Soursop

It is also known as custard apple, cherimoya, guanabana, graviola and brazilian paw paw.

The graviola tree, or Annona muricata, produces the sweet soursop fruit, also called custard apple, paw paw or, in many Spanish-speaking countries, guanabana. The tree reaches a height of 25 or 30 feet and produces large fruit that may reach a length of 12 inches. Although its rind is quite bitter, the fruit's flesh is soft, smooth and sweet, and provides carbohydrate as its major nutrient. Soursop also contains abundant vitamin C and several B vitamins such as thiamin, riboflavin and niacin, along with calcium, phosphorus and a small amount of iron.

Soursop fruit, with its sweet flesh and distinctive flavor, is grown commercially to make juice, candy, sorbet and ice cream.

Soursop is believed be able to fight certain cancer. However, there is no evidence to show that graviola works as a cure for cancer. In laboratory studies, soursop extracts can kill some types of liver and breast cancer cells that are resistant to particular chemotherapy drugs. A study published in the Journal of Medicinal Chemistry in 1997 suggests that soursop compounds tested on breast cancer cells in culture were more effective than chemotherapy in destroying the cells. But there haven’t been any large scale studies in humans. So we don't know yet whether it can work as a cancer treatment or not. Most studied are soursop's fatty acid derivatives called annonaceous aceteogenins. The predominant acetogenin is annonacin, which, because of its toxicity, likely would not be studied in clinical trials.Many sites on the internet advertise and promote soursop capsules as a cancer cure, but none of them are supported by any reputable scientific cancer organisations.

Soursop health benefits :

1. Soursop flesh used as poultice for healing of wound.
2. Decoction of leaves used to cure bedbugs and inflammation.
3. Root bark decoction use to alleviate poisoning.
4. The seeds can be used to lighten vomiting.
5. Young shoot decoction to remedy catarrh, cough, diarrhea, fever and dysentery.
6. Healing promote by crushed fresh leaves applied to skin eruption.
7. Catarrh can be cure by decoction of soursop flower.
8. The soursop can cure for liver ailments and leprosy.
9. Poultice from mashed leaves to remedy eczema , others skin issue and rheumatism.
10. It is believed that Eating soursop fruit is effectively to kill malignant cells cancer such as breast, colon and lung cancers.
11. High potassium and sodium is effectively to prevention of hypertension.
12. Vitamin C is good for antioxidant and enhances immune system and slower the aging process.
13. Soursop is good for treatment hemorrhoids, gallstones and hip stiffness.
14. Calcium and phosphorus is essential for bone mass formation and to form strong bones to prevent osteoporosis.