Soursop is a delicious and nutritious tropical fruit that we have planted all over our premises. We now have two mature, fruit-bearing soursop trees, several more in the ground, and dozens more in pots, in case our visitors want to plant one at their home.
Soursop has become quite famous in recent years. There are messages flying through cyberspace touting the many amazing benefits of soursop, and in particular with regard to its ability to fight cancer. The online messages quote sources like John’s Hopkins Hospital, and assert that the soursop fruit and/or its extracts are “ten thousand times stronger than chemotherapy” for fighting cancer. On this Web site, we only present factual information. We checked with John’s Hopkins. Sadly, they do not yet promote eating fruit over chemotherapy.
Many of the benefits attributed to soursop in recent years are, in fact, the real benefits of eating a diet of all fruits. Soursop contains phytonutrients (plant nutrients) including antioxidants known to help fight cancer. But so does every other fruit. The amounts will vary from one fruit to another. But that does not mean that you should focus on just the fruit containing the highest level of any particular nutrient. There is no “silver bullet” food that will protect you from all harms.
Please do not fall into the mistake of thinking that you can go on eating the wrong foods as long as you also eat soursop, or some other miracle food. Unfortunately, wellness doesn’t work that way. Eating a grape does not erase a strip of bacon from your system. Nor will eating a soursop erase a tumor. You should eliminate from your diet and lifestyle every harmful element, to the best of your ability, and focus instead on the nine habits that do produce wellness: the habits corresponding with each of the nine human needs.
The latin name of soursop is Annona muricata and it is native to Central America and the tropical parts of North and South America. Here, the fruit is called “Guanabana”.
Nutrients in Soursop
Soursop contains many vitamins and minerals, including Vitamin A, Vitamins B1, B2, B3, B5, B6 and B9 (AKA Folate), Vitamin C, Calcium, Copper, Iron, Magnesium, Potassium, Phosphorous, Sodium and Zinc. Both the fruit and the leaves contain antioxidants including phytosterols, tannins, and flavonoids.
Health Benefits of in Soursop
Immune system health: Due to its high content of vitamin C, soursop boosts general immune health. It helps destroy free radicals, which can help protect your skin and other cells from environmental oxidative damage.
Digestion health: Soursop contains plenty of dietary fiber, which helps to promote regularity and prevents constipation.
Anti-carcinogenic effects: initial studies have shown that soursop reduced the size of breast cancer tumors, killed cancer cells and stopped the formation of leukemia cells, all in test tubes. More studies are needed but the initial results are quite promising.
Anti-inflammatory effects: soursop reduces inflammation through its antioxidants fighting free radicals in the body.
Diabetes effects: soursop may stimulate beta cells in the pancreas to produce insulin.
Blood pressure effects: soursop contains plenty of potassium, which is known to help to lower your blood pressure. This may be protective against heart disease.
Anti-bacterial effects: test-tube studies have found that soursop extract killed many types of bacteria, which may protect against gum disease, cavities, cholera and Staphylococcus bacteria.