Soursop or ‘graviola’ is a fruit often grown in tropical regions, such as South America, Samoa, Florida, and other Pacific Islands. Soursop is a fruit that’s widely known for its delicious flavor. It is consumed by many Nigerians all over the world. The botanical name of Soursop is Annona muricata.
Soursop is normally eaten raw by cutting the fruit in half and taking out the soft flesh. The size of the fruit varies and some can be quite large, so it may be best to divide it into a little portions.
However, this article aims to reveal to you some of the nutritional value and health benefits of soursop.
Nutritional Value of Soursop
This prickly green fruit is highly nutritious as it contains a number of nutrients, including fiber, vitamin C, potassium, vitamin a, magnesium, thiamine, niacin, riboflavin, folate, and iron. 100 grams of sour sop contains 66 calories. [1]
8 Health Benefits of Soursop
The health benefits of soursop are based on its amazing nutritional contents. Although it is low in calories it is very It’s also very nutrient-dense.
1. Reduces inflammation
Inflammation is the body’s natural reaction to injury, infection, or toxin.
However, studies reveal that chronic inflammation could negatively affect your tissues and organs, which could further trigger certain health conditions.
This includes cancer, asthma, chest pain, obesity, type 2 diabetes, rheumatoid arthritis, Alzheimer’s diseases, etc.
Research shows that soursop extract and its potent properties are effective for reducing swelling, pain, and other symptoms associated with inflammation. [2]
Additionally, it will please you to know that there are certain parts of the world where soursop is being used as a natural remedy for treating certain inflammatory disorders, which shows its potency levels.
2. Stabilizes blood sugar levels
An abnormal or high blood sugar levels will put your health at risk and trigger a number of serious symptoms and complications.
For instance, having a high content of blood sugar in your body can lead to frequent urination, sudden or unexplained weight loss, numbness, heart attack, stroke, loss of vision, kidney disease, shortness of breath, rapid heartbeat, coma, to name but a few.
More importantly, soursop contains some properties which synergize to help keep blood sugar levels in check in order to shield you against the aforementioned health conditions. One study on diabetic rats, showed that administering soursop extracts can massively reduce the blood sugar levels. [3]
Therefore, if you want to protect yourself against the complications that come along with high blood sugar levels, increasing your soursop could be a great way to start.
3. High in antioxidants
Soursop contains a significant amount of antioxidants, including tannins, saponins, phytosterols, flavonoids, luteolin, quercetin, tangeretin, anthraquinones – all of which contributes largely to the human health. [4]
In the simplest term, antioxidants are compounds that help in preventing or inhibiting potentially harmful free radicals, which can damage the human cells.
Part of the things these compounds do in the body is to hunt and combat disease-causing free radicals in the body, which in turn helps to prevent chronic diseases, such as heart disease, type 2 diabetes, and cancer.
Aside from soursop, these are some other antioxidant-rich foods you can consider for increased protection against chronic diseases – dark chocolate, blueberries, strawberries, artichokes, raspberries, kale, red cabbage, beans, spinach, etc.
4. Treats insomnia
Insomnia is a sleep disorder characterized by recurring problems falling and or staying asleep.
You can develop it as a result of poor sleep habits, stress, eating too much at night, mental health disorder, certain medical conditions, and the host of other factors.
If left untreated, this sleep disorder can result in declined performance, slowed reaction time, poor concentration, high blood pressure, heart disease, the list goes on and on.
It might interest you to know that soursop can help treat insomnia or sleeplessness. In fact, it has been used in times past as a natural remedy for relieving stress and improving sleep quality. This is basically because of the anti-inflammatory and soothing properties it is packed with.
5. May help kill cancer cells
At times the human body may contain a number of potentially harmful free radicals, which could spur the growth of cancer cells and other toxins that could put your overall wellbeing at stake.
The great news is that soursop contains acetogenins, quinolones, alkaloids, and some other powerful antioxidants which are proven to be effective for inhibiting the growth and formation of cancer cells while also reducing tumor size and giving the entire immune system a significant boost. [5]
Some of the cancer types studies have shown that soursop can prevent includes breast cancer, pancreatic cancer, prostate cancer, and lung cancer.
6. Boosts the immune system
The immune system is an array of a variety of cells and proteins that shield the body against invaders, including viruses, bacteria, germs, infections, and toxins.
If you have a weakened immune system, you will become more susceptible to various kinds of diseases, and your overall wellbeing will also be negatively affected. This is why you need to take immunity, strengthening foods like soursop.
Soursop is effective for boosting your immune system as it contains a good amount of vitamin A, vitamin C, antioxidants, and other potent bioactive compounds.
The vitamin A in soursop helps to enhance immune function by stimulating the production of regulatory T cells that help boost the immune response to self and foreign antigens.
Multiple studies also reveal that vitamin A deficiency can lead to an impaired ability of the body to resist infections and other invaders.
Additionally, the vitamin C in soursop in this fruit is considered one of the biggest immune system boosting vitamins. In fact, research shows that people with a lesser amount of vitamin C are more prone to getting sick.
Aside from soursop, here are some other foods that can help strengthen your immune system – oranges, grapefruits, kale, broccoli, strawberries, bell pepper, etc.
7. Improves digestive health
Soursop is a natural anthelmintic, meaning that it can help purge the gastrointestinal tract and get rid of excess toxins and sodium from the body.
It also contains anti-inflammatory properties that help to combat parasites in the gut and relieve pain or irritation along the belly and colon region.
8. Combats bacterial infections
Another impressive health benefit of soursop is that it can be helpful in fighting or eliminating bacterial infections.
According to some medical research, soursop might possess strong antibacterial characteristics.
In one particular experiment, different concentrations of soursop extracts were applied to various bacteria that are known to cause oral ailments. The results showed that soursop had the potential to eliminate various types of bacteria, including the ones that lead to gingivitis, tooth decay, and yeast infections.
Additionally, another study demonstrated that soursop extracts were effective in fighting against bacteria that cause cholera and Staphylococcus infections.
In addition to the aforementioned, below are some other health benefits of soursop:
- It Relieves Pain
- It Treats Fever and Diarrhea
- It Improves Skin and Hair Health
- It Relieves Respiratory Distress.
Bottom Line
Soursop is a very delicious fruit, packed with many nutrients and full of so many health benefits. some of the health benefits of soursop are its abilities to boost the immune system, fight cancer cells and fight insomnia. Soursop can be used in preuices, smoothies, teas or desserts. It can also be enjoyed raw, but the seeds should be removed before eating
Collins Nwokolo is a human physiologist, writer and health enthusiast. He loves writing helpful articles on health and fitness, which he enjoys sharing with everyone.
