Soursop vs Cherimoya – Nutrition Facts, Health Benefits, Side Effects

Soursop, also known as guanabana or graviola, is the fruit of Annona muricata, a tree native to tropical regions of the Americas.

Graviola is extremely delicious with a sharp aroma and a sweet-sour taste that is actually a combination of the taste of strawberry and pineapple.

Nutrition Facts

Guanabana is low on calories (about 66 calories per 100g) and is a good source of dietary fiber, vitamin C, potassium, magnesium, thiamin, copper, niacin, zinc, vitamin E, pantothenic acid, phosphorus, iron, folate (also known as vitamin B9), vitamin B6, selenium, and riboflavin.

Health Benefits of Guanabana

Cancer

Cancer is a big public health problem in the United States (the 2nd cause of death after heart disease) and worldwide. For instance, in the United States, an estimated 1,685,210 new cancer patients will be diagnosed with more than 595,690 cancer deaths.

According to research, plant compounds found in this fruit, like – quinolones, coreximine, annopentocins, reticuline as well as annonacin, have the potential to prevent or slow the growth of cancer.

Better Vision

Graviola is a good source of antioxidants, such as – vitamin C, zinc, vitamin E, that have been found to decrease the risk of eye problems.

Men and women who had the highest amount of dietary intake of these antioxidants reduced their risk of cataracts by up to 20 percent, according to a 1999 study issued in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition.

Reduces Inflammation

Inflammation in the human body is crucial because when the body perceives something as a threat, it protects itself with an inflammatory response.

The problem is the case of chronic inflammation. This happens when the body is under constant attacks from physical, environmental, and mental invaders, that come in the form of things, such as – toxic chemicals (pollution and tobacco smoke), poor diet, lack of sleep, and emotional stress.

According to research, this fruit could reduce inflammation levels in the body and may be effective in the treatment of certain inflammatory disorders. In addition, the anti-inflammatory components, like – quinolones and alkaloids, can reduce parasites in the large intestine and alleviate any irritation or pain.

Collagen

Guanabana is rich in vitamin C, an organic compound that the human body can’t produce, hence, it must come from the regular diet. Vitamin C acts as a potent antioxidant, protecting cells from damage.

Moreover, this vitamin is required for numerous biosynthetic processes. For instance, it is involved in the production of collagen, a key protein of the connective tissue which forms bones, cartilage, blood vessels, and teeth as well as making L-carnitine and helping heal wounds.

100g of guanabana has about 20.6 mg of vitamin C that is 34% of the recommended daily intake.

How To Eat

When selecting a guanabana fruit, pick one that is soft or let it ripen for three days before consumption. Then, just cut it lengthwise and scoop out the flesh from the rind.

Side Effects

There are no scientifically proven side effects.

Cherimoya

Native to South America (specifically Colombia, Bolivia, and Peru), this fruit has a pleasant flavor reminiscent of bananas, strawberries, pineapples, and coconut. Botanically known as Annona cherimola, this tree can grow up to 10 meters in height.

Nutrition Facts

It is a good source of thiamin, vitamin C, copper, manganese, iron, magnesium, potassium, riboflavin, vitamin B6, folate, pantothenic acid. Also, a 100-gram serving has about 75 calories and contains no saturated fats and cholesterol.

Health Benefits

Antioxidant Properties

Free radicals are particles in the human body that are unstable since they have unpaired electrons. These free radicals can damage cells by a process called oxidation. Once a molecule is oxidized by the free radical, it typically starts an unfortunate chain reaction of oxidation until an antioxidant can stop it.

This fruit is packed with antioxidant compounds which can help protect the human body from damage that usually results in chronic inflammation.

Osteoporosis

Osteoporosis is a bone condition characterized by a slow decrease in the density of bone, ultimately resulting in fragile bones and frequent fractures. Osteoporosis is thought to be a condition that frail elderly women develop but the bone damage starts much earlier in life.

Regularly eating this fruit will help to maintain healthy and strong bones, therefore, it can protect the development of osteoporosis.

Hypertension

High blood pressure is a frequent life-threatening condition that usually has no symptoms.

The force of the blood against the artery walls is too high and may cause health problems, especially heart disease. High blood pressure affects more than 86 million American adults.

This fruit has a good balance of potassium and sodium, which help regulate blood pressure, plus, it has no saturated and trans-fats, or cholesterol.

Acne

Acne is a chronic skin disease that happens when hair follicles are clogged with oil and dead skin cells. Anyone can get this skin condition, however, it is more frequent in young adults and teenagers. Acne is not a serious condition but, sometimes, it can cause scars.

This fruit is high in vitamin C, a potent antioxidant that helps in making collagen, healing wounds as well as it is involved in maintaining a glowing and healthy skin.

Side Effects

There are no scientifically proven side effects.

Soursop vs Cherimoya – Which Has A Better Nutritional Profile?

Both fruits have a remarkable taste and an excellent content of minerals and vitamins. However, cherimoya has a better nutritional profile due to its folate, vitamin B2, vitamin B6, selenium, and omega 3 content.

Images credit – Shutterstock

READ THIS NEXT: Prunes vs Dates – Health Benefits

References

http://journals.plos.org/plosone/article?id=10.1371/journal.pone.0029845

1 thought on “Soursop vs Cherimoya – Nutrition Facts, Health Benefits, Side Effects”

  1. What an amazing fruits, I mostly use soursop because I like it but this article makes me think how many benefitial fruits are there, just unbelievable I love it!
    The best thing to do for yourself is to use the best out of those and make your life easier and better with healthy diet. Thank you for sharing!

    Reply

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