Unclear
Soursop (graviola)
fruit, juice, leaf tea, graviola capsules. Vegetables & fruit.
Safety: In a 1999 study in Guadeloupe, people with an unusual Parkinson's-like illness had eaten far more soursop fruit and leaf tea than those without it, and lab studies show compounds in the plant can damage nerve cells. Animal studies suggest it may also lower blood sugar and blood pressure. Eating the fruit now and then is unlikely to cause harm.
- Verdict
- UnclearThere isn't enough human evidence to say either way.
- How sure
- Rung 1 · UnprovenLab or animal data only, or never directly tested in people.
The rung shows how sure the science is, not how big the effect is. How to read these ratings
Cancers affected
None proven
What the evidence shows
Extracts kill several kinds of cancer cells in lab and animal studies, but graviola has never been tested in a clinical trial in people with cancer. Viral claims that it works better than chemotherapy have no human evidence behind them.
What to do
Fine as an occasional fruit. Skip graviola capsules, extracts and daily leaf tea, and never use it in place of cancer treatment.
Sources
To take it to your doctor, print this page.
Related
Every food we rated, or follow one cancer step by step: breast cancer, colorectal cancer, lung cancer and prostate cancer.