What Is Guyabano?
People in the Philippines call this fruit Guyabano while it is called Soursop or Custard Apple in English. This tropical fruit with the scientific name Annona Muricata is also known as Graviola (Portuguese,) Guanábana (Spanish,) Pawpaw (Brazilian) and Corossol (French).
The low-branching, slender, bushy Guyabano tree only grows about 7 to 9 meters and the leaves are large and smooth with a glossy surface. The fruit´s exterior is soft, prickly green and can weigh more than 6 kilograms. They can grow pretty large. It’s flesh has this distinct creamy, pineapple-sour and strawberry-sweet flavour, a fusion that was definitely alien to my taste.
Where Can We Find It?
Guyabano is an exotic fruit found in the islands of the Philippines and some tropical Asian countries, such as Indonesia and Malaysia. This fruit is also found in many countries with high humidity like the South America, the Caribbean, Amazon, the Pacific and Africa.
Medicinal Benefits And Uses
Not just an enjoyable juice, smoothie or sorbet, guyabano can be consumed raw, and has many medicinal and health-giving benefits. Researchers discovered that the extracts from the tree effectively hunts down and kills only the malignant cells in 12 types of cancer, including lung, colon, prostate, breast and pancreatic cancer without harming the body’s healthy cells. Unlike chemotherapy, an individual under chemo has to go through a variety of gastrointestinal, musculoskeletal symptoms such as nausea, vomiting, loss of appetite, fatigue, fever, constipation, or even diarrhea during the treatment.
The Leaves:
A concoction of Guyabano leaves added to bathing water can help reduce fever by lowering the body temperature. A poultice of young Guyabano leaves can cure skin eruptions such as eczema, mouth ulcers or herpes and alleviate rheumatism by applying it on the affected area. It can also heal wounds with less chance of scarring because of its antibacterial properties. It also helps lower blood pressure, boosts energy and prevents depression.
The Root And The Bark:
Are used to aid Diabetes by enhancing insulin production and lowering blood sugar levels. It has sedative properties that helps induce a good night sleep. Since it is high in Calcium, it is good for the bones.
The Juice/Pulp:
The fruit is loaded with fiber, it can help lower bad cholesterol, great news for those who want to shed off extra pounds. The juice is an excellent prevention against constipation, liver ailments, urinary tract infection and even haematuria.
The Seeds:
Of course, there’s more inside the Guyabano fruit that should not be discarded. The pulverised seeds can be used an alternative pesticide.
There are more wonders of Guyabano that have been used for ages throughout the world and these are just a few of the biological discoveries.
