Beyond pleasing the palate, when we think about fruit we also look at what benefits it brings to our health, because nature takes care of us with its fruits, providing us with important sources of vitamins and minerals. Soursop is one of these fruits that is worth taking into account and we encourage you to try it, if you have not already done so. In this article we are going to explain to you How to eat and what soursop is used for. It is highly appreciated in various parts of the world.
If you like tropical fruits, you will love soursop, so be sure to try it. Keep reading, because we are going to give you details about it so that you also know what properties it has and its main characteristics as a crop.
What is soursop
Soursop is a tropical fruit that you can also find under the name “graviola”. It has an irregular shape that resembles a heart and a curious green shell full of thorns. Its appearance reminds us of a hybrid between avocado and custard apple, although with thorns, which also brings to mind the prickly pear. And on the inside, its appearance is also similar to the custard apple, because the pulp is whitish with black bones.
Its flavor, however, does not share similarity with either fruit, but is a mix between pineapple and strawberry. Because of its thorns, it will be difficult for you to peel the soursop, but believe us that it will be worth the effort (just be careful), because then its flavor will more than reward you for deciding to eat it. And, furthermore, it is very nutritious.
It is a species of the Annonaceae family. And it has several names, although the most popular are soursop or graviola, but it is also not uncommon for you to see it under names such as anona, zapote, latuche, catoche or catuche.
Where does soursop or graviola originate from?
As a tropical fruit, it grows in places where this climate occurs, so tropical zones, subtropical and humid, in which it rains abundantly but the sun also hits hard. We can find it in areas of southern Mexico, the Caribbean islands, North America and Central America.
How to grow soursop
The main thing regarding its cultivation is that it needs a tropical climate. Beyond that, you can choose any type of floor, since it is not demanding. What is applied are special cultivation formulas, because they are planted in a rectangular or triangular shape, ensuring that there is enough space for spreading, with about 4 meters by 4 or 7 x 7.
The soil can be any, although logically it will grow better and faster if we plant it in fertile and rich soil. It is also important that it has good drainage, because although it loves tropical rain, waterlogging is not good, as it rots the roots and can ruin the effort of its cultivation.
It needs a lot of light, although not so much direct sun if the area is too hot, so a semi-shaded area will be perfect if the sun hits your space strongly and directly.
As for the fruits, they usually grow from May to June. And to know when they are ready to eat, we can look at their color. Did they turn greenish yellow? Then you can collect them because they are ripe enough.
How is this fruit eaten and what is it used for?
to the graviola The skin and seeds are removed and the fruit can be eaten directly., although there are those who make desserts with her. Smoothies made with this delicious pineapple and strawberry flavored fruit are also popular. Have a very sweet taste and interesting, to which we must add its excellent properties and nutritional composition.
You can prepare smoothies very healthy with soursop and other fruits. Also ice cream, sorbets or added to various cakes and pastries. And it is even common to use it to make sauces with which to accompany or season many dishes. For these sauces, herbs and other seasonings are added that pair well with the flavor such as cilantro, jalapenos, chives, and lime. They are exquisite sauces to serve with chicken and fish and that you can try if you go to these tropical countries.
However, be very careful with the seeds and avoid ingesting them because They are highly toxic. So remove them well before consuming the fruit or adding it to your recipes.
Other uses of guanábena
Apart from eating it fresh or in these preparations, it can be used in other ways and both the leaves and the seeds are useful. With the leaves you can prepare teas that helped to combat insomnia and nerves.
With the crushed seeds you get an excellent lice remedy. But to be used exclusively externally and should never be ingested.
La shell is used to prepare extracts with antimicrobial properties.
Nutritional properties of the fruit
Soursop is an interesting food because it contains low calories despite being a sweet and delicious bite. Thanks to this, it is suitable for when we are on a diet. Is rich in carbohydrates and fiber, in addition to vitamins and minerals. Highlights include, among others, vitamin C, B6, niacin, riboflavin, thiamine, iron, potassium, magnesium and folic acid.
Benefits of eating soursop
The benefits of eating soursop They are multiple. Below we show them:
- Strengthens the immune system.
- Its possible anti-cancer effects are being studied, which would help inhibit the growth of malignant cells.
- Promotes digestive health.
- Lowers blood pressure.
- Its antimicrobial properties help treat fungal and bacterial infections.
- It has analgesic and anti-inflammatory properties, which is beneficial for people who suffer from arthritis and other painful diseases.
- Helps regulate blood sugar.
- It relieves stress and anxiety because it relaxes the nervous system.
As you are seeing, there are many reasons to eat this fruit and now you know How to eat and what soursop is used for. However, it is recommended to consume it in moderation, because there are people who may be allergic to it.