Meet Soursop! Caribbean Superfruit!!!

According to Livestrong.com, "Soursop, a large fruit weighing five pounds or more, is native to tropical America. High in vitamins B and C, soursop has an acidic flavor, and its juice is used in cold drinks and frozen fruit recipes. Tea made from soursop has been shown to provide health benefits, particularly related to the prevention and treatment of some forms of cancer. Consult your doctor about using soursop tea to treat a medical condition.

Acetogenins in Soursop tea may help prevent some forms of cancer, according to a study published in the January 2011 issue of the journal "Pharmacognosy." In the study, soursop roots were tested against tissue cultures of human lung cancer, leukemia, cervical cancer and breast cancer. Results showed effectiveness against all forms of cancer tested. Researchers attributed the anti-cancer effects of soursop to high concentrations of alkaloid compounds and acetogenins -- a family of compounds with antibiotic, antifungal and antiparasitic effects. The results of this study show promise for the use of soursop as a cancer preventive."

Culturally the leaves from the soursop tree have also been brewed and used as a calming tea for teething infants in the West Indies. Caribbean dwellers also eat the meat of this rich, sweet and tangy fruit as a juicy treat either chopped up in a bowl or blended into a refreshing smoothie and can provide about %13 of your daily fiber intake. This fruit grows freely in the Caribbean with many homes cultivating the plant in their back yard. Also known as the Guanabana, the Soursop is also found in tropical climates in Central and South America as well as throughout the Caribbean making it one of the distinctive flavors of St. Maarten.