Today, we’re going to take a look at the graviola, also known as soursop and guanabana.

The graviola fruit originally came from the Antilles and in Brazil, it’s grown in the Amazon and Northeast. It grows on a tree from four to six meters tall in a humid climate. The fruit itself, which is green, oval-shaped, and spiny, can weigh up to eight pounds. The inside of the fruit is white and creamy, with forty to one hundred large black seeds.

Graviola is rich in Vitamins B and C, and is used to make juice and ice cream. An interesting fact about this fruit is that there are phytochemicals in the leaves and stem that act as anticarcinogens. There is on-going research to see if graviola could be used for cancer treatment or even to cure cancer.

This fruit is used in traditional medicine in Central and South America, since it has analgesic and antispasmodic properties. It is also used to treat anxiety, hypertension, the flu, and insomnia.