Soursop juice is a tasty and healthy option for cooling off on hot days, mainly because it has many incredible health benefits. Highlighting the soothing effect and protection against cancer.
In addition, the drink has several vitamins and minerals that make it important to prevent many other diseases, delay skin aging and improve bowel function.
Best of all, there are several ways to prepare the juice using soursop pulp, which is also known as jaca-do-pará and araticum, mixed with other natural ingredients, surely one of them will suit your taste.
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5 health benefits of soursop juice
Each 100 gram serving of soursop contains about 16 grams of carbohydrates and 2 grams of dietary fiber. Each glass of juice contains good amounts of minerals such as calcium, magnesium, phosphorus, iron, potassium and zinc, as well as vitamin B complex, vitamin C and protein.
1- Prevents cancer and diabetes
This large amount of vitamins found in soursop juice helps fight and prevent various types of diseases.
Just to give you a glimpse of the power of this drink for health, research by researchers at the Federal University of Technology in Nigeria found that soursop pulp can prevent diabetes.
This is because the fruit prevents the release of an enzyme known as glucosidase, which is a substance responsible for releasing glucose into the blood.
The research also indicated that the fruit pulp is rich in phenolic compounds, substances that help excrete toxins that contribute to the development of hypertension, which proves its effectiveness in controlling blood pressure.
Another important point to be said is its role in preventing some types of cancer. What happens because of the action of substances called acetogenins that prevent the proliferation of cancer cells.
Last but not least, because it is rich in vitamin C, the drink helps to strengthen the immune system. This nutrient, also called ascorbic acid, has been described as being responsible for increasing the proliferation of antibodies.
Other than that, ascorbic acid is a potent antioxidant , which prevents healthy cells from suffering damage from oxidative stress. A reaction that occurs when the compounds in these structures begin to deteriorate, making the body more susceptible to disease.
2- Relax your body and mind
Did you know that a glass of this juice can help you relax after a stressful day? Well, Belgian researchers have identified that the fruit pulp is rich in some natural aromas known as isoquinolines.
These substances act directly on the central nervous system, which prevents the release of hormones that promote alertness, such as dopamine and adrenaline.
Okay, but what does that mean? It means that you are more relaxed, as your body is not releasing substances that tell you to be ready to fight, which contributes to reducing stress and anxiety as well.
3- Lose weight
Soursop juice is perfect for those who want to lose those extra pounds. This is, in the first place, because this is a low-calorie drink, having only 82 calories per serving.
Also, because it is rich in fiber , the drink helps to increase the feeling of satiety. These compounds take up what would otherwise be calories in your stomach, and make you feel less hungry throughout the day.
The result is a decrease in the amount of calories ingested, thus promoting healthy weight loss in a refreshing and delicious way.
4- Improves bowel function
Do you know this large amount of fiber found in juice? Because it makes this the ideal drink for those who need a little help in bowel function. This is because dietary fiber increases intestinal mobility. Pretty simple, isn’t it?
In fact, what happens is that these nutrients are not digested by stomach acid, so they pass whole to the intestine and on the way they absorb a lot of water, preventing the stool from drying out, and widening the intestinal wall.
The result is that the poop doesn’t dry out and has more room to move around, putting an end to the problem of constipation.
5- Leaves skin prettier and healthier
Adding this juice to your diet also helps to make your skin look healthier and more beautiful. This is thanks to the presence of vitamin C , which acts to prevent premature aging.
Ascorbic acid, as highlighted by a research published in the Anais Brasileiros de Dermatologia, is the compound responsible for stimulating the production of collagen, a protein that gives the skin structure.
The result is that the skin is firmer and smoother, thus delaying the appearance of wrinkles and sagging. Increased collagen production also improves healing. With this, the vitamin helps to heal wounds caused by pimples and reduce the appearance of scars.
As if that wasn’t enough, the antioxidant function has the ability to protect the skin against damage caused by the sun and pollution, also serving to prevent the appearance of blemishes and wrinkles .
3 Delicious soursop juice recipes
Plain soursop juice
Ingredients
- 1 small soursop or 100 grams of frozen pulp
- 200 ml of ice water
- Ice.
Preparation mode
If you are using fresh fruit, just remove the skin and beat it very quickly in a blender with half the water, just enough to remove the seeds, and then strain. Beat it again with ice, if you want more freshness, and the juice will be ready.
If the choice is the frozen pulp, the way is even simpler, as it is enough to take everything to the blender and blend well. You can add sugar to the preparation.
Soursop juice with spices
Ingredients
- 1 medium sized soursop and ripe
- 1 cup and ½ of cold milk
- ½ teaspoon of nutmeg
- ½ tablespoon of vanilla extract or essence
- ½ teaspoon of grated ginger .
Preparation mode
Remove the seeds from the soursop and bring the pulp to a blender along with the other ingredients. Beat well until smooth, then just strain and serve over ice.
Soursop green juice
Ingredients
- 100 grams of soursop pulp
- 200 ml of filtered water
- 1 cabbage leaf
- ¼ lemon juice .
Preparation mode
Blend all ingredients in a blender and add ice and sugar before serving.
How to choose this fruit
To get a delicious and nutritious juice, it is very important to check the quality of the fruit. Therefore, we have separated some tips to help with this task.
According to Embrapa, the fruit should have a very lively dark green skin with a slight grayish tone.
In addition, the small “thorns” that the fruit has on the skin should break easily and the pulp should be soft to the touch, but not too soft as this indicates that the soursop is overcooked.
An important detail is that the more ripe the fruit, the less need to sweeten the juice. Another tip is regarding your storage. As it is a sensitive fruit, it spoils very quickly, it is best to separate the pulp from the seeds and freeze.
My name is Ellie Lauderdale, MD and I am USA based professional Nutritionist .
I am a Registered Dietitian Nutritionist and board certified specialist in sports dietetics who is trained in integrative medicine. I have worked with hundreds of clients, from those suffering with chronic disease to professional and olympian athletes. My goal is to help optimize you from the inside so that you can feel, perform, and look your best on the outside.