Soursop
Annona muricata
Fruits. Dr. Sebi's list, Caribbean, Latin American & Amazon and African.
Also called Graviola, Guanabana, Corossol
Spanish: Guanábana
Possible nerve damage riskA large tropical fruit whose leaves are brewed as tea. The fruit is eaten fresh or made into juice and ice cream.
Did you know? In Brazil the fruit is called graviola. Lab studies of its acetogenins, starting in the 1990s, sparked online claims that it fights cancer, and no human trial has supported them.
What it may help, and how strong the proof is
- Infections. Lab tests show some activity against bacteria and parasites. No good human trials exist.Traditional proof
- Pain & headaches. Leaf tea is used for pain in folk medicine. No human trials were found.Traditional proof
- Blood pressure. Some animal studies show lower blood pressure. No good human studies exist.Traditional proof
Parts of the body
Traditional use
Leaf teas are used across the Caribbean and Latin America for many everyday complaints. The fruit is eaten fresh or made into juice.
How it is classified
- Herbal actions
- Nutritive, Antioxidant. Energy: neutral.
How people take it
The fruit is eaten fresh or as juice. Leaf tea is common in folk use. No tested safe dose exists for leaves or extracts.
Tea, juice and food.
Where to get it
Native to tropical America and now grown across the Caribbean, Latin America, Africa and Asia. Sold fresh, as frozen pulp and juice, and as leaf tea or capsules online. Safety of the leaves and seeds is poorly studied.
Be careful
Daily heavy use of the fruit or tea has been linked to a Parkinson-like illness in parts of the Caribbean and the Pacific. Seeds and leaves are toxic in large amounts. It may lower blood pressure and blood sugar.
Avoid if: pregnancy; breastfeeding; Parkinson's disease; low blood pressure; before surgery.
Mixing with other things
- Works well together
Often blended with pineapple in Caribbean juice drinks.
- Use cautionBlood pressure medicine (lisinopril, amlodipine, losartan)
May lower blood pressure, adding to the effect of blood pressure medicine.
- Use cautionDiabetes medicine (metformin, insulin, glipizide, Ozempic)
May lower blood sugar, adding to the effect of diabetes medicine.
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The honest take
Soursop fruit is a good food, but the cancer claims are not supported by human trials. Most lab and animal work is on concentrated extracts, not the fruit. Heavy daily use has been linked to a Parkinson-like illness, so caution is the honest advice.