Whether you call it soursop, graviola, anon, or sweetsop, sugar apple has its merits. Have you heard about it, but never tried it? We are here to convince you to start incorporating it in your diet, whether fresh or in your daily smoothie.
Sugar apple comes from a fruit tree called Annona squamosa, a widely grown plant in Annona. The right origin remained unknown, but it is believed that it is somewhere in the tropical Americas and West Indies. Sugar apple has a sweet, delicious, and creamy taste, somewhere between a pear and a coconut.
You will recognize it by the knobby segments varying from pale green to blue-green color, found on its skin. The pulp can vary from milky white to light yellow. It is quite important to note that this fruit also contains big black seeds that aren’t edible, so be careful and don’t swallow them.
There are around 30 seeds in one single fruit. You won’t need a knife in order to open it when this fruit is fully ripe. Just take it in your hand and pull it apart. It is that easy.
If you don’t enjoy the fruit like this, you can put it in your breakfast shake and make a milkshake, smoothie, or even use it as a dessert to make sherbet or ice cream. There is one more reason to use it on a daily basis – it is extremely nutritious and healthy.
Why is sugar apple so special?
Sugar apple contains the most important nutrients that your body needs. These include: proteins, minerals, vitamins and essential fiber. If we took one cup of raw sugar apple, this is the nutritional value we would get:
One cup (250g) of raw sugar apple contains:
– 151% / 90.8mg Vitamin C;
– 25% / 0.500mg Vitamin B6;
– 44% / 11g Dietary fiber;
– 18% / 0.275mg Thiamin;
– 17% / 0.282mg Riboflavin;
– 13% / 617.50mg Potassium;
– 13% / 52.50 mg Magnesium;
– 11% / 0.215mg Copper;
– 11% / 2.208mg Niacin;
– 9% / 35.00mcg Folate;
– 8% / 1.50mg Iron.
Here are some of the most important health benefits of sugar apple:
Prevents asthma
Because of the amount of Vitamin C they contain, sugar apples are great for you if you suffer from asthma. Vitamin C acts as a great anti-oxidant and decreases the risk of developing this disease. Sugar apples also contain Vitamin B6, which prevents inflammation of the bronchial tube. Additionally, this fruit contains magnesium and potassium. These are beneficial in a way that they relax the bronchial tubes and smooth esophagus muscle. All these act in an anti-inflammatory way and also prevent asthma from developing.
Maintain Thyroid Health
Thyroid gland is one of the most important glands in our bodies as it regulates important hormones. The sugar apple can help in the balanced production of the thyroid hormone called thyroxin because it contains a great amount of the mineral copper. Copper helps in the production of thyroxin.
Controls sugar levels
Sugar apples contain 44% dietary fiber and this helps in the process of slowing down sugar absorption in your body. This can actually prevent diabetes type 2 from developing, because high-fiber diet means a higher risk of getting this disease. Consuming this fruit will give you a balanced low fiber diet.
Strengthen your bones
In order to have strong bones, we all need calcium, as we are all well aware of. However, besides calcium, another nutrient is also shown to be necessary in the process of strengthening your bones and keeping osteoporosis away. That nutrient is magnesium. Sugar apples are a great source of magnesium. Magnesium activates the most important vitamin for this process, which is vitamin D. Vitamin D promotes calcium absorption by the bones.
Protects your heart
Sugar apples are heart-friendly because they contain a good amount of vitamin B6. This vitamin prevents homocystein build-up. Homocystein is an amino acid, which can be built up in high levels in the blood. Vitamin B6 prevents the risk of coronary heart disease and stroke associated with this amino acid build-up.
This fruit also contains a lot of magnesium, also associated with lowering the risk of a heart attack. Magnesium relaxes the cardiac muscles, which helps them from overtiredness. Heart diseases actually happen due to low magnesium contain. To be more precise, 100g of fresh sugar apples satisfy almost 10% of your daily magnesium needs.
Prevents anemia
If your body lacks iron, you might suffer from anemia because your body does not produce enough blood cells for you. Sugar apples are famous for the iron they contain and thus they can prevent anemia from happening.
Prevents pregnancy problems
Sugar apples contain a lot off vitamin B, and vitamin B9 is one of them. Otherwise known as folate, it is well-known for having a huge role in conception. Not only that, but it also prevents neural tube problems for the baby.
Maintains skin and hair health
Sugar apples will take good care of your hair and make it luscious, while leaving your skin youthful for a long time. Due to Vitamin A, the cream-like pulp of the sugar apples is applied to problematic skin in order to cure it.
Maintains a healthy vision
Vitamin A in sugar apples also has antioxidant properties. This helps in providing you with healthy vision because it provides protection for the cornea and retina from harmful free radicals.
