PAW PAW CEL REG. Much information into research carried out by a Dr. McLaughlin can be found there.
I have taken this product and can recommend it, however it has a tendency to make you nuaseous and the company sells other products that you use with it to control the nuasea.
I am from the Caribbean and am very familiar with the lovely sousop fruit. I know one lady who steeps the leaves to make a tea to control her high blood pressure. That is all she uses...no medicine. I keep reading that tere is some evidence of strong cancer curing properties in Soursop but there has been no research with humans. Can anyone tell me why it seems so hard for governmental authorities to explorethe possible medicinal benefits of natural foods such as Soursop? Do they really care? or are they satisfied to constantly say "there is no conclusive evidence"? My son says that Soursop punch has to be the best drink in the whole world!!
The soursop leaves is available in Toronto, at couple of stores Crys Lee in Ajax/ and Charleys in Scarborough.
The soursop leaves is ver very good for you.
Dave says:
12 months ago
Where in the USA can Soursop be found?