Soursop
Get to know soursop — a sweet-tart fruit rich in vitamin C and fiber. Nutrition facts, health benefits, and how to turn soursop into a refreshing juice.
What Is Soursop?
Soursop (Annona muricata) is a tropical fruit with green, softly spiky skin and fibrous white flesh with a refreshing sweet-tart flavor. Hidden inside the flesh are black seeds that must be removed before eating. Soursop trees grow easily in home yards in Indonesia, and the fruit is usually harvested when it's already slightly soft to the touch.
Its distinctive aroma and flavor — a blend of pineapple, strawberry, and a hint of citrus — make soursop a favorite for fresh juice. Besides the fruit itself, soursop leaves are also popularly brewed as herbal tea among Indonesians.
Nutritional Content of Soursop
Per 100 grams of fresh soursop flesh:
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| Nutrient | Amount |
|---|---|
| Calories | ~66 kcal |
| Carbohydrates | ~16.8 g |
| Fiber | ~3.3 g |
| Vitamin C | ~20.6 mg |
| Potassium | ~278 mg |
Soursop also contains small amounts of vitamin B1 and B2, which support daily energy metabolism.
Health Benefits
- Supports immunity — its vitamin C content helps maintain everyday immune function.
- Good for digestion — its fairly high fiber content helps keep bowel movements regular.
- Rich in antioxidants — phenolic compounds in soursop are believed to help fight free radicals in the body.
- Helps maintain blood pressure — the potassium in it helps balance the body's sodium levels.
Ways to Enjoy Soursop
- Eaten fresh — cut it in half, remove the seeds, then enjoy the soft flesh.
- Soursop juice — blended with water and a little sugar or honey, the most popular refreshing drink.
- Iced soursop — mixed with sweetened condensed milk and ice cubes for a refreshing cold drink.
- Mixed into rujak (fruit salad) or fruit salad — pieces of soursop add a sweet-tart flavor to mixed fruit dishes.
How to Choose & Store
- pick soursop whose spikes are already somewhat sparse and soft, a sign the fruit is ripe
- press the surface of the skin — ripe fruit will feel slightly soft, not hard
- avoid fruit with skin that has turned black or become watery, as these are signs it's starting to spoil
- soursop that's still somewhat firm can be left at room temperature for a few days until ripe
- once ripe, store it in the fridge and finish it within 1-2 days since the flesh softens quickly
- mashed soursop flesh can be frozen in the freezer as a juice stock for anytime use
- Soursop leaf tea or extract is often claimed by the public to cure cancer, but this claim has not been medically proven and should not be used as a substitute for a doctor's treatment.
- Eating soursop in reasonable amounts as a fruit remains safe for most people.
Practical Tips
- Strain when making juice — soursop has quite a lot of coarse fiber, so strain it first for a smoother texture in the mouth.
- Remove seeds before blending — soursop seeds are hard and unpleasant if blended in.
- Add a little lime juice to soursop juice to balance out its sweetness.
- Freeze in small pieces so it's more convenient to grab as needed when you want to make juice.
Frequently Asked Questions
How can you tell soursop is ripe without cutting it open?
Is it okay to eat soursop seeds along with the flesh?
Can soursop leaf tea really cure serious illnesses?
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