Soursop is Guanabana
I know that Soursop is the English name of this wonderful fruit (and tree) but I rarely find myself saying it. Guanabana sounds much more palatable. The subjective fact of the matter is that it's one of the most delicious fruits in the world! You have to pick them at just the right time. They are extremely delicate as they bruise very easily. The shelf life is also very short. So...if you haven't heard of this fruit before...those are probably the reasons.
The taste of a fruit is usually the most important on the list if you're doing a little shopping or ordering your favorite smoothie. The other factors that are extraordinary with Guanabana are all of the vitamins and minerals packed into such a low-calorie treat as well as some impressive medicinal attributes that this super food possesses.
Nutrition of Guanabana (Annona Muricata)
Guanabana contains a significant amount of Vitamin B1, B2, B3, C, Calcium, Copper, Iron, Phosphorous, Potassium and Zinc. The fruit provides a good source of protein and fiber as well.
Medicinal Qualities
I've come across an incredible list of health benefits over the years that Guanabana seems to offer. I'm no doctor, but I have been eating the fruit for a long time now and it does seems to give a nice boost to my system in more ways than one.
The fiber of Guanabana is said to be extremely helpful for your intestines. The pulp of just one large Guanabana has a full day's supply of fiber which is extremely beneficial to the digestive system.
I've heard many of the locals swear by its leaves in the form of tea for any ailments that are digestive related as well.
I've come across plenty of research that claims that Guanabana has antibacterial qualities. This helps for preventive maintenance on a list of diseases from cavities to Staphylococcus.
Guanabana helps to stabilize blood pressure. This is of great importance to the circulatory system...especially your heart. One key reason is a good delivery of potassium found in the fruit. Truth be known, however, it's difficult to put a hard and fast rule on exactly the 'why' of much cause and effect dealing with natural medicine.
Guanabana is a known antioxidant. It helps strengthen your overall immune system mainly by fighting free radicals brought on by oxidative stress. This translates into fighting some rough by products like depression, damaged DNA, and a laundry list of diseases. Many professionals have staked their careers by putting many classes of cancer on the same list.
In the 1970s there was a pharmaceutical company that tried to synthesize Annona Muricata or Guanabana. They spent millions doing research in the Amazon rain forest. I remember reading an extensive PDF regarding the study that was published by one of the rouge researchers. He went rouge because the findings were all incredible regarding the efficacy of the natural fruit in the study's findings. Their conclusion, however, was that it was not possible to make a synthetic version for the purposes of a patenting a new money-making drug.
If anyone comes across the copy of the study, please advise. I'd like to post a link.
Soursop - Guanabana at Lago Bay
Here at Lago Bay I'm putting my Guanabana where my mouth is. We've planted well over a hundred trees. Creating permaculture around a residential community seems like both a practical concept and a cosmetic one. Lago Bay's fruit trees are beautiful. Many of the trees flower as well. Bees, butterflies and birds all help to cross pollinate and add to the mix.
Although we have dozens of varieties of food producing trees, guanabana is one of our spotlight choices. Lago Bay has far more coconut and avocado trees, but should eventually have over five hundred fully mature Guanabana trees producing. Each tree yields some Guanabana fruit all year long. That's a lot of smoothies!!
Get your Guanabana on!! It's one of the local favorites in Panama.
On a lighter note, next time you're at a fonda (local style Panama restaurant) and they serve liquados (smoothies) ask for Guanabana. Pineapple, banana and papaya are all very good...but maybe you'll agree that Guanabana takes the top spot. With all of the other attributes of this delicious fruit, you'll have even more reasons to enjoy.
Hope this article Soursop - Guanabana at Lago Bay has been interesting for you. Thanks for reading. And, as always....
Saludos from Lago Bay!!
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