| Soursop, also called graviola, is a fruit that grows mainly in the Caribbean, Central and South America. It is delicious and rich in healthy nutrients. One nutrient, however, is at the top when it comes to fight cancer. This active compound (phytochemical) is called annonaceous acetogenins.
Soursop mainly consists of water; its white pulpy flesh offers dozens of nutrients, such as high doses of vitamin C, which is necessary to maintain the antioxidant levels in stable and healthy ranges in your body. It also has protein, minerals (potassium, calcium, phosphorus, iron…), and lipids. However, this fruit also has a high calorific value because of carbohydrates it contains; so it is not recommended to people who are on a strict diet.
Graviola pulp can be consumed diluted with water or juice to enjoy its health benefits. It is a powerful fruit that fights different types of cancer and helps regulate many body functions. Traditionally, the entire plant (leaves, fruit, root…) is used to treat hypertension, respiratory diseases. In certain parts of the world, graviola is used to purify and maintain a healthy liver functions, as well as regulate sugar levels in the blood, which makes it ideal for people with diabetes.
In the Caribbean, soursop leaves are considered as great remedy to eliminate mumps, nervousness, and insomnia. The inhabitants usually use a mixture of a handful of leaves and flowers to make a sweet tea, sweeten with honey, to treat flu symptoms. It is also believe the tea can help individuals recover faster after surgical operation.
Soursop and Cancer Treatment
In term of consumption the fruit is very flexible. In alternative medicine, certain practitioners make a decoction with a few soursop leaves and a cup of water for their patients to drink it on an empty stomach for a week or so in order to reduce side effects of chemotherapy drugs. Soursop, even when consumed green, the fruit is good against jaundice, a disease that affects the skin, giving it a yellowish color. It also believed graviola helps cancer patients maintain a normal blood pressure level. However, most of these claims cannot be proven due to lack of study.
Soursop and Cancer Study
A recent study, conducted at Catholic University of South Korea, published in the Journal of Natural Products, has found that graviola is 10,000 times stronger than Chemo. The researchers have found a compound in Graviola called acetogenin that is capable of selectively killing colon cancer cells at “10,000 times the potency of Adriamycin”, a chemotherapy drug commonly used in conventional cancer treatment.
Various other studies have shown a connection between soursop and cancer. Almost all parts, bark, leaves, roots and fruits, have the ability to selectively kill cancerous cells in the body without causing adverse reactions. Moreover, for patients who are undergoing chemo, consuming the plant helps to reduce the symptoms of chemotherapy sessions, in particular as regards vomiting, dizziness, and nausea.
Soursop and Breast Cancer
Graviola prevents cancer cells from reproducing in the breast tissue. In addition, it also acts against about 12 types of cancer such as abdominal cancer, ovarian cancer, uterine cancer, lung cancer, prostate cancer, pancreatic cancer, skin cancer, leukemia, bladder cancer, liver cancer, as well as cancers of the colon and kidneys.
As a nutrient it works inside out – damaging cancer cells, many type of viruses, and harmful bacteria. This is why patients who regularly drink the juice (100% pure juice) during chemo have increased possibility for their immune system to protect their healthy cells from being damaged from the medications, thus allowing the cancer cells to be destroyed with no all the side effects commonly associated with the conventional therapies.
Soursop and American Cancer Society
However, the American cancer society and FDA of the United States determine that there is “no credible scientific evidence that soursop can prevent, cure or treat any type of cancer.”
|
