Many people have come across soursop several times but they just see it as a mere fruit to take for pleasure, thereby neglecting the leaves.
Regardless of it’s unique and lovely taste, you would be surprised to know the leaves has a lot of benefits that are very important to our health.
They also have antipyretic, antimicrobial, antidiabetic, cardioprotective, and anti-parasitic properties.
Here are some of the benefits that soursop leaves offers:
1. Treats Insomnia
Traditionally, soursop leaves have been used to treat insomnia. The leaves have a smooth muscle relaxant activity and act as sedatives. Taking a glass of soursop leaf tea may also help ease stress.
2. Helps to manage diabetes
Soursop leaves have long been believed to help manage diabetes as it lowers the blood sugar level. The mechanism behind this action is the inhibition of enzymes that helps to break down complex carbohydrates into glucose or block its absorption.
3. Aids cancer treatment
Studies prove that antiproliferative and cytotoxic effects of the extracts of soursop plant treat cancers of the breast, colon, prostate, lung, blood, liver, cervix, ovary, the mouth, and the skin. The active bio ingredients that may be beneficial are called annonaceous acetogenins (AGEs). These AGEs are involved have some anticancer properties of soursop. They kill cancer cells by inhibiting the mitochondrial complex I, a cancer cell protein.
4. Treatment of rheumatism
Rheumatic diseases are commonly observed in elderly people, causing great pain. Soursop leaves are a natural treatment for pain. For this purpose, mash the soursop leaves until they become smooth and apply on the areas of the body affected by pain due to arthritis and eczema, regularly twice a day.
5. Treats ulcer
Soursop leaves are excellent remedies for ulcer because the substances within soursop leaves reduce inflammation and also act as a painkiller. Additionally, soursop leaves improve our immune system. So that the usual slow healing process of ulcer can be shortened due to an active immune system.
