Soursop
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| Missing image Soursop_fruit.jpg soursop fruit Soursop fruit (Annona muricata) | ||||||||||||||
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Annona muricata |
The soursop or guanabana (Annona muricata L.) is a broadleaf flowering evergreen tree native to the South American country of Brazil and a distant relative of the pawpaw. The plant is grown as a commercial crop for a prickly green 12 inch (300 mm) long fruit which can weigh up to 5 lb (2.5 kg).
The flesh of the fruit consists of an edible white pulp and a core of undigestible black seeds. The species is the only member of genus Annona which is well-adapted to processing and preservation. The sweet pulp is used to make juice as well as candies, sorbets and ice cream flavorings.
Nutritionally, the fruit is high in carbohydrates because of its natural sugars. The fruit also contains significant levels of vitamin C, vitamin B1, and vitamin B2. The fruit, seeds, and leaves have a number of herbal medicinal uses among indigenous peoples of regions where the plant is common.
External link and reference
- Description of soursop (http://www.hort.purdue.edu/newcrop/morton/soursop.html) from Fruits of Warm Climates, (1987, ISBN 0961018410)
- Soursop pictures (http://fruits.scintro.com/fruitsalbum/)th:ทุเรียนเทศ