Soursop or Graviola is the newest fruit in fashion on the internet.
Annona muricata is the official name for soursop. It belongs to the Annonaceae, also known as the custard apple family. It is a native of South America and is also known as Guanabana Graviola, custard apple, or Graviola. The fruit looks like avocado on the outside. Soursop, despite its rugged exterior, is sweet inside. Its white pulp is creamy and smooth with large black seeds. Its sweet-tart taste is sometimes compared to a mix of apples and strawberries.
These fruits are oval-shaped and grow on trees. The fruit’s green outer has spines and covers the white fibrous flesh. They can grow to as long as 8 inches and weigh 10 pounds. The flavor of Soursop can be best described as a mix between pineapple and mango.
Traditional medicine has many uses for soursop, which has been used to treat a variety of ailments and health conditions. It has a strong nutrient profile that provides many health benefits.
Soursop Health Benefits – Graviola Health Benefits
Traditional healers have used soursop for centuries to treat ailments. They use all plant parts to treat many illnesses, including the leaves, stems, and fruit.
Soursop contains vitamin, an antioxidant that is known to increase immune health. Vitamin C strengthens your immune response and improves its ability to fight off pathogens. It can also help protect your skin cells from environmental oxidative damage. One whole soursop apple contains 215% of the recommended daily intake of vitamin C.
The leaves and the fruit of Soursop contain many other antioxidants such as phytosterols, tannins, and flavonoids. Your overall health is affected by antioxidants. They may also help protect you from a range of health conditions.
Let’s now take a look at other health benefits of Soursop.
- Proper digestion
A whole soursop apple contains 83% of the fiber recommended daily intake vital for digestion. Fiber promotes regularity and helps prevent constipation problems.
- Anti-carcinogenic – Kill Cancer Cells
Soursop could be beneficial in fighting and preventing cancer, although most of the research on this topic is done in a test tube. A study showed that soursop extracts could decrease the size of breast cancer tumors and also kill cancer cells. Another study showed that the extract could prevent the growth of leukemia cells.
- Fights inflammation
Antioxidants combat free radicals and reduce cell damage caused by oxidative stresses. Inflammation is one of the side effects that oxidative stress can cause. Soursop’s antioxidants may help reduce inflammation. Although animal research is limited, it may benefit from treating inflammatory diseases like arthritis.
- Stabilizes Blood pressure
High blood pressure can lead to severe heart attack and heart disease problems. High blood pressure can be caused by high sodium consumption. Potassium aids your body in getting rid of sodium and relaxes tension in your blood vessels. Both of these factors can help lower blood pressure. One-third to one-half of the recommended daily potassium intake is found in whole soursop fruits.
- Fights Bacteria
Some studies have shown that soursop has potent antibacterial properties and antioxidant qualities. An extract of soursop can kill many bacteria, including those that cause gum disease or tooth cavities. Another study shows that soursop extracts could be used to combat cholera and Staphylococcus Bacterial infections.
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Soursop Nutrition – Graviola Nutrition
Soursop also contains antioxidants which protect cells from harm. Antioxidant-rich diets may help protect against diseases like heart disease or cancer. It is rich in essential vitamins and minerals such as:
- Vitamin B1
- Vitamin B2
- Vitamin B3
- Vitamin C
- Copper
- Calcium
- Iron
- Phosphorous
- Potassium
- Magnesium
- Zinc
Nutrients per Serving
One entire soursop fruit provides:
- Calories: 413
- Protein: 6 g
- Fat: 2 g
- Carbohydrates: 105 g
- Fiber: 21 g
- Sugar: 85 g
Soursop for Cancer Treatment – Graviola for Cancer Treatment
Some evidence suggests that the plant’s leaves could be used to fight inflammation and kill cancer cells. These findings were based on animal and test-tube studies that often used large soursop leaf extracts.
Soursop or Graviola has many chemicals known as Acetogenins (ACGs). Through lab tests, ACGs kill many types of cancer cells but don’t harm healthy cells. They can also treat cancerous tumors that haven’t responded to the chemotherapy drugs for cancer.
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ACGs are believed to act in a variety of ways to kill, block or fight various types of cancers. These pathways include:
Cell Death
Usually, damaged or old cells die naturally. This process is known as apoptosis. Cancerous cells typically develop ways to avoid this and continue to live. Extracts from the leaf of Soursop or Graviola may cause cancer cells to undergo normal death of cells.
Block metastasis
It is also known as a cancer spread. Research has shown that Graviola extracts prevent cancer cells from developing and metastasizing.
Scramble signals
Cells receive messages from both insides as well as outside of the cell. Signaling pathways transmit the messages. An error in any of the paths could result in cancer. Graviola block pathways that regulate the development and life cycle of cancerous cells.
ATP
Each cell of your body makes an adenosine triphosphate compound (ATP) to generate energy. If the disease Graviola blocks ATP in cancer cells, they cease to exist.
Soursop Cancer Research – Graviola Cancer Research
Scientists have researched soursop or Graviola to identify different types of cancers. The results of lab tests have been encouraging. However, the researchers haven’t tried Graviola on individuals to see how the results stand up.
- Breast cancer
A study found that the Graviola leaf extract decreased breast tumors in mice. Other studies examined the effects of Graviola extracts on the protein dubbed epidermal Growth Factor (EGFR). This protein is found on the cell’s surface and aids in its growth and divide. Certain women with breast cancer cells contain too much EGFR. Cells increase in size and are difficult to treat. Graviola prevented the development of these cells.
- Liver cancer
In several studies, Graviola extract caused cell death in liver cancer cells.
- Lung cancer
The extract of Graviola leaves has stopped the growth cycle of cancerous lung cells.
- Pancreatic cancer
Graviola leaves and stems led to the death of cells in the pancreatic cancer cell. Graviola also inhibits signaling pathways that help pancreatic tumors expand.
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How to Eat Soursop? – How to Eat Graviola?
In the past, soursop was used to treat various uses, including ailments and fertility issues. Many continue to utilize soursop for a wide range of health benefits. These we’ll explore in the next part of this article.
Grocery stores sell fresh and frozen soursop. The fruit can also be found in conventional grocery stores and online e-commerce sites.
Most soursop can be picked before it is fully ripe. The unripe fruit looks green but turns yellow when mature. You can also press down on the fruit to give it some juice. Mostly you will find unripe fruit kept on the store counter. It would be best to keep it in the fridge once it is fully matured and can be used within a few hours.
Soursop is delicious raw. It can be used in many other ways as well, including:
- Soursop popsicles
- Soursop ice cream
- Soursop smoothie
- Soursop juices
- Topping for oatmeal, yogurt, or Chia pudding
Soursop Tea – Graviola Tea
An “immunity booster,” soursop tea is a staple in parts of America’s tropical region and the Caribbean areas of Africa. Its flavor is like mangoes or pineapple; however, it has a more subtle, less intense taste when it is used to make tea.
Incredibly, the soursop tea is not “tea” according to the standard definition. In contrast to green or black tea, it’s not made out of tea leaves from Camellia sinensis plants. Also, it does not contain caffeine.
It is a herbal drink. Soursop tea can be mixed with other ingredients to provide flavor and health benefits. Some, for instance, include the flavor of fruit or herbal tea blends, and others add matcha or other spices.
Who Should Drink Soursop Tea?
A majority of adults drink Soursop tea to reap the health benefits with almost no risk. Furthermore, since it’s caffeine-free, it is an excellent choice for those looking for hot drinks that don’t make them feel nervous.
Soursop tea is an effective supplement for those fighting the effects of cancer, immune system issues, or bacteria. We have already mentioned that the different properties of the fruit may aid the body in fighting cancer, illness, and infections.
We don’t suggest soursop tea for people suffering from issues with their livers, nerves, or kidney problems. Pregnant women can consume supplements; however, we suggest consulting a doctor prior to starting any treatment with supplements.
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How Much Soursop Tea Should You Drink?
The majority of people are interested in knowing the appropriate serving size, mainly if they drink soursop tea regularly.
We recommend starting with a cup of average size each day and paying close, careful attention to how it affects the body. Since tea consumption differs between individuals, it is essential to be aware of your body’s desires and needs. Many people who drink soursop tea discover that their ideal amount of tea is between one and three cups per day, based on their height and their habits.
It is also essential to keep track of the number of tea leaves you use in your cup. It is generally recommended to place two or three older leaves to boil for 10 and 15 minutes. If the leaves are smaller and less sized, you might require more time to reach the same level of strength.
How Often Should You Drink Soursop Tea?
AGRIKULTURE TODAY suggests starting with a cup of soursop tea early in the morning to observe how it affects your body for days.
If you have done this for a week or two and are looking to maximize the healing effects of soursop tea further, you can try another cup later throughout the day. Suppose you are someone who drinks up to three cups of tea each day. In that case, it’s an excellent suggestion to arrange the tea you drink according to your meal schedule—for instance, drinking a cup of tea 30 minutes before you normally eat to ensure that you’re working in harmony with your body’s natural digestive cycle and the energy intake.
As you increase your consumption of soursop tea, be aware that soursop does not necessarily have immediate effects on your body. It can require a few days or even weeks to show up. Therefore, it is crucial to keep a routine and regularly drink your tea (preferably at the exact times throughout your day). Like any habit, it requires patience and commitment to reap the most benefits mentally and physically.
Benefits of Soursop Tea – Benefits of Graviola Tea
Many beneficial effects can be experienced from drinking teas made of soursop regularly. It is rich in Vitamin C (which improves your immunity) and rich in other antioxidants that can protect you from various diseases and health issues.
The health benefits of soursop tea include:
- Promotes digestion and prevents constipation
- Anti-carcinogenic properties
- Combat inflammation in the body
- Stabilize blood pressure
- Prevent heart disease
- Help people rest better
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How to Make Soursop Tea? – How to Make Graviola Tea?
Directions to make Soursop tea:
- Boil 1 Liter of water.
- Remove 15 dried leaves of soursop (fresh or dried) and one small stem, cut into smaller pieces and then put them into the boiling water.
- Do not close the vessel. Continue to boil the water on a tiny flame for 30 minutes until the water has evaporated up to 500 ml.
- Take one cup of filtered soursop tea hot, warm, or cool three times throughout the morning, afternoon, and evening.
- Mix 1/2 teaspoon lime juice and two pudina leaves and then add honey (not sugar) to enhance the flavor.
After drinking, your body might feel the heat’s effects; however, there are no adverse side effects. For cooling the body, take three glasses of watermelon juice and consume three glasses of goats’ milk each throughout the day. In two weeks, you will begin to notice the positive effects, and after four weeks, the benefits will be clearly felt.
Health Tip: Be sure to drink soursop/graviola tea for 30 minutes prior to eating.
Side Effects of Soursop/ Graviola
Soursop has many health benefits. However, there are some drawbacks. There are soursop teas and extracts available for purchase, but they are not regulated by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration. Some things need to be cautious about. Study results have shown that soursop and the tea made from it may lead to symptoms similar to Parkinson’s disease. In large doses, Soursop can cause symptoms similar to Parkinson’s disease, such as:
- Tight muscles.
- Slowness in movement
- Eye movement problems
- Balancing problems
It may also interact with medications for diabetes or high blood pressure medication. These medications may be weakened by the compounds found in the fruit, leading to dangerous drops in blood sugar or blood pressure.
Soursop seeds should be avoided. They can cause side effects and toxic compounds. Before you eat the fruit, make sure they are removed.
Is it beneficial for liver cancer and can rhe patient take soursop extract directly every morning.