Botanical Name:Annona muricata
Family: Annonaceae
Kingdom: Plantae
Order: Magnoliales
Genus: Annona
Species: A. muricata
Synonyms:
*Annona macrocarpa Wercklé
*Annona crassiflora Mart.
*Guanabanus muricatus M.Gómez
*Guanabanus muricatus
*Annona bonplandiana Kunth
*Annona cearensis Barb. Rodr.
*Annona muricata Vell.
Common Names: Guanabana, Soursop, Graviola and Guyabano
Habitat: Guanabana is native to the tropical regions of the Americas and is widely propagated. It is an introduced species on all temperate continents, especially in subtropical regions. It is tolerant of poor soil and prefers lowland areas between the altitudes of 0 to 1,200 metres (3,900 ft). It cannot stand frost. The exact origin is unknown.
Description:
Guanabana is a small, upright, evergreen tree that can grow to about 30 feet (9.1 m) tall.
Its young branches are hairy. Leaves are oblong to oval, 8 centimetres (3.1 in) to 16 centimetres (6.3 in) long and 3 centimetres (1.2 in) to 7 centimetres (2.8 in) wide. They are a glossy dark green with no hairs above, and paler and minutely hairy to no hairs below. The leaf stalks are 4 millimetres (0.16 in) to 13 millimetres (0.51 in) long and without hairs.
Flower stalks (peduncles) are 2 millimetres (0.079 in) to 5 millimetres (0.20 in) long and woody. They appear opposite from the leaves or as an extra from near the leaf stalk, each with one or two flowers, occasionally a third. Stalks for the individual flowers (pedicels) are stout and woody, minutely hairy to hairless and 15 millimetres (0.59 in) to 20 millimetres (0.79 in) with small bractlets nearer to the base which are densely hairy.
The petals are thick and yellowish. Outer petals meet at the edges without overlapping and are broadly ovate, 2.8 centimetres (1.1 in) to 3.3 centimetres (1.3 in) by 2.1 centimetres (0.83 in) to 2.5 centimetres (0.98 in), tapering to a point with a heart shaped base. They are evenly thick, and are covered with long, slender, soft hairs externally and matted finely with soft hairs within. Inner petals are oval shaped and overlap. They measure roughly 2.5 centimetres (0.98 in) to 2.8 centimetres (1.1 in) by 2 centimetres (0.79 in), and are sharply angled and tapering at the base. Margins are comparatively thin, with fine matted soft hairs on both sides. The receptacle is conical and hairy. The stamens are 4.5 millimetres (0.18 in) long and narrowly wedge-shaped. The connective-tip terminate abruptly and anther hollows are unequal. Sepals are quite thick and do not overlap. Carpels are linear and basally growing from one base. The ovaries are covered with dense reddish brown hairs, 1-ovuled, style short and stigma truncate. Its pollen is shed as permanent tetrads….CLICK & SEE
The fruits are dark green and prickly. They are ovoid and can be up to 30 centimetres (12 in) long, with a moderately firm texture. Their flesh is juicy, acid, whitish and aromatic.
The average weight of 1000 fresh seeds is 470 grams (17 oz) and they have an average oil content of 24%. When dried for 3 days at 60 °C (140 °F), the average seed weight was 322 grams (11.4 oz). They are tolerant of the moisture extraction, showing no problems for long-term storage under reasonable conditions
Cultivation:
The plant is grown for its 20–30 cm (7.9–11.8 in) long, prickly, green fruit, which can have a mass of up to 6.8 kg (15 lb), making it probably the second biggest annona after the junglesop. Away from its native area, some limited production occurs as far north as southern Florida within USDA Zone 10; however, these are mostly garden plantings for local consumption. It is also grown in parts of Southeast Asia and is abundant on the Island of Mauritius. The main suppliers of the fruit are Mexico followed by Peru, Brazil, Ecuador, Guatemala, and Haiti.
Edible Uses: The flesh of the fruit consists of an edible, white pulp, some fiber, and a core of indigestible black seeds. The pulp is also used to make fruit nectar, smoothies, fruit juice drinks, as well as candies, sorbets, and ice cream flavorings. Due to the fruit’s widespread cultivation, its derivative products are consumed in many countries like Mexico, Brazil, Venezuela, Colombia and Fiji. The seeds are normally left in the preparation, and removed while consuming, unless a blender is used for processing.
In Indonesia, dodol sirsak, a sweetmeat, is made by boiling soursop pulp in water and adding sugar until the mixture hardens. Soursop is also a common ingredient for making fresh fruit juices that are sold by street food vendors. In the Philippines, it is called guyabano, derived from the Spanish guanábana, and is eaten ripe, or used to make juices, smoothies, or ice cream. Sometimes, they use the leaf in tenderizing meat. In Vietnam, this fruit is called mãng c?u Xiêm (Siamese Soursop) in the south, or mãng c?u (Soursop) in the north, and is used to make smoothies, or eaten as is. In Cambodia, this fruit is called tearb barung, literally “western custard-apple fruit.” In Malaysia, it is known in Malay as durian belanda (“Dutch durian”) and in East Malaysia, specifically among the Dusun people of Sabah, it is locally known as lampun. Popularly, it is eaten raw when it ripens, or used as one of the ingredients in Ais Kacang or Ais Batu Campur. Usually the fruits are taken from the tree when they mature and left to ripen in a dark corner, whereafter they will be eaten when they are fully ripe. It has a white flower with a very pleasing scent, especially in the morning. While for people in Brunei Darussalam this fruit is popularly known as “Durian Salat”, widely available and easily planted.
The unripe fruit, sliced and marinated, is said to make an excellent fish substitute in vegan Caribbean cooking.
Medicinal Uses:
Guanabana, The Guanabana Fruit has cancer curing abilities. The Sour Sop or the fruit from the Guanabana tree is a miraculous natural cancer cell killer 10,000 times stronger than Chemo. The taste is not bad after all. It’s completely natural and definitely has no side effects..
Guanabana is a tree called Guanabana in Brazil , guanabana in Spanish and has the uninspiring name “Guanabana” in English.
The fruit is very large and the subacid sweet white pulp is eaten out of hand or, more commonly, used to make fruit drinks, sherbets and such.
The principal interest in this plant is because of its strong anti-cancer effects. This plant is a proven cancer remedy for cancers of all types. Besides being a cancer remedy, Guanabana is a broad spectrum antimicrobial agent for both bacterial and fungal infections, is effective against internal parasites and worms, lowers high blood pressure and is used for depression, stress and nervous disorders.
Research shows that with extracts from this miraculous tree it now may be possible to:
- Attack cancer safely and effectively with an all-natural therapy that does not cause extreme nausea, weight loss and hair loss
- Protect your immune system and avoid deadly infections
- Feel stronger and healthier throughout the course of the treatment
- Boost your energy and improve your outlook on life
- Effectively target and kill malignant cells in 12 types of cancer, including colon, breast, prostate, lung and pancreatic cancer..
- The tree compounds proved to be up to 10,000 times stronger in slowing the growth of cancer cells than Adriamycin, a commonly used chemotherapeutic drug!
- What’s more, unlike chemotherapy, the compound extracted from the Guanabana tree selectively hunts down and kills only cancer cells.
Various parts of the Guanabana tree–including the bark, leaves, roots, fruit and fruit-seeds–have been used for centuries by medicine men and native Indians in South America to treat heart disease, asthma, liver problems and arthritis.
Going on very little documented scientific evidence, the company poured money and resources into testing the tree’s anti-cancerous properties–and were shocked by the results. Guanabana proved itself to be a cancer-killing dynamo.
The National Cancer Institute performed the first scientific research in 1976.
The results showed that Guanabana’s “leaves and stems were found effective in attacking and destroying malignant cells.” Inexplicably, the results were published in an internal report and never released to the public. Since 1976, Guanabana has proven to be an immensely potent cancer killer in 20 independent laboratory tests, but as of now, no double-blind clinical trials.
A study published in the Journal of Natural Products, following a recent study conducted at Catholic University of South Korea stated that one chemical in Guanabana was found to selectively kill colon cancer cells at “10,000 times the potency of (the commonly used chemotherapy drug) Adriamycin…”
The most significant part of the Catholic University of South Korea report is that Guanabana was shown to selectively target the cancer cells, leaving healthy cells untouched.
Unlike chemotherapy, which indiscriminately targets all actively reproducing cells (such as stomach and hair cells), causing the often devastating side effects of nausea and hair loss in cancer patients.
A study at Purdue University recently found that leaves from the Guanabana tree killed cancer cells among six human cell lines and were especially effective against prostate, pancreatic and lung cancers.
Note By Tom Coghill. This research looks good but cancer is never that easy to heal. It would be great to put this to the test. The juice would have to be fresh. The seeds have to be removed before blending or juicing.
Othewr Health benewfits:
*Stress Relieving Benefits
*Pain Relieving Benefits
*Gastrointestinal Health Benefits
*Skin Health Benefits
*Immune Booster
*Regularizes Bowel Movements
*Increased Energy
*Prevention of Heart and Nerve Disease
*Prevention of Osteoporosis
*Popular Remedy for Diabetes
Known Hazards:
*Just like most other herbal remedies, there are also some side effects of guanabana fruit or graviola (soursop).
*It is warned by the medical experts that pregnant and breastfeeding women must avoid guanabana pill, capsules and the fruit.
*There are also reports that consuming the fruit on a regular basis may put a person at risk of developing Parkinson’s disease.
Seeds, like all Annona species, are toxic and should be removed from the pulp before blending.
- Blindness can result from the juice of crushed seeds coming in contact with the eyes.
- Seeds and twigs contain several alkaloids including (+)-reticuline, (-)-anonaine, liriodenine, and lanuginosine.
- Ingestion of 0.15g of seed resin can cause symptoms resembling atropine effects.
- Seeds are an important source of acetogenins, a type of alkaloid with antiparasitic and cytotoxic activities
Disclaimer : The information presented herein is intended for educational purposes only. Individual results may vary, and before using any supplement, it is always advisable to consult with your own health care provider.
Resources:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Soursop
https://www.epainassist.com/diet-and-nutrition/guanabana-fruit-or-graviola
https://soursopstore.com/blogs/learn-about-soursop/how-to-grow-a-guanabana-soursop-tree
