A fruit that acts as a powerful antioxidant is the soursop. It is food It has many health care properties. Its pleasant flavor makes it one of the most consumed fruits in Peru, according to Midagri, and other areas of South America. Its benefits for the body are wide and diverse, according to an EsSalud specialist.
La República spoke with Dr. Yessica Ballinas Sueldo, a specialist in Complementary Medicine at EsSalud, and nutritionist Claudia Agüero to learn about the main benefits of soursop and how to consume it.
What are the benefits of consuming soursop?
Soursop is a fruit that belongs to the Annona genus and has been used in ethnomedicine or traditional medicine. It is present in Central and South America. It has vitamins, minerals, flavonoids and contains acetogenin. All of these contribute to the prevention and care of different ailments, such as digestive problems. But are not the only ones. Below, we detail its main benefits.
It is worth indicating that the medicinal contributions are distributed throughout the plant, but the greatest amount of acetogenins is concentrated in the leaves, according to the specialist Yessica Banillas.
Recommended for intestinal flora
As it has a high water content, the soursop It helps “prevent constipation. It allows the intestinal flora to reach a balance (…) It is an excellent anti-inflammatory. It regenerates the digestive mucosa and it has been reported that it contributes to the reduction of gastric acidity,” said the expert in EsSalud Complementary Medicine.
Soursop helps to have a good digestion. Photo: EsSalud
The nutritionist Agüero indicated, for her part, that this fruit has soluble and insoluble fiber. These help to have an adequate intestinal health, since it contributes to having an adequate digestion.
Regulates blood pressure
The specialists consulted also mentioned that the soursop Helps regulate and/or reduce blood pressure. This thanks to the amino acids, potassium and certain alkaloids it contains.
“Soursop leaves, above all, contain a good amount of potassium, which helps to reduce sodium in the blood. And this helps to lower blood pressure,” explained the expert who promotes nutritional content through the page from Instagram “Nutriclauam”, Claudia Agüero.
They can also be implemented in the diets of those people who seek to treat overweight or obesity. It also serves in cases of anemia by having magnesium, zinc and iron, as well as to prevent diabetes. “It favors the control of sugar levels, so it will prevent insulin insufficiency,” said the doctor Yessica Ballinas Sueldo.
Soursop is present in South America and Central America. Photo: Andean
Take care of the liver and kidneys
The soursop acts as a hepaprotectant. That is, it helps to ‘purify’ the bile and will prevent stones from forming. In this way, it protects organs of the digestive system, such as the liver, which is responsible for filtering and purifying the toxins that enter the body.
Preparation of soursop to care for the body
People can consume the soursop leaf through a decoction process. This consists of boiling said part of the plant in water for a certain amount of time. Then, it is consumed with some frequency during the day. It is worth noting that the dose should be recommended by a specialist in complementary medicine.
The EsSalud medical He specified that it is not recommended to drink it during pregnancy or lactation. Another alternative is to consume the fruit directly by peeling and eating it.
