Health benefits of Sour-Sop

Sour-sop is the creamy, strawberry-pineapple tasting fruit of the  tree Annona muricata, in the same family of trees as the pawpaw tree. Though it is becoming more commonly planted in Nigeria and other African countries, it is more native to the Americas in countries like Mexico, Cuba, Colombia, Ecuador and others. Continue...

 
Consumption
It is a freshly fruit consisting of an edible, white fibrous pulp and a core of black inedible seeds. Sour-sop fruit is consumed in the following manners:
Direct consumption of the fresh fleshy fruit,

·         Extraction of the juice

·         Used in making ice-cream, candies and other delicacies.

·         Used in making beverage

Nutritional value
The fleshy fruit is rich in:

·         B Vitamins: B1, B2 and others

·         Thiamine

·         Vitamin C

·         Carbohydrate and sugar (Calorie)

·         Iron

·         Soluble and insoluble fibres

·         Phosphorus and other trace elements

Health Benefit
Sour-sop  is a very healthy fruit with positive health effects from the various vitamins it contains as well as other health benefits like:

·         Healthy juice providing rich source of vitamins, especially vitamin C and other antioxidants which helps the body to fight off free radicals, infections and other diseases.

·         The juice, consumed fresh provide relief catarrhal symptoms.

·         Leaves of the tree can be used fresh in a variety of ways as home remedy for common rashes and superficial ulcers.

·         The leaves can also be used to provide a home remedy for nasal congestion

·         The fresh fruits is a good remedy for constipation

Complications/Caution
The seed of sour-sop contains a neurotoxin called annonacin. Consumption of this toxin has been associated with neurodegenerative diseases like Parkinson’s diseases. Care should be taken while eating the fruit therefore to completely eliminate the black, hard seeds in the centre.
Is it true that Sour-sop can cure cancer?
Sour-sop is widely believed to have cancer curing and prevention properties. Many companies have made huge fortune from this belief by producing and selling sour-sop based health products to millions of patients and people all over the world. However, up till date, there is no credible scientific evidence to back up claims that sour-sop possess the anti-cancer properties alluded to it.
Of course, the fact that it does not have provable anticancer properties does not remove from its status as an extremely healthy fruits with other immense benefits to human health.