Soursop is a fruit that can be quite deceiving with its looks and taste as while it looks closely like a jackfruit, it has a taste that is a mix between apples and strawberries with a touch of sour citrus.
This fruit is known by different names in different countries including Lakshman Phal in India, in Hispanic America as Guanabana, and Malay in Malaysia.
Soursop grows on Annona muricata, a blooming, evergreen tree with enormous glossy green leaves that reaches upto 8 metres (26 feet) tall. It is endemic to the tropical regions of the America and the Caribbean, where it is widely dispersed. The plant is typically cultivated from seed and thrives in warm, humid environments. A soursop tree might take up to three years to bear fruit, yet these fruits are available all year.
These green-skinned fruits are unevenly shaped, ranging from heart to kidney to oval shapes, and are covered in tiny spikes all over, giving them the appearance of a mini jackfruit.They can reach a weight of 4.5 kg and a height of 8 inches (20 cm).
The cream-coloured internal pulp within the green peel separates smoothly under moderate pressure into fibrous, juicy segments containing oval-shaped black seeds.
When ripe, the fruit has a slightly acidic content, which explains the name.
Green on the outside,healthy on the inside
Soursops are strong in vitamin C, an antioxidant that strengthens the immune system and improves its ability to fight diseases. It also helps to destroy free radicals, which can protect the skin and cells from oxidative damage caused by the environment. Soursop’s (fruit and leaves) antioxidants may assist to reduce inflammation in the body and help to repair damaged cells. Antioxidants may also aid in the fight against dangerous microorganisms.
It has the natural capacity to assist good digestion and aid against difficulties like constipation due to its high fibre content (3.3 g).
Soursops are also high in their potassium content; potassium helps the body to get rid of sodium which is a contributing reason to high blood pressure. Potassium also helps to relax the blood vessel walls, both of these factors can help stabilise blood pressure.
Soursop is also claimed to have antibacterial properties, it can destroy a wide range of germs, including those that cause gum disease and cavities.
Graviola tea, derived from the leaves of the Soursop fruit tree, is commonly used to treat both bacterial and viral illnesses.
Calcium, iron, zinc, potassium, magnesium, vitamin B1, vitamin B2, and vitamin C are among the nutrients and vitamins that are abundant in the fruit.
Soursops are widely advertised as an alternative cancer treatment that can be used to treat both cancer and non-malignant disorders. There was some indication that could possibly aid in the killing of cancer cells. These findings, however, are limited to test tube experiments.
Furthermore, there is little human evidence to back these claims, and experts from cancer treatment centres across the United States are equally opposed to employing soursop as a cancer fighter.
Different country; different eating style
When the fruit is ripe, it is frequently eaten raw and fresh. The pulp of the fruit is commonly used in smoothies, fruit juice drinks, sweets, and even ice cream flavourings.
Dodol Sirsak, a sweet created by boiling soursop pulp in water and adding sugar until the combination caramelises and hardens, is sold and consumed in Indonesia. The tree’s leaves are also sold and used as herbal tea here.
It is known in the Philippines as Guyabano, derived from the Spanish Guanábana, and the leaf is used for tenderising meat in addition to eating it ripe.
Because of the fruit’s extensive cultivation, it is readily available in many countries. Mexico takes the first place in producing the most soursop while Canada is the leading exporter of Soursops with Thailand taking the second place.
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